Salary: $100,000+
ABOUT SMARTWAYS
At Smartways, we specialize in time-critical, complex logistics for the Australasian healthcare community.
Our mission is to lift patient outcomes and save lives in all healthcare industries including medical devices, life science, pharmaceuticals, and clinical trials.
We are driven by a passion for excellence, constantly innovating our services ranging from patient on table emergency deliveries, to preplanned, scheduled temperature controlled global shipment.
At Smartways, we believe that our success is measured not only by our bottom line, but by the impact we have on the broader community, we are the first healthcare logistics company in Australasia that is 100% carbon neutral.
Our team of experienced professionals are committed to making a positive difference in the world, one shipment at a time.
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
As Director of Software Engineering, the primary purpose of the role is to lead, scale, and continuously improve Smartways’ software engineering function to deliver high-quality, reliable, and scalable technology solutions that support the company’s strategic objectives.
Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer, you will be responsible for translating technology strategy into execution, ensuring engineering excellence, and leading high-performing teams to deliver products that enhance customer experience, operational efficiency, and business growth.
This role combines strong technical leadership with people management, delivery accountability, and cross-functional collaboration to drive outcomes across the organisation.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead and oversee the end-to-end software engineering lifecycle, from design and development through to deployment and ongoing optimisation
- Execute the technology and product roadmap in alignment with the CTO’s strategic direction and business priorities
- Build, lead, mentor, and scale high-performing engineering teams, fostering a culture of accountability, quality, and continuous improvement
- Establish and enforce engineering best practices, coding standards, architecture principles, and development methodologies
- Partner closely with Product, Data, Operations, and other business stakeholders to prioritise work, manage dependencies, and deliver value
Ensure software solutions are secure, scalable, maintainable, and fit for purpose - Drive improvements in system performance, reliability, and technical debt management
- Own delivery outcomes, including timelines, resourcing, risk management, and quality of engineering outputs
- Champion DevOps, CI/CD, automation, and modern engineering practices to improve speed, quality, and efficiency
- Support architectural decision-making and guide teams on complex technical challenges
- Monitor engineering performance metrics and continuously improve delivery predictability and product quality
- Contribute to vendor selection, technical evaluation, and management where required
- Stay current with emerging technologies, tools, and industry best practices, recommending adoption where appropriate
WORK EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
- Proven experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years in a leadership or management role
- Demonstrated success leading engineering teams in complex, scalable software environments
- Strong background in modern software architectures, cloud-based systems, APIs, and distributed systems
- Experience delivering enterprise-grade, customer-facing products in agile environments
- Strong people leadership skills with experience in coaching, performance management, and succession planning
- Ability to balance technical depth with strategic thinking and business outcomes
- Hands-on experience with agile delivery, DevOps practices, and CI/CD pipelines
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and align across technical and non-technical audiences
- Solid understanding of security, compliance, and risk management in software development
- Exceptional communication, organisational, and prioritisation skills
- Proficient in leveraging AI-assisted coding tools (e.g., Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Cursor) to accelerate development, debugging, and refactoring across the software lifecycle
PERSONAL QUALITIES AND BEHAVIOURAL TRAITS
- Strong stakeholder-first mindset with a focus on delivering value and high-quality outcomes
- Outcome-driven with a pragmatic approach to problem-solving and decision-making
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment with competing priorities
- Highly accountable and resilient, able to lead teams through ambiguity and change
- Technically curious and passionate about engineering excellence and continuous learning
- Confident communicator who can simplify complex technical concepts for diverse audiences
- Data-informed, using metrics and insights to guide decisions and improvement