Engineering People Manager

STARK's vision is to be the most trusted business-to-business distributor of heavy materials in Northern Europe. STARK takes responsibility for the entire value chain in our industry by providing the best terms possible for our customers and suppliers.

Responsibilities

The Engineering Manager is responsible for leading and developing a team of approximately 15 Software Engineers in Portugal, with a strong focus on people leadership, engagement, and professional growth. As a member of the Software Engineering Management Team, the Engineering Manager works closely with the Director of Software Engineering, the Staff Engineer, and fellow Engineering Managers to strengthen the Software Engineering function and establish consistent ways of working across the team. The role requires an understanding of software engineering to effectively support engineers, while the primary responsibility remains people management and organizational development.

Key Responsibilities

People Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop Software Engineers.
• Conduct regular 1:1 meetings focused on performance, well-being, career development, and engagement.
• Create a psychologically safe and motivating work environment.
• Collaborate with engineers in setting development goals and follow individual development plans.
• Handle employee relations and address performance or behavioral issues when needed.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with Scrum Masters, Project Managers, Product Owners, and Architects.
• Ensure effective collaboration between people management and product delivery.
• Balance business priorities with employee well-being and sustainable delivery.
• Collaborate closely with the Staff Engineer on organizational improvements and engineering capability development.
• Work closely with the Software Engineering management team on strategic initiatives and organizational priorities.

Engineering Organisation

• Actively contribute to the development of the Software Engineering function together with the Engineering Management Team.
• Support implementation of common engineering practices, standards, and processes.
• Contribute in driving initiatives that improve collaboration, quality, efficiency, and employee engagement.
• Help establish and maintain a consistent engineering culture across teams and locations.
• Support change initiatives and help teams navigate organisational changes.

Skills and Competencies

• Leadership: A strong people leader who builds trust, motivates and develops employees. Communicates effectively, provides constructive feedback, and leads with empathy, accountability, and integrity.
• Collaboration: Builds strong relationships across teams and functions, working effectively with Scrum Masters, Project Managers, Product Owners, Architects, and fellow Engineering Managers. Promotes open communication, collaboration, and a shared focus on achieving common goals.
• Technical Understanding: Understands modern software development methodologies such as Agile and Scrum. Familiarity with software engineering concepts such as architecture, DevOps, CI/CD, quality practices, and engineering workflows.

Experience requirements

Must have skills

• Prior people management experience preferred (1-3 years minimum)
• Proven experience leading and developing teams. Ability to coach, mentor, and build trust.
• Experience in Performance Management: Ability to set clear expectations, conduct regular 1:1s, manage performance reviews, and address performance or behavioral issues fairly and professionally.
• Technical Literacy: Basic understanding of software engineering concepts (architecture, CI/CD, quality practices, DevOps, and engineering workflows)

Good to have skills

• Previous experience working as a software developer is a plus
• Scrum master or project manager background also a plus
• Agile & Scrum Knowledge: Understanding of Agile methodologies, Scrum practices, and modern software development workflows. Ability to support team practices and continuous improvement.
• Experience contributing to org structure improvements, hiring strategies, or team scaling initiatives.
• Experience managing remote or geographically distributed teams.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or relevant years of experience

Travel

Travel is not mandatory but the role does require trips to Denmark to strengthen the collaboration in the management team and with other stakeholders

About STARK

STARK Group, a leading pan-European distributor of building materials founded in 1896 and headquartered in Denmark, operates over 1,100 branches across the UK, Germany, the Nordics, and beyond. With around 19,000 employees and nearly EUR 7.8 billion in annual net sales, STARK delivers expert advice, efficient logistics, and a wide product range to professional builders—following a strategy of "Local ownership. Global leadership." Technology plays a central role in supporting STARK Group's growth and transformation. Our engineering teams are building modern digital platforms that streamline operations, optimise supply chains, and enhance customer experiences across all markets. By joining the Lisbon team, software developers will have the opportunity to work with international colleagues, solve complex technical challenges, and contribute to shaping the digital backbone of one of Europe's largest building materials suppliers.