Software Engineering Leader

About the role

CLA is a top 10 national professional services firm where our purpose is to create opportunities every day, for our clients, our people, and our communities through industry-focused wealth advisory, digital, audit, tax, consulting, and outsourcing services. We are seeking a Software Engineering Leader to help build, lead, and scale a growing software engineering capability within a client-facing consulting environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a software engineering team delivering custom applications, integrations, automation, Microsoft platform solutions, cloud-based solutions, and AI-enabled software.
• Provide technical leadership across a broad range of solution types, including full stack applications, APIs, Azure services, Power Platform, SharePoint, Dataverse, workflow automation, DBX integration work, data platform integrations, and solutions built within client environments.
• Establish and mature engineering standards for architecture, development, testing, documentation, deployment, security, supportability, and maintainability.
• Guide solution design decisions, including when to use custom code, Microsoft platform capabilities, cloud-native services, automation tools, AI-enabled capabilities, or a hybrid approach.
• Partner with client-facing teams to scope opportunities, estimate work, assess technical feasibility, manage delivery risk, and support successful project execution.
• Create practical delivery patterns, reusable templates, accelerators, estimation models, and implementation standards that improve consistency, quality, and margin.
• Lead engineering practices related to code review, solution review, DevOps, CI/CD, release management, QA, production readiness, and operational support.
• Support work delivered in client environments, including adapting to client technology stacks, security requirements, infrastructure constraints, data access patterns, deployment processes, and governance requirements.
• Mentor and coach engineers across different skill sets, including pro code developers, Microsoft platform engineers, automation specialists, cloud engineers, and emerging technical leads.
• Help define hiring needs, role expectations, career paths, skill development plans, and team structure as the software engineering capability grows.
• Promote the responsible use of AI-enabled development tools for coding, testing, documentation, analysis, solution design, and delivery acceleration.
• Ensure AI-assisted work is reviewed appropriately and aligns with expectations for quality, security, confidentiality, maintainability, and client value.
• Build a strong engineering culture that values technical excellence, practical problem solving, accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and client impact.

Qualifications

• 6 years relevant experience required. 7 Years preferred in software engineering, solution architecture, cloud engineering, application development, Microsoft platform delivery, or related technology roles.
• Bachelor's degree is required. Combination of relevant experience, education, and training may be accepted in lieu of degree.
• 3 or more years of experience leading engineers, technical teams, delivery teams, architecture functions, or software development initiatives.
• Strong understanding of modern software engineering practices, including application architecture, APIs, integrations, cloud platforms, DevOps, testing, documentation, deployment, and supportability.
• Experience working with Microsoft technologies such as Azure, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, SharePoint, Dataverse, Azure DevOps, GitHub, SQL, Entra ID, or related tools.
• Ability to evaluate technical tradeoffs across custom software, low code platforms, cloud services, automation tools, integrations, and AI-enabled solutions.
• Experience establishing or improving engineering standards, delivery processes, code review practices, QA expectations, release management, and production readiness.
• Experience leading teams delivering work in varied technical environments, including client-owned environments with unique security, infrastructure, access, deployment, and governance requirements.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts for business stakeholders, client leaders, project teams, and executive audiences.
• Experience mentoring engineers, developing technical talent, and helping teams grow in both capability and delivery maturity.
• Experience in consulting, professional services, client-facing technology delivery, managed services, or project-based delivery environments.
• Experience leading blended teams that include software engineers, cloud engineers, Microsoft platform engineers, Power Platform developers, automation specialists, or data integration professionals.
• Hands-on or leadership experience with Azure services, APIs, App Services, Azure Functions, SQL, API Management, Key Vault, storage services, infrastructure patterns, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Hands-on or leadership experience with Power Apps, Power Automate, SharePoint, Dataverse, Copilot Studio, Power Platform governance, or Power Platform application lifecycle management.
• Experience with DBX integration work, data platform integrations, enterprise system integrations, or solutions that connect multiple client systems and data sources.
• Experience using or governing AI-enabled development tools, including code generation, AI-assisted testing, documentation support, agent-based applications, or Microsoft Copilot-related technologies.
• Experience building reusable engineering assets, delivery frameworks, templates, accelerators, or technical standards that improve scalability and consistency.
• Understanding of consulting economics, including estimation, utilization, margin, delivery risk, change management, and client expectation management.