Head of Engineering

Company: TXI
Location: Chicago
Posted on: February 1, 2025

Job Description:

TXI is seeking a Head of Engineering to thoughtfully grow our internal software engineering strategy while expertly guiding our clients' technical product development.Building the right thing is often harder than building it right. More than 80% of digital innovations fail because they're not trying to solve real user needs. We take a pragmatic approach to innovation by deploying integrated teams to uncover insights from users and turn them into compelling digital solutions. As a boutique strategy and product innovation firm, our capabilities include product discovery, delivery, and adoption.As the Head of Engineering, you will have the opportunity to expand our brand and influence by showcasing how innovative technology can solve complex business challenges for our clients. This includes advancing our capabilities in data products, Industry 4.0, enterprise architecture, and practical applications of AI. Additionally, you will lead and develop a scalable engineering team with expertise across diverse domains.The person in this role holds responsibility for leading our voice in the market, ensuring the quality of our portfolio of products and our processes on the team. They are responsible for the health and effectiveness of the engineering team, making sure they are aligned to our company goals as a whole-including managing engineering leads and managers' careers and performance, understanding their goals, and identifying growth opportunities. They provide strategic input to our demand and project teams and internal groups while they shape TXI's overall engineering strategy company-wide.What We're Looking ForWe're looking for an accomplished and versatile engineering leader with a 15+ year track record of success in delivering digital experiences within a consultative setting across enterprise and mid-market clients, ideally with a strong background in delivering data products. You are a thoughtful problem-solver with the ability to move between the strategic and the tactical with ease and have proven expertise in inspiring and shipping great work.Here is what we expect from youLeading the practice

