Description

The Wikimedia Foundation is seeking an experienced and passionate Engineering Manager to lead our Testing Platform team. The core mission of this team is to empower software engineers with self-service quality practices by providing robust tools and frameworks for writing tests and reliable testing environments for their execution.

We are deeply committed to making knowledge freely available to everyone, globally. This is an impactful opportunity to contribute to this mission by building foundational technology that empowers current and future generations of developers across the globe to build high-quality software that scales with our ambitious goals.

This role involves leading a geographically distributed team of 5-7 software engineers who are responsible for building and operating cloud-based testing environments, visual regression and end-to-end testing frameworks, code quality tools, and other essential testing frameworks that ensure the quality and reliability of the software powering Wikipedia and its sister projects.

Our team is building a crucial platform layer that enables our staff and global communities to realize our collective Vision: a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge.

The Wikimedia Foundation deeply values diversity and recognizes that a wide range of perspectives among our employees is essential to creating a knowledge source that truly benefits everyone. We are firmly committed to inclusion, diversifying the tech industry, and advocating for diversity in our employees, their unique experiences, and the diverse communities we serve.

You are responsible for

• Collaborating effectively with your team and cross-functional stakeholders to plan, prioritize, and thoughtfully delegate work, skillfully balancing project goals with technical requirements and individual team members' skill sets.
• Driving strong execution by ensuring projects remain on track, key performance metrics are consistently met, and any roadblocks to progress are actively identified and removed.
• Communicating proactively and transparently on progress, potential risks, and achieved outcomes to all relevant stakeholders.
• Fostering an engaged and productive engineering team that clearly understands the overarching project vision and how their individual contributions directly contribute to its success.
• Coaching and mentoring your team members, conducting thorough performance reviews, providing valuable career guidance, and cultivating a professional and inclusive work culture that encourages growth and collaboration.
• Effectively managing project risks and implementing robust succession planning strategies, along with documenting and enforcing lifecycle management and best practices for the software the team develops.
• Leading the full lifecycle of talent acquisition by effectively interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and mentoring new engineers with the primary goal of quickly integrating them as productive and engaged members of your team.

Skills and Experience

• Several years of progressive engineering experience, including multiple years in a technical management or team leadership role.
• Several years of hands-on experience in developing, designing, and reviewing web applications using languages such as Go, Python, PHP, or other object-oriented programming languages.
• Proven experience in building and operating resilient and reliable software systems and services leveraging scalable infrastructure technologies (e.g., Kubernetes).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, with a demonstrated ability to articulate complex technical topics and proposed solutions clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• An established track record of success in working with a multicultural, remote, and geographically distributed high-performing team.
• Robust analytical, problem-solving, and conceptual skills, coupled with the ability to effectively address both intricate details and broader strategic considerations.
• Ability to work flexible hours with a core overlap time from 2 PM to 6 PM UTC to facilitate effective collaboration across time zones.

Qualities that are important to us

• Strong alignment with the Wikimedia Foundation's mission and core values.
• Experience with open-source development methodologies and active engagement within open-source communities.
• Excellent communication and proactive follow-up skills. You are actively engaged, and your team feels involved and well-informed about team progress and broader organizational updates.
• Demonstrated experience with the nuances of remote work and the level of engagement and communication required to build a functional and healthy geographically distributed team.
• Experience with large-scale, global developer ecosystems and platforms, including a strong understanding of managing the associated risks and opportunities.
• Resilience in the face of new and complex challenges, with a collaborative and open approach to problem-solving.
• A collaborative mindset focused on achieving tangible outcomes, with the adaptability to adjust course when necessary.
• A genuine passion for developing both people and platforms, with a strong focus on fostering a product-minded engineering culture.

Additionally, we’d love it if you have

• Experience working within platform teams and a proven ability to scale impact across a larger organization.
• Personal experience editing Wikipedia or active involvement with the Wikipedia, Wikidata, or Wikimedia Commons communities, or other collaborative online enterprises.
• Familiarity with the MediaWiki software.

Note: If you feel strongly that you have what it takes for this role but don’t check 100% of the boxes—that’s okay—we encourage you to apply anyway and highlight what you can bring to the table.