Engineering Manager (Hands-On | Software Delivery) Belfast | Hybrid MPA are partnering with an elite Canadian tech firm expanding into Belfast to hire a hands-on Engineering Manager to lead high-performing software teams delivering complex cloud and enterprise systems. This is a player-coach role ideal for someone who enjoys developing engineers, driving delivery, and still contributing technically when needed. The Role Youll lead a team of backend and frontend engineers across active client projects, ensuring high-quality, scalable software delivery while fostering strong team culture and technical standards. This is not a pure management role. Youll be expected to influence architecture, guide technical decisions, and stay close to the codebase. Key Responsibilities Lead, mentor, and develop a team of software engineers Conduct 1:1s, performance reviews, and career development planning Drive technical direction across backend services and APIs Contribute hands-on to system design and key architectural decisions Collaborate with product and design to shape roadmaps and delivery plans Lead agile ceremonies and improve team delivery processes Ensure strong engineering standards across testing, CI/CD, and deployments Required Experience 8 years in software engineering, including 2 years in a leadership or people management role Strong backend development experience (Java and/or Python, ideally Spring) Experience with modern frontend technologies (React, JavaScript) Strong understanding of REST APIs, scalable system design, and web architecture Experience with relational and non-relational databases Proven ability to lead projects end-to-end while maintaining team engagement and morale Strong communication and stakeholder management skills Highly Desirable Experience in cloud-native or containerised environments Exposure to data tooling or workflow orchestration (e.g., Airflow, dbt) Experience scaling teams or improving engineering processes Experience mentoring early- to mid-career engineers Why Consider This Role? Real ownership over both technical direction and team growth Influence hiring, architecture, and delivery standards Hybrid working model in Belfast High-autonomy, fast-paced engineering culture Competitive compensation and strong benefits Skills: Engineering Management Technical Engineering Software Engineering Management Benefits: Work From Home Work From Home hybrid Paid Holidays Performance Bonus wellness programme Laptop Pension Fund