Director, Software Engineering (Full stack, Growth)

At Scribd (pronounced “scribbed”), our mission is to spark human curiosity. Join our team as we create a world of stories and knowledge, democratize the exchange of ideas and information, and empower collective expertise through our three products: Everand, Scribd, and Slideshare. 

We support a culture where our employees can be real and be bold; where we debate and commit as we embrace plot twists; and where every employee is empowered to take action as we prioritize the customer.

When it comes to workplace structure, we believe in balancing individual flexibility and community connections.  It’s through our flexible work benefit, Scribd Flex, that employees – in partnership with their manager – can choose the daily work-style that best suits their individual needs. A key tenet of Scribd Flex is our prioritization of intentional in-person moments to build collaboration, culture, and connection. For this reason, occasional in-person attendance is required for all Scribd employees, regardless of their location.

So what are we looking for in new team members? Well, we hire for “GRIT”. The textbook definition of GRIT is demonstrating the intersection of passion and perseverance towards long term goals. At Scribd, we are inspired by the potential that this can unlock, and ask each of our employees to pursue a GRIT-ty approach to their work. In a tactical sense, GRIT is also a handy acronym that outlines the standards we hold ourselves and each other to.  Here’s what that means for you: we’re looking for someone who showcases the ability to set and achieve Goals, achieve Results within their job responsibilities, contribute Innovative ideas and solutions, and positively influence the broader Team through collaboration and attitude.

About the team

Millions of active users engage with our products—Scribd, Everand, and Slideshare—to learn, grow, and enjoy premium books, audiobooks, podcasts, and more. Our mission is to empower readers to explore their curiosities and expand their knowledge through exceptional products and user experiences.

The Growth Team plays a pivotal role in driving user engagement and delivering business impact across the customer journey. We focus on technical excellence and innovation in key areas like SEO, MarTech, Signup Optimization, Subscription, and Retention. Collaboration, continuous improvement, and technical excellence are at the heart of our team’s culture.

As a cross-functional squad, we work closely with other engineering teams, designers, and product managers. Ownership, accountability, and strong communication skills are essential to success in this role. While your primary focus will be on the frontend, you’ll also have opportunities to influence the overall architecture and direction of our systems.

About the Role

We are seeking a Director of Engineering to lead our established Growth Engineering organization. This strategic leadership position will oversee our existing multiple teams including Subscription & Retention, Signup Optimization, SEO, and Growth Platforms, driving technical innovation and business impact throughout the customer acquisition and retention journey.

As Director, you will take the helm of our current high-performing engineering organization of approximately 30 team members, including direct management of experienced engineering managers. You will inherit an effective team structure while bringing your vision to evolve and optimize the organization for our next phase of growth.

You will partner with executive leadership to refine and execute the technical vision and strategy that powers Scribd's growth initiatives across our product portfolio. This role is ideal for a visionary engineering leader with deep experience in growth engineering, subscription optimization, and team leadership who can balance technical excellence with business outcomes.

• Strategic Leadership: Refine and execute the technical vision and roadmap for the established Growth organization, aligning engineering efforts with company objectives and growth targets while building upon existing momentum.
• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and develop our existing diverse team of ~30 engineers and managers, continuing to foster our culture of innovation, accountability, and engineering excellence across multiple teams.
• Organizational Optimization: Evolve our established Growth engineering organization structure to maximize impact, ensuring effective collaboration between the existing Subscription & Retention, Signup Optimization, SEO, and Growth Platforms teams.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with Product, Design, Marketing, and Data Science leadership to define priorities, align strategies, and execute high-impact initiatives that drive sustainable growth.
• Technical Excellence & Delivery Optimization: Drive the evolution of our engineering practices toward high-performance delivery, including continuous deployment, automated testing, and trunk-based development to reduce lead times and increase deployment frequency while maintaining quality and stability.
• Technical Innovation: Guide the adoption and implementation of AI-enabled development tools to enhance engineering productivity, code quality, and testing processes across the Growth organization.
• Data-Driven Culture: Champion a culture of experimentation, measurement, and continuous optimization, using data to inform decisions and drive improvements in key metrics while reducing time-to-market for new features.
• Resource Management: Effectively allocate engineering resources across teams and initiatives to maximize impact and efficiency while managing headcount and budget.
• Executive Communication: Represent the Growth organization to executive leadership, communicating strategies, progress, and outcomes with clarity and impact.

