Director Engineering, KitchenConnect

Description

About Welbilt
Welbilt is a global leader in the design, manufacture, and service of innovative commercial foodservice equipment. We empower foodservice professionals worldwide by delivering high-performance solutions that drive operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

About KitchenConnect
KitchenConnect, Welbilt’s cloud-based SaaS IoT digital platform, powers a new generation of connected kitchens. It leverages advanced technology and data analytics to optimize operations, enhance guest experiences, and enable businesses to adapt to a dynamic digital landscape—turning patterns into profits.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Director of Engineering to lead the development of KitchenConnect. This role will guide cross-functional teams in delivering scalable, secure, and high-performing digital solutions. The ideal candidate will drive cloud architecture, DevOps, and software development best practices while fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement. This role will work closely with product, commercial, support and executive teams to support the platform’s growth and innovation.

Major Accountability:

• Engineering Strategy & Execution
• KitchenConnect Requirements & Planning
• Continuous Improvements
• Security & Compliance

Key Responsibilities:

Engineering Strategy:

• Develop and execute a clear engineering strategy and technical roadmap to support the growth and scalability of the multi-tenant KitchenConnect platform, aligning with the needs of the commercial foodservice industry.
• Stay informed on emerging technologies, industry trends, and the competitive landscape to guide architectural decisions and platform evolution.

Technical Requirements & Planning:

• Collaborate with product management, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to translate business requirements into scalable, secure, and well-defined technical solutions.
• Drive the estimation, planning, and prioritization of engineering efforts to deliver high-impact features and enhancements.

Software Development & Delivery:

• Lead engineering teams in the development and delivery of new features, system improvements, and integrations, ensuring alignment with design intent, performance expectations, and platform standards.
• Establish and uphold industry best practices in code quality, testing, and continuous delivery.

Platform Architecture & Infrastructure:

• Oversee the design and evolution of the cloud-based IoT architecture, ensuring reliability, scalability, and security of the platform.
• Drive cloud infrastructure strategy, including DevOps, observability, and automation practices.

User-Centric Engineering:

• Collaborate closely with UX and product teams to ensure technical solutions deliver exceptional user experience.
• Incorporate user feedback into ongoing development cycles and promote engineering empathy for end users.

Engineering Operations & Performance:

• Define and monitor engineering KPIs including system uptime, deployment frequency, incident response, and technical debt reduction.
• Use data and telemetry to continuously optimize platform performance, developer efficiency, and system reliability.

Budget and Vendor Management:

• Manage engineering budgets and ensure alignment with strategic priorities, optimizing cost efficiency across tools, infrastructure, and services.
• Lead vendor selection and relationship management, holding third-party partners accountable for quality, delivery timelines, and service-level commitments.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 10+ years of experience in software engineering or development, 4+ years of hands-on software development and with at least 5 years in engineering leadership roles.
• 8+ years of hands-on experience with modern programming languages (e.g., Node.js, React.js) and databases (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL, Snowflake), with a deep understanding of API design and scalable service architecture.
• 6+ years of experience leading high-performing engineering teams, mentoring managers and engineers, and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and technical excellence.
• 5+ years of proven experience leading and architecting scalable cloud-native applications on AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• 5+ years of experience working with DevOps practices, including CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code (Terraform, CloudFormation), and container orchestration using Docker and Kubernetes.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience with IoT systems, including device-to-cloud communication, device management, and real-time data processing (e.g., MQTT, WebSockets).
• Strong experience with security and compliance standards at a global scale (e.g., SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001) ensuring adherence to international regulatory requirements across SaaS and IoT platforms.
• Experience in managing platform reliability, uptime, latency, and cost-efficiency on a scale.

Skills & Abilities

• Practical exposure to AI/ML, including model integration into production systems, leveraging ML-driven insights for product optimization, and collaborating with data science teams on predictive analytics and personalization features.
• Excellent collaboration skills with experience working closely with product, UX, security, and executive stakeholders to align engineering with business goals.
• Data-driven decision-maker with experience using KPIs, observability tools, and feedback loops to guide engineering priorities and optimize performance.
• Strong organizational and planning skills to manage competing priorities, technical debt, and roadmap execution across multiple teams.

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to travel (up to 10%) domestically and internationally.
• Valid passport and driver’s license required.
• Ability to work flexible hours, as needed.
• Ability to sit and stand for long periods of time.
• Capable of lifting up to 50 lbs occasionally.

Our Benefits:

We believe that our people our one of our most valuable assets. That’s why we provide our employees with a competitive benefits package that helps protect their health, income and lifestyle. Some offerings are dependent upon the role, work schedule, or location, and can include the following:

• Competitive wage
• Healthcare (medical, dental, vision)
• 401(k) savings plan
• Wellness Program
• Supplemental Health Plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Training and Development
• Tuition Assistance
• Holiday Pay opportunities
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• On-the-job training and skills development
• Basic Life Insurance
• Employee Events and more…

For more information about Welbilt, visit www.welbilt.com.

Welbilt, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer which values diversity in the workplace.  All applicants shall receive equal consideration and treatment in employment without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, marital status, familial status, medical condition, or any other status protected by law. All recruitment, hiring, placements, transfers and promotions will be on the basis of individual skills, knowledge