Head of Engineering and Development

at  Vayle

ABOUT US:

Vayle is a fast-growing technology company that has quickly become the leading Freedom of Information (FOI) platform for local government in Ontario. We are expanding into new markets across Canada and the United States, with a bold vision to empower public sector organizations in managing complex information access and privacy compliance needs. With new privacy legislation emerging across many jurisdictions, the demand for innovative compliance solutions is rapidly increasing. Vayle is positioned to capitalize on these changes, offering cutting-edge tools that redefine FOI and privacy compliance.
As we continue to broaden our product suite, including our upcoming Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) module, we are looking for an experienced technology leader to drive this growth. This is a unique opportunity to work directly with the Founder, a seasoned entrepreneur who previously sold his company to a global information services firm and led global technology businesses for multinational organizations.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• 7+ years of experience in software development, including at least 2 years in a technical leadership role.
• Expertise in C# and .NET (Framework and Core) development.
• Strong experience with MS SQL Server, including database architecture and optimization.
• Proven experience designing and building secure, scalable RESTful APIs.
• Proficiency with Git for version control and Azure DevOps for CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong experience with agile development practices, including sprint planning and retrospectives.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted development and editing tools such as GitHub Copilot or Cursor to enhance coding, debugging, and documentation processes.
• Strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to mentor and inspire a team.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a commitment to delivering high-quality solutions.

PREFERRED SKILLS (NICE-TO-HAVE)

• Experience with Azure DevOps, Jira, or other project management tools.
• Frontend development experience using React.js, JavaScript, or TypeScript.
• Familiarity with AI/ML concepts and frameworks.
• Exposure to cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure.
• Basic knowledge of unit testing frameworks like NUnit or MSTest.
• Understanding of DevOps practices and CI/CD pipelines.
• Knowledge of secure coding principles and application performance optimization.

SOFT SKILLS

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Self-motivated and adaptable to learning new tools and technologies.
• Detail-oriented with a commitment to writing clean and maintainable code.

ROLE DESCRIPTION:

We are seeking a Senior Software Developer/Senior Technical Lead to lead and actively contribute to the development and evolution of our software products.. This role requires a balance of strategic technical leadership and hands-on development work. You will be responsible for designing and evolving our software architecture while coding key features, troubleshooting critical issues, and leading a small team of developers and QA staff. You will also participate in professional services projects, customer engagements, and technical support tasks to ensure the delivery of scalable and secure solutions that meet our clients’ needs.
As the Head of Engineering, you will play a crucial role in shaping our technology strategy, guiding our team to achieve product and service excellence, and ensuring compliance with complex privacy and information access requirements. You will be actively involved in customer meetings to understand their needs and interpret feedback to inform technical decisions.
We are looking for someone who can also leverage AI-assisted development to enhance productivity and efficiency. This includes using AI tools to optimize workflows, improve code quality, automate repetitive tasks, and accelerate product delivery. Candidates should have a strong interest in exploring and integrating emerging AI technologies to drive innovation within the development process.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and manage a small team of developers and QA staff, providing mentorship and technical guidance.
• Spend significant time on hands-on development, building and maintaining high-quality software using C# and .NET technologies.
• Deploy and maintain databases, web APIs, and websites, ensuring scalability, security, and high performance in production environments.
• Design and oversee software architecture and infrastructure, ensuring scalability, performance, and security.
• Lead professional services projects, developing custom integrations and solutions tailored to customer needs.
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting, addressing critical issues and bugs.
• Participate in customer meetings to understand technical requirements, gather feedback, and provide solutions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product management, sales, and UX, to align technical solutions with business objectives.
• Promote development best practices, including CI/CD processes and secure coding standards.
• Leverage AI-assisted development tools to optimize coding efficiency and accelerate product delivery.