Director, Software Engineering

WGU seeks an experienced Director of Software Engineering to lead engineering strategy and execution in Salt Lake City, UT. In this full-time leadership role, you will shape our engineering culture, build high-performing teams, and drive the technical direction that powers our institution's digital transformation.

What This Role Involves

As Director of Software Engineering at WGU, you'll take ownership of software engineering operations, team development, and architectural vision. This is a hands-on leadership position where you balance strategic oversight with technical depth, ensuring our engineering organization delivers reliable, scalable solutions that support our mission.

What You'll Do

• Lead and mentor engineering teams, fostering a culture of excellence, continuous learning, and collaboration
• Define software engineering standards, best practices, and technical roadmaps aligned with organizational goals
• Oversee architecture decisions, code quality, and technology selection across key systems
• Partner with product, operations, and executive leadership to translate business requirements into technical strategy
• Build and scale engineering capabilities, including recruitment, retention, and professional development
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, system reliability, and deployment practices
• Champion innovation while balancing technical debt and long-term sustainability

Skills & Qualifications

• 8+ years of software engineering experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership or management capacity
• Strong background in software architecture, system design, and full-stack development
• Proven ability to build, mentor, and retain high-performing engineering teams
• Experience with modern development practices including CI/CD, cloud platforms, and agile methodologies
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent professional experience)
• Passion for education technology and mission-driven work

About WGU

Western Governors University is a leading competency-based institution dedicated to making quality education more affordable and accessible. Based in Salt Lake City, WGU serves students nationwide through innovative online and competency-based learning models. We're seeking leaders who are energized by our mission and want to build systems that scale across hundreds of thousands of learners.

How to Apply

To apply, complete your application directly on this page, or you'll be redirected to the employer's application platform to finish submitting there.