Software Development Manager
Ref: JO-2602-358933
- South Africa, Cape Town Center
- Software Development & Engineering, Technology
- IT
- 250 - 999 Employees
- Environment: Hybrid
- Contract Type: Permanent
- Starts: 2026-05-01
Software Development Manager
We’re looking for an experienced Software Development Manager to join a growing engineering function responsible for building and evolving customer‑facing SaaS products in the B2B sales and marketing space.
This role combines hands-on technical leadership with people management. You’ll be accountable for the performance, development, and engagement of a group of software engineers, while also maintaining a strong influence over code quality, engineering standards, and delivery efficiency.
You’ll be comfortable working within a modern technology stack (NodeJS/NestJS, Vue, Redis, SQL Server, Snowflake), able to dive into the code when needed, and confident setting direction for scalable, maintainable systems.
This position suits someone with a strong engineering background who has progressed into leadership and enjoys enabling teams to do their best work.
Key Responsibilities
Performance Management
- Set, track, and evaluate performance metrics to ensure high standards of quality and productivity.
- Act as a guardian of engineering standards, ensuring systems are maintainable and optimised for long‑term performance.
- Provide clear, constructive feedback and support engineers in overcoming challenges.
- Continuously improve performance management processes to promote accountability and transparency.
People Management
- Line manage a group of software engineers, supporting personal development and performance.
- Lead, mentor, and coach team members, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.
- Conduct regular 1:1s and performance reviews focused on growth, skills development, and engagement.
- Identify development needs and help deliver or source appropriate training opportunities.
Recruitment and Retention
- Support hiring by identifying capability gaps, participating in interviews, and helping select high‑quality candidates.
- Drive retention initiatives that keep engineers motivated, engaged, and progressing in their careers.
Continuous Improvement
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging teams to share ideas and refine ways of working.
- Identify and introduce best practices, tools, and processes that improve delivery, quality, and well‑being.
- Facilitate retrospectives and reflective sessions to drive learning and improvement.
Culture and Engagement
- Build a high‑trust, collaborative engineering culture with strong communication and teamwork.
- Lead by example, role‑modelling values and contributing to a healthy, positive working environment.
About You
You’ll bring:
- Significant experience in a SaaS environment delivering clean, efficient software using SOLID principles and established design patterns.
- A strong background as a hands‑on software engineer, with the ability and willingness to get into the code when required.
- Experience working with mature DevOps practices and modern CI/CD pipelines.
- A solid understanding of building and operating maintainable, secure, and scalable systems.
- Experience with automated testing and quality assurance.
- A proven track record of leading engineering teams working on complex or distributed systems.
- Strong problem‑solving ability and the aptitude to learn new tools and technologies quickly.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills.
- A degree in Computer Science or a related discipline from a recognised institution.
What’s on Offer
- The opportunity to join a fast‑growing SaaS organisation with ambitious growth plans.
- Remote working initially, with future plans for an office presence in Cape Town.
- A competitive salary and benefits package.
- A supportive, collaborative culture with a strong focus on growth, teamwork, and giving back to the community.
Salt is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

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