Director of Software Engineering

What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 has blossomed into the nation’s leading voice on mental health. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

Today, we are an alliance of hundreds of local affiliates, state organizations and a national office that work in communities across the United States to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need. NAMI advocates for all who are affected by mental illness, both the individuals and the people in their lives. We work to address disparities and injustices and to promote dignity and inclusion for all people with mental illness and their families. In addition to being advocates, we educate, we listen, and we lead as evidenced by our public awareness campaigns, the range of programs we provide, and our strong public policy.

We are currently seeking a skilled and motivated Director of Software Engineering. As the Director of Software Engineering, you will lead a team of developers responsible for maintaining and expanding PHP & WordPress websites, Laravel applications, a Twilio instance, and additional smaller projects. You’ll also support the migration of legacy web applications while ensuring systems are secure and scalable. Key aspects of the role include managing contractors and short-term grant-funded developers, hiring new team members, and onboarding them. You will work closely with the National Director of Information Systems to align technical development with organizational objectives. A deep understanding of Salesforce, data exposure, and security practices is essential, along with experience in legacy system migrations.

This full-time position can be Hybrid in Arlington, VA or Remote.

Salary Range: $100,000 - $130,000

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead a diverse primarily remote team of developers, including contractors and short-term grant-funded positions, ensuring project quality, timeliness, and adherence to security best practices.
• Oversee the hiring, onboarding, and continuous development of new team members.
• Develop and oversee the organization's technical roadmaps, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and long-term growth.
• Manage and refine the SDLC, ensuring efficient, secure, and scalable processes that align with the organization's goals.
• Collaborate with the National Director of Information Systems to develop technical strategies that support the organization's needs.
• Implement secure development practices, emphasizing data exposure risks and maintaining system integrity.
• Support the migration of legacy online web applications, ensuring minimal disruption and alignment with modern technologies.
• Manage contractors and developers working on short-term, grant-funded projects, ensuring effective delivery within grant constraints.
• Provide empathetic leadership and mentorship by fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous learning, and process improvement within the development team.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• 8+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Strong proficiency in PHP, WordPress, Laravel, and Twilio, with a broader focus on leading web-based development projects.
• Experience with Salesforce development or integration.
• Knowledge of data exposure techniques and secure software development practices.
• Proven experience managing remote teams and contractors, as well as short-term, grant-funded development positions.
• Familiarity with legacy web application migrations and modernizing outdated systems.
• Familiarity with version control systems (Git), TDD, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong communication skills, capable of effectively managing both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Must pass background check

OTHER EXPERIENCE DESIRED

• Experience refining SDLC processes in evolving technical environments.
• Familiarity with performance tuning and security best practices in web development.
• Knowledge of Twilio communication workflows.
• Experience managing contractors and integrating grant-funded projects into a broader development roadmap.

NAMI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce. NAMI prohibits discrimination and harassment against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, genetic information or any other legally protected group status. We also provide reasonable accommodation for candidates with disability.