• 12+ years of software engineering experience, with 5+ years in engineering leadership roles, including direct management of engineering managers
• Proven track record of leading and evolving established high-performing engineering organizations, preferably in subscription-based or consumer-facing digital products
• Experience successfully transitioning into leadership of existing teams and driving their continued growth and successHands-on experience with backend engineering technologies and architectures
• High level of interest in AI-enabled development tools and how to incorporate them into modern development and testing processes
• Strong belief in and experience implementing modern software delivery practices including continuous integration/deployment, automated testing, and rapid experimentation
• Experience leading technical transformations that improve deployment frequency, reduce lead time, and increase stability
• Deep experience with growth engineering practices, including experimentation frameworks, funnel optimization, and data-driven decision making
• Strong technical background with expertise in modern web/mobile technologies and architecture patternsExperience leading multiple engineering teams across different domains simultaneously
• Exceptional leadership skills with demonstrated ability to inspire, develop, and retain top engineering talent
• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate business objectives into technical strategies and execution plans
• Outstanding communication and stakeholder management skills, with experience partnering with executive leadership
• Experience in subscription business models, including acquisition, conversion, pricing strategies, and retention optimizationTrack record of driving measurable business impact through technical innovation

At Scribd, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package and is determined within a range. Our pay ranges are based on the local cost of labor benchmarks for each specific role, level, and geographic location. San Francisco is our highest geographic market in the United States. In the state of California, the reasonably expected salary range is between $196,500 [minimum salary in our lowest geographic market within California] to $306,500 [maximum salary in our highest geographic market within California]. 

In the United States, outside of California, the reasonably expected salary range is between $162,000 [minimum salary in our lowest US geographic market outside of California] to $291,000 [maximum salary in our highest US geographic market outside of California]. 

In Canada, the reasonably expected salary range is between $205,500 CAD[minimum salary in our lowest geographic market] to $272,500 CAD[maximum salary in our highest geographic market]. 

We carefully consider a wide range of factors when determining compensation, including but not limited to experience; job-related skill sets; relevant education or training; and other business and organizational needs. The salary range listed is for the level at which this job has been scoped. In the event that you are considered for a different level, a higher or lower pay range would apply. This position is also eligible for a competitive equity ownership, and a comprehensive and generous benefits package.

Benefits, Perks, and Wellbeing at Scribd

*Benefits/perks listed may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Scribd and the geographical location where you work.

• Healthcare Insurance Coverage (Medical/Dental/Vision): 100% paid for employees

• 12 weeks paid parental leave

• Short-term/long-term disability plans

• 401k/RSP matching

• Onboarding stipend for home office peripherals + accessories

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Learning & Development programs

• Quarterly stipend for Wellness, Connectivity & Comfort

• Mental Health support & resources

• Free subscription to Scribd + gift memberships for friends & family

• Referral Bonuses

• Book Benefit

• Sabbaticals

• Company wide events

• Team engagement budgets

• Vacation & Personal Days

• Paid Holidays (+ winter break)

• Flexible Sick Time

• Volunteer Day

• Company-wide Employee Resource Groups and programs that foster an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Want to learn more about life at Scribd? www.linkedin.com/company/scribd/life

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We want our interview process to be accessible to everyone. You can inform us of any reasonable adjustments we can make to better accommodate your needs by emailing accommodations [@] scribd.com about the need for adjustments at any point in the interview process.

Scribd is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply, and believe that a diversity of perspectives and experiences create a foundation for the best ideas. Come join us in building something meaningful.

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Remote employees must have their primary residence in:  Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Ontario (Canada), British Columbia (Canada), or Mexico

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