Software & Applications Manager (Technical Lead / Supervisor)

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced and hands-on Software & Applications Manager to lead a team of developers and engineers in the delivery, maintenance, and continuous improvement of enterprise software applications.

This role combines technical leadership, people management, and project delivery responsibilities. The successful candidate will provide technical direction, oversee development processes, ensure software quality, and align technology solutions with business objectives.

The ideal candidate should be comfortable managing both in-house and external development teams while remaining actively involved in technical discussions, system architecture, and delivery planning.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of software developers and application engineers

• Conduct performance evaluations, coaching sessions, and career development planning

• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing engineering culture

• Promote continuous learning, technical knowledge sharing, and upskilling within the team

• Support recruitment, onboarding, and resource planning activities

Application Development & Technical Oversight

• Oversee the full software development lifecycle (SDLC) for new applications and enhancements

• Ensure adherence to coding standards, architectural principles, security guidelines, and quality benchmarks

• Review technical designs, code quality, testing strategies, and deployment readiness

• Drive maintainability, scalability, and reliability of software solutions

• Ensure proper technical and operational documentation is maintained

Project Planning & Delivery Management

• Define project scope, timelines, priorities, and resource allocation across multiple initiatives

• Monitor project progress and proactively manage risks, blockers, and dependencies

• Ensure projects are delivered on schedule, within budget, and according to agreed quality standards

• Coordinate closely with stakeholders, product owners, and business teams

• Prepare and present project status updates, technical reports, and delivery metrics to management

Technical Architecture & Engineering Standards

• Evaluate and recommend appropriate technologies, frameworks, and development tools

• Define and enforce engineering best practices, CI/CD standards, branching strategies, and release processes

• Provide technical leadership on system architecture, API design, integrations, and scalability considerations

• Support cloud, infrastructure, and deployment strategy discussions where applicable

• Stay updated on emerging technologies and assess their business applicability

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Collaborate with business stakeholders to gather and translate requirements into technical solutions

• Communicate technical concepts, risks, and trade-offs effectively to non-technical audiences

• Serve as the primary liaison between the engineering team and other departments

• Manage external vendors, outsourced development teams, and software providers

• Monitor vendor performance, deliverables, SLAs, and contractual obligations

Quality Assurance, Security & Continuous Improvement

• Champion software quality throughout the development lifecycle

• Drive retrospectives, post-mortems, and process improvement initiatives

• Monitor engineering KPIs such as deployment frequency, defect rates, lead time, and team velocity

• Promote secure coding practices, vulnerability management, and application security awareness

• Ensure compliance with organisational security policies and relevant data protection regulations

• Support audits, risk assessments, and compliance reviews where required

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related discipline

• Minimum 3 years of hands-on software/application development experience

• Minimum 2 years of experience in a technical lead, supervisory, or management role

• Proven experience managing end-to-end SDLC in Agile/Scrum environments

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Java, Python, C#, JavaScript, or TypeScript

• Strong understanding of software architecture, RESTful APIs, system integrations, and application design patterns

• Experience with Git-based version control, CI/CD pipelines, and modern deployment practices

• Familiarity with cloud platforms, DevOps practices, and container technologies is advantageous

• Understanding of application security principles and secure development practices

Language & Communication

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

• Ability to communicate effectively in both English and Mandarin (spoken and written)

• Mandarin proficiency is required as the role involves regular coordination with Mandarin-speaking software developers, vendors, and technical stakeholders based in Mainland China

Soft Skills

• Strong leadership, analytical, and decision-making abilities

• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment

• Self-motivated, organised, and results-oriented

• Strong problem-solving and team collaboration skills

Preferred / Advantageous

• Experience managing outsourced or offshore development teams

• Experience in enterprise systems, fintech, gaming, SaaS, or high-transaction environments

• Familiarity with vulnerability management, security audits, or application security processes

• Relevant certifications such as Scrum Master, PMP, AWS, Azure, CISSP, or CEH are advantageous