Engineering Lead - Transaction Processing

About the role

Wise is embarking on an exciting journey to launch its inaugural credit card service tailored for both individual and business customers, thereby enhancing its global spending framework. This position is pivotal in establishing a robust credit program that prioritizes transparency, compliance with international standards, and reliability, catering to a diverse global clientele. As the Engineering Lead, you will spearhead the development of this innovative initiative from its inception.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead the creation and execution of the technical roadmap and strategic direction for transaction processing, working closely with product and engineering leaders to align objectives.
• Manage the complete transaction lifecycle, encompassing authorization, tokenization, and clearing, while integrating complex card schemes into the system.
• Ensure that the systems are scalable, dependable, and exhibit low latency, capable of managing high transaction volumes efficiently.
• Make critical architectural decisions and improve integration capabilities with various card schemes to enhance overall system performance.
• Mentor and guide a team of engineers, promoting a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement within the team.
• Balance the immediate operational requirements with long-term architectural goals to ensure sustainable growth.
• Define the mission and objectives for high-performing teams, ensuring the delivery of an exceptional product.
• Actively participate in product roadmapping and strategic discussions alongside product management to align on priorities.
• Collaborate with fellow Engineering Leads, Staff Engineers, and Product teams to influence and shape the technical roadmap effectively.
• Serve as a key representative for the team, engaging with stakeholders across the organization to ensure alignment and transparency.
• Oversee projects from the initial concept through to release, particularly in collaboration with the Business, Spend, and Account squads.
• Uphold high standards for product quality by maintaining a comprehensive technical roadmap that guides development efforts.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership in areas such as architectural design, code reviews, and the establishment of best practices.
• Ensure the quality, consistency, and maintainability of code across the development teams.

Requirements

• A solid background in software engineering, with a proven track record of designing and developing complex, scalable systems.
• Experience in taking new products from concept through to successful launch, demonstrating a strong product development lifecycle understanding.
• Proven ability to deliver reliable and robust services in a production environment, ensuring high availability and performance.
• Capability to navigate intricate technical domains and lead a team through various challenges effectively.
• Familiarity with distributed systems and the ability to discuss and evaluate technical trade-offs.
• A strong sense of ownership, with an understanding of how technical decisions impact business outcomes and customer experiences.
• Comfort in working independently, with a proactive approach to conceptualizing and driving initiatives to fruition.
• Experience in collaborating with product teams and stakeholders to define requirements and prioritize tasks effectively.
• Empathetic leadership skills, with a history of mentoring engineers at various levels of experience.
• Ability to lead by example, inspiring the team to produce high-quality, maintainable code.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of articulating complex technical concepts to a wide range of audiences.
• Previous experience leading teams in payments, fintech, or other complex, high-stakes environments.
• Experience working with globally distributed teams, understanding the nuances of remote collaboration.
• Expertise in building systems that cater to enterprise clients at scale, ensuring reliability and performance.
• Proven experience in scaling teams and systems for a global audience.
• A strong foundation in distributed systems and cloud architecture principles.

Nice to have

• Some practical experience in front-end development would be beneficial.

Skills & tools

• Proficient in distributed systems and cloud architecture, with a strong understanding of modern software development practices.

Practical notes

This position presents a unique opportunity to make a significant impact on the operations of hundreds of thousands of businesses while contributing to Wise's ongoing growth. You will be part of a collaborative international team, gaining valuable exposure to complex technical domains and playing a crucial role in shaping the future of the team and the organization as a whole.