Jellyvision Needs A Software Engineering Manager

We here at Jellyvision are the proud parents of ALEX®, an interactive employee communications platform that happens to share some DNA (and a sense of humor) with the smash-hit trivia video game YOU DON’T KNOW JACK®, created by Jellyvision's founder. ALEX makes navigating tricky decisions—like choosing and using employee benefits or improving your financial wellness—easier, faster, and more helpful, not to mention entertaining. The success of the ALEX platform has exceeded our wildest dreams, (except for the part right before we woke up where our mom was riding a giraffe), which is why we need talented folks like you to help us help ALEX take over the world…er…continue to grow and succeed.

Jellyvision has gone through some tremendous change recently, growing from 200 to 400 people, while evolving from a services company to a product focused company in the span of just a couple of years.  We have an exciting road map including new products and believe the best is yet to come.  Our product engineering team is composed of a talented group of frontend, backend, and full-stack engineers.  We’re looking for an experienced engineering manager to lead a team of these talented engineers in designing, building, and delivering our suite of products.

SO WHAT'S THIS JOB ABOUT?

Our engineering managers have the following responsibilities:

• Manage the performance and career growth of team members.
• Perform regular one-on-ones and provide timely and constructive feedback.
• Clear the road for the team by identifying and removing obstacles.
• Ensure Jellyvision’s engineering standards and best practices are followed.
• Collaborate with folks in our product and creative teams, as well as other engineering managers.
• Deliver products.
• Hire new engineering talent.

Jellyvision is a wonderful place for developers to learn and grow, and we’re looking for an engineering manager who will help them navigate beyond the day-to-day challenges and look towards the future of the product.  A good technical manager is both an advocate for the developers and a strong leader who helps us translate business requirements into well-designed, stable, and performant software products.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

• A great communicator – As the main point of contact for your team, you’ll interact regularly with members of teams outside of the engineering organization.  You’re a fluent translator between tech and non-tech.  Within the engineering organization, you’ll work to keep lines of communication open to break down and prevent the reformation of information silos.
• A technical leader – You’ve got a strong background in software development and web technologies.  Although you will not be expected to write code, you will be actively involved in the engineering process.  You can effectively lead technical discussions, help resolve technical disagreements, and can effectively present and evaluate engineering trade-offs.
• Experience with Agile methodologies – Our teams use Agile methodologies (both Scrum and Kanban) to iteratively deliver results.  You understand that Agile is a set of principles, not a fixed process, and can adapt standard methodologies to best fit the needs of your team.
• As successful history of leading a development team – This isn’t your first rodeo.  You’ve established a strong track record of leading a productive development team and creating an environment where people love to do their best work, while having fun doing it.  You understand how to motivate, develop, and promote technical experts and future leaders.

THE SPECIFICS

On the frontend, our products are built with Javascript, React and Redux.  Our backend APIs are built with Ruby and Rails or Grape, as well as Javascript and Node.js.  We have opportunities to lead either a frontend or backend-focused team.

You will be managing a team of approximately 10-12 direct reports and will report to the Director of Product Engineering.

ANYTHING ELSE?  We share a commitment to excellence and a desire to work in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere, so we only hire nice, bright, funny people who are willing to work hard.  Our credo is a simple one: be helpful. And we think we can be most helpful if our workforce is as diverse in thought, perspective, and culture as the people who use our products. We are looking to add amazing folks to our team who will bring diversity across many lines, including race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity, sex, and country of origin.

ARE THERE ANY PERKS? Yes, we love perks.

• Competitive pay, 401(k) with matching and benefits. We pay 100% of the cost of premiums for medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance for our employees (as long as you qualify for our tobacco-free discount; if you’re a tobacco user, your medical premiums will be higher than $0). We also cover a really nice chunk of the cost of premiums for spouse/dependent medical, dental and vision insurance.
• Casual dress and a flexible schedule. Come in a sweatshirt, jeans, whatever, like everyone else here.
• Creative work environment. We are lucky to work in a place that is full of intelligent, talented and innovative folks. Although most hours the place is deathly quiet (we're a focused bunch), this is punctuated with hilarious outbursts and general merriment, which makes a nice way to spend the day.
• Free food. Every week, we stock our kitchen with free healthy snack foods, and we have a catered lunch every other week to give people a reason to hang out and eat together.
• Easy transportation and lots of love for folks who bike to work. We’re really close to the North/Clybourn red line stop and the Halsted (#8) bus (right by the Apple Store and Mega Whole Foods too), and we have a transit FSA that allows you to dedicate pre-tax dollars to public transportation expenses. A number of our employees like to bike to work, so we also have bike storage, showers and lockers in the office.  And for those without their own bike in the city, we offer free divvy memberships – complete with Jellyvision bike helmets you can borrow from the office.
• Did we mention our yoga and meditation classes? We bring a pro instructor right to the office. Fully subsidized by Jellyvision and fully optional, btw.
• Oh! And we have a massage chair. Not just any massage chair, my friend. It’s the Renew 2 Zero-Gravity Massage Chair by Brookstone®. Feeling a little stiff? Sit down. Relax. Feel better? Good. Okay, back to work.

Thanks for your interest in Jellyvision!