• Shape the direction of TXI as a member of our leadership team by helping to grow our market presence within merging technologies.
• Define and implement full-stack and data engineering capabilities and practices, in collaboration with members of the practice.
• Steer TXI's strategic capability development in partnership with the Heads of Strategy, Design, Delivery Management, and our Demand function.
• Foster a sense of purpose and camaraderie within the Engineering practice.
• Directly manage senior members of the practice and provide coaching and mentorship for all practitioners, supporting their skill development and career goals.
• Come with a strong point of view on custom web and data product development so that we can learn internally and share externally in the market.Delivering high-quality work for our clients
  • Collaborate on client engagements with all of our integrated practices to build incredible products for our clients.
  • Define a technical vision with our clients to create and actively manage multi-year roadmaps to meet that vision.
  • Partner with Demand to internalize client needs, goals, and constraints; and scope complex product engagements based on business and user value.
  • Work collaboratively on cross-functional teams of product strategists, designers, and delivery managers and nurture a positive team dynamic.
  • Leverage trust with clients to effectively transition technical leadership to other TXIers while maintaining quality standards.
  • Define, track, and analyze key metrics, and use the data to inform technical decisions.
  • Facilitate a variety of workshops, critical conversations, and alignment sessions in a remote-first work environment.
  • Serve as an experienced consultant who is adept at building lasting and influential relationships with executive-level clients.
  • Embrace the rapid, adaptive nature of product innovation work and be comfortable leading through ambiguity.Our Tech Stack
    • Back-end: We primarily create applications in Python and Node, although we have a small number of applications with other setups: Elixir, Phoenix, and Ruby on Rails.
    • Front-end: For Javascript, we generally use React, although we have some apps that use Vue.js.
    • Mobile: We support native iOS development in both Objective-C and Swift. These days, however, almost all of our apps are being built in React Native.
    • Infrastructure: nearly all of our infrastructure is on AWS or GCP and managed by Terraform utilizing Docker containers in Kubernetes.
    • Don't hesitate to apply if you don't have specific experience with our tech stack. We have a preference for folks with previous experience building new digital products within Node.js, Python, and React, but if you're a strong engineering and people manager with a notable background in consulting services, we want to hear from you. TXI encourages everyone interested in a role to apply.Who We AreWe're a curious and humble group of people who are intentional about personal growth and supporting each other's careers. We aim to explore new skills, frameworks, and approaches to deliver the most meaningful digital product experiences. And we're constantly pushing ourselves to experiment, explore, and challenge assumptions.We bring that same passion for learning and growth to our clients, by digging into their organizations, reframing their problem statements, and spending time with their users. This ensures that we're pushing our clients forward while developing and delivering valuable products that matter.What your days will look like, and what success will look likeIt's important to set the right expectations to promote your growth at TXI. Here is some of what you can expect in your first two years as the Head of Engineering.Within 1 month, you will
      • Start the company onboarding process and learn more about our company's culture, values, history, and commitments to our clients.
      • Gain an understanding of our integrated development process, tooling and frameworks, and project approach.
      • Learn from our integrated teams of designers, engineers, delivery managers, and strategists.
      • Learn more about the client experience, from product discovery to delivery.
      • Go deeper into the employee-owner experience of TXI.
      • Build relationships with key leaders across the company and meet with the broader team.Within 3 months, you will
        • Complete your onboarding process with your onboarding cohort.
        • Strengthen your relationships with the broader leadership team and with your direct reports.
        • Participate in your first Leadership Offsite to reflect on our work and plan the next quarter.
        • Attend your first TXI Quarterly with the rest of the organization.Within 6 to 12 months, you will
          • Own one or more TXI priorities to expand our reach with clients and build internal capabilities.
          • Complete a review with your manager.
          • Push your practice to do its best work yet. You'll know the team well by this point and understand how to empower them to do work we can all be incredibly proud of.Within 1 to 2 years, you will
            • Attend a company retreat to get to know all of the employees outside of the office setting.
            • Look back proudly on the projects and organizational changes you've inspired or directed, as well as the impact you have made across TXI.Some reasons why you might like working with usWe have been recognized for both our internal employee experience and for delivering a trusted customer experience. At TXI, we are intentional about the way we work and how we support both our team and our clients.
              • We focus on Product Innovation by helping to envision initial new product concepts for our clients. We are core contributors to shaping the work that we do and the problems we're working to solve. In addition to that ideation stage, we get to help them bring these new concepts to market. We help both to build the right thing (design thinking and product discovery) and build the thing right (agile mindset and iterative approach).
              • We care about DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging). To deliver the best solutions, we need positive, inclusive environments with as much diversity in the room as possible. Learn more about our DEIB learnings, roadmap, and history: .
              • We work in a variety of industries and encourage our team members to explore new domains, solve different kinds of problems, and adopt new technologies. There is no getting bored in our portfolio. You'll work across Industry 4.0, life science, and digital health; and build web, mobile, and IoT solutions.
              • We work in integrated teams (and occasionally we will work as staff augmentation if there's a good rationale for it). At TXI, we seek to bring all of the good ideas to the table so you learn from the talented teammates you regularly pair with. Strategy, delivery management, design, and engineering regularly collaborate.
              • We are intentional about supporting each individual's growth. "Challenge and support each other" is a core value of the company and we take that mission seriously. That's why every employee has a personal learning & development budget and a bi-weekly conversation with their manager about their progress-as well as why we created our Career Pathways to equitably promote each person's path at TXI.
              • We believe that wellness and a sustainable pace deliver the best outcomes. We commit to being dedicated partners to our clients for a sustainable 35 hours per week. We don't require weekly travel or client on-site time, although there will be occasional in-person client meetings to move work forward. Our team members enjoy flexible schedules with a remote-first working environment and generous time off because we respect that everyone has a life outside of work.
              • We value transparency and open discussion. As an employee-owner, you will have a front-line view of the company's performance, risks and issues, finances, and budgets.
              • We build products that matter. We advance the causes and goals of our partners and consistently deliver outcomes for them. See some examples below.What We MakeFor over two decades, we've partnered with clients across industries to research, design, and develop custom web and mobile applications that make a meaningful impact. Some examples of that impact include:
                • Improving prediction of patient enrollment in global clinical trials for life-saving drugs through the integration of advanced analytics and digital innovation.
                • Developing responsive applications for a major logistics company to amplify productivity and decrease maintenance time.
                • Transformed a manufacturer from a company known for data loggers to an international leader in tech-powered environmental monitoring solutions through proactive, data-powered IT products.
                • Empowering nonprofits with real-time insight into progress and potential for donor impact through transformative fundraising software.
                • Designing a digital experience that is driven by evidence-based treatment and therapy plans to support LGBTQ+ youths who face societal and personal biases due to their orientation.
                • Driving accountability and motivation for patients recovering from spinal surgery through an integrated mobile app and a wearable device on the patient's lower back.
                • Creating a new mobile app to inspire employees to love where they work by delivering meaningful savings and recognition in their workplace, while also amplifying merchant partner reach across the U.S.But the work is just one part of what makes TXI a rewarding place to be. We support each other's interests-whether it's volunteering, organizing meetups, speaking at industry events, or learning new techniques and technologies. If there's something you're passionate about, we want you to pursue it and teach it to the rest of us. Our company Brunch & Learns and regular practice meetings are just some of the ways we create space for sharing, learning, and professional development.What We OfferWe believe in equitable pay. The salary range for this role is $195,000 to $235,000. In addition to base compensation, we offer a bi-annual bonus based on company performance as well as the following benefits, which are intended to take care of you (and the people you care about):
                  • Quality health insurance and medical travel benefit.
                  • Generous paid time off.
                  • Paid parental leave policy (equal for all TXI parents).
                  • 401k plan, including employer matching.
                  • Remote-first working environment with minimal onsite client work.
                  • Company retreats and Quarterly days, both of which are a chance to connect in person and outside of the office.
                  • Benefits for professional development, home office improvements, and renewable energy switching.
                  • Employee Stock Ownership Program: TXI is 100% employee-owned through an ESOP, which grants shares of company stock to all employees as a retirement benefit.LocationChicago-based candidates are strongly preferred. We have a remote environment at TXI, with distributed team members in the US, Canada, South America, and Europe who work from home. We communicate and collaborate effectively in a remote environment using tools like Miro, Notion, Slack, and Zoom. We also prioritize virtual bonding and emphasize inclusivity, autonomy, and trust while cultivating a safe and welcoming environment that is conducive to supporting a positive employee experience.While we encourage asynchronous communication, we often work in pairs or in collaboration sessions. Therefore, having some core hours that overlap with our clients and your fellow team members is important. Regardless of where you are living and working, all TXIers have multiple opportunities throughout the year to meet and hang out in person to continue building those connections.We take equality seriouslyTXI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is committed to equal opportunity employment without regard to race, religion, color, gender (including gender identity, change of sex, and transgender status), sexual orientation, age, disability, ancestry, national origin, military or veteran status, marital status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
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Keywords: TXI, West Allis , Head of Engineering, Accounting, Auditing , Chicago, Wisconsin