Engineering Manager - Cards-as-a-Service API *remote* (m/f/d)

ABOUT US

Pliant is a European fintech specializing in B2B payment solutions. Our modular, API-first platform helps businesses streamline spending, improve cash flow, and integrate payments into their financial workflows. Designed for industries with complex payment needs, such as travel and fleet, Pliant enables greater efficiency, control, and profitability.

We serve two primary customer segments:

• Companies looking to optimize operational processes through intuitive apps and APIs, gaining control, automation, and financial flexibility through extended credit lines.
• Businesses such as financial software platforms, ERP providers, and banks that want to launch or enhance their credit card offerings using Pliant’s embedded finance and white-label solutions.

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Berlin, Pliant supports over 4,000 businesses and more than 20 partners globally. As a licensed e-money institution (EMI), we issue Visa-powered credit cards in 11 currencies across more than 30 countries, helping companies streamline and simplify payments.

Learn more at
www.getpliant.com

About the Role

We're seeking an Engineering Manager (m/f/d) *remote* to build and lead an existing engineering team. The team is focused on the Cards-as-a-Service API offering.

We are looking for an experienced Engineering Manager to lead the API team, which enables all other engineering teams to publish APIs for our Cards-as-a-Service offering.

This is a unique opportunity arising from our successful growth. You'll start with a small team of existing and new backend/frontend engineers, a Product Manager, and partial Design support. Initially, you'll be about 50% hands-on, gradually transitioning to a more leadership-focused role. You'll architect scalable, maintainable, and secure solutions while mentoring and developing your team.

You'll collaborate with other (Senior) Engineering Managers, Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers to define roadmaps, drive execution, and uphold best practices. You'll contribute to the codebase and guide your team in developing innovative solutions for our customers.

About the Team

The Cards-as-a-Service (CaaS) API team, formed in April 2022, is responsible for building and maintaining Pliant's fundamental CaaS API, which currently handles over 31 million requests per month and is continually expanding.

A core focus for the Engineering Manager will be to guide the team through a strategic shift: transitioning the CaaS API into an enablement platform. This involves empowering other Pliant product engineering teams to expose their features via the CaaS API, thereby granting them end-to-end ownership of those features.

In addition to this enablement drive, the Engineering Manager will also ensure the continuous evolution and relevance of the features directly owned by the team. This includes maintaining and enhancing key components such as the Partner Portal UI, the API's callback handling system, and the top-tier API documentation to meet the evolving needs of customers, partners, and internal stakeholders.

What You'll Do

• Lead and Develop the Team: Manage a high-performing, interdisciplinary engineering team, while supporting the team with up to 50% hands-on development in the beginning. Support engineers in a psychologically safe environment through regular performance reviews and candid feedback.
• Mentor and Grow Talent: Foster open communication, career development, and engineering excellence by championing best practices like test-driven bug fixing, automated testing, continuous integration and daily deployments to production.
• Collaborate with Stakeholders: Work closely with product managers, backend and frontend engineers, and non-technical teams to align on business goals, deliver high-quality features, and manage changes, bug fixes, and new initiatives.
• Drive Technical API Direction: Guide the team in technical discussions to find innovative solutions, steer timelines for releases, and ensure automation and operational excellence are front and center in scaling the Pliant platform for rapid growth.
• Manage OKRs and Continuous Improvement: Set and track quarterly team OKRs together with the product manager. Promote innovation, knowledge sharing, and ongoing enhancements to maintain a culture of excellence.
• Champion Pliant Values: Embrace and live Pliant’s core values - Push It, Own It, Open Up, Be Kind, Have Fun, Be Pliant - while collaborating with peers on company-wide initiatives and fostering a positive team and department culture.
  

What You'll Bring

• 7+ years of software development experience with Java/Kotlin and Spring Boot, including 2+ years in leadership/management.
• Strong background in distributed, testable, and maintainable backend systems.
• Deep understanding of REST APIs, relational databases (PostgreSQL), and microservices.
• Strong knowledge of building and maintaining public APIs.
• Experience leading teams, mentoring engineers, and driving best practices.
• Experience in leading a platform team is a plus.
• Passion for people management and developing engineering teams.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to drive projects from concept to completion by leveraging your team’s skills.

What We Offer

• The opportunity to work in a growing team with big responsibilities that thrives on a strong exchange of knowledge and excellence 
• Attractive remuneration
• Your choice of preferred hardware: Windows-based laptop or MacBook Pro
• Flat hierarchy and transparent communication in a relaxed, professional atmosphere
• Opportunity to develop your talent in a dynamic team with ambitious goals
• Flexibility and possibility to work remotely
• Pliant Card with monthly credit to explore the product and enjoy food with colleagues

At Pliant, we believe diversity and inclusion are essential to building not only an innovative product but also an exceptional experience for both our customers and our team. This commitment begins with our hiring process – we welcome individuals of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, religions, national origins, gender identities or expressions, sexual orientations, ages, marital statuses, and abilities. If you require accommodations or accessibility support during the interview process, please let us know in your application so we can make sure your experience is seamless.