Software Development Manager

About the role

The Manager of Software Development is the technical lead and people leader for BSF’s software development function: the team responsible for building, integrating, and maintaining the applications that run the business. This includes custom application development, NetSuite customization development, and the integration layer that connects BSF’s systems.

This role sits at the intersection of technology and operations. The Manager assists the business analysts with translating business requirements into architected working software, manages a team of developers across multiple platforms and disciplines, and ensures BSF’s development investments are delivered on time, on scope, and built to last.

As BSF’s system portfolio grows— with AI applications for specific needs, MES, PIM/DAM, Demand Planning, and CRM all in flight or on the horizon—this role will be a critical force multiplier for the IT organization.

Team Scope

• Leads a team of developers across three functional areas: Application Development, Custom application development supporting BSF’s operational and commercial teams, Maintenance and enhancement of existing BSF applications, Front-end and back-end development across BSF’s application portfolio, Support .Net, node.js and other development platforms as needed
• NetSuite Development: NetSuite customization, scripting, and configuration in support of Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain, NetSuite SuiteScript development, workflow automation, and saved search management
• Integration Development: Design and maintenance of integrations between BSF’s core systems using integration platforms, Ownership of the integration layer as new systems are brought online, Collaboration with the Data Engineering team to ensure clean data flows between operational systems and the analytics platform
• AI & Automation Development: Ownership of BSF’s internal AI agent architecture: Azure Web Apps for the front end, Entra ID for authentication, and Azure Functions for secure API key management, Build and maintain the integration and infrastructure layer behind AI-powered internal tools, Treat AI/automation work as a first-class part of the development backlog, not a side project: scoped, prioritized, and resourced alongside NetSuite, application, and integration work

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, coach, and develop a team of application and NetSuite developers, Set clear expectations, provide regular feedback, and create an environment where technical talent can grow, Build team capacity through deliberate skill development, knowledge sharing, and cross-training: actively reducing single points of failure, Conduct performance conversations with honesty and directness, and escalate personnel concerns with documentation
• Delivery & Execution: Own the development backlog: prioritize ruthlessly, assign clearly, and deliver predictably, Establish and maintain development standards, code review practices, and deployment processes, Drive projects from requirements to production with clear timelines, defined owners, and visible status, Partner with Manager of EBS, Business Analysts and business stakeholders to translate requirements into technical solutions, and push back when scope is unclear or unrealistic
• AI Agent & Automation Development: Own the technical architecture behind BSF’s internal AI agents: Azure Web Apps for the front end, Entra ID for authentication, and Azure Functions for secure API key management, Partner directly with IT Leadership to evaluate, scope, and build AI-powered internal tools, applying the same standards for security, documentation, and production readiness as any other system, Build reusable patterns for AI agent development rather than one-off solutions, so each new use case is faster to deliver than the last
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Work directly with business stakeholders in Finance, Operations, Sales, and Supply Chain to understand their system needs, Represent the development team’s capacity and commitments honestly: no overpromising, no silent underdelivering, Operate as a true peer to the other IT leadership: the boundary between what Dev builds and what Ops governs requires constant communication, mutual respect, and clean handoffs, Partner with the Sr. Director of Data & Analytics to ensure application and integration work supports the data platform roadmap, Support the evaluation and implementation of integrations for new systems as needed

WHAT THIS ROLE REQUIRES

• Proven ability to lead and develop a team of software developers, not just manage the work
• Hands-on technical credibility: enough to review code, challenge estimates, and earn the trust of the team
• Experience with NetSuite development: SuiteScript, workflow automation, and configuration: or demonstrated ability to build that expertise quickly
• Familiarity with Azure cloud-native development (Azure Functions, Logic Apps, Static Web Apps) and authentication patterns like Entra ID, or demonstrated ability to build that expertise quickly
• Familiarity with AI/LLM integration patterns (API-based agent development, secure key management) and the judgment to build production-grade tools around them, not just experiment with them
• Strong instincts for prioritization: the ability to say no, explain why, and hold the line
• A builder’s mindset: someone who creates structure where there isn’t any and improves what they inherit
• The ability to operate as a peer: you build lateral relationships with other functional leaders, resolve handoff issues directly, and don’t need a mediator to work through shared accountability
• Clear, direct communication with both technical teammates and non-technical business stakeholders
• Comfort operating in a high-growth, high-ambiguity environment where the roadmap is real but the ground is still shifting