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Director Software Development Jobs (NOW HIRING)

UKG, Inc.

Dir Software Development Engineering

$259K/yr

... software development, including at least 10 years managing high-energy software teams. • Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent experience. • At least 3+ years in a director-level ...

Capital One

Director, Software Engineering

New York, NY · On-site

$276K/yr

Director, Software Engineering As a Capital One Director of Software Engineering, you'll work on ... Mentor and guide the professional and technical development of engineers on your team. * Work with ...

VC3

Director, Client Software Development Services

Director, Client Software Development Services Department: Technology Operations Employment Type: Full Time Location: USA - Remote Reporting To: Huw Morgan Description At VC3, we don't just solve IT ...

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How much do director software development jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for director software development in the United States is $177,979.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $153,000.00 and $206,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Director of Software Development do?

A Director of Software Development leads and manages software engineering teams to deliver high-quality software products and solutions. They are responsible for setting technical direction, establishing development processes, and aligning projects with business goals. This role involves overseeing project timelines, mentoring engineering managers, collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders, and ensuring teams have the resources needed for success. The Director also plays a key role in recruiting talent, evaluating team performance, and implementing best practices to drive innovation and efficiency.

What is the difference between Director Software Development vs Software Engineering Manager?

AspectDirector Software DevelopmentSoftware Engineering Manager
ResponsibilitiesOversees multiple teams, strategic planning, and long-term goalsManages day-to-day team operations, project delivery, and technical guidance
FocusHigh-level leadership, cross-team coordination, and business alignmentTeam management, technical mentorship, and project execution
Required CredentialsBachelor’s or Master’s in CS or related, extensive experience, leadership skillsBachelor’s or Master’s in CS or related, strong technical background, leadership experience

The main difference is that the Director Software Development focuses on strategic leadership and overseeing multiple teams, while the Software Engineering Manager concentrates on managing individual teams and project execution. Both roles require technical expertise and leadership skills, but the director role involves broader organizational responsibilities.

How does a Director of Software Development typically balance technical leadership with people management responsibilities?

As a Director of Software Development, you are expected to provide both technical direction and effective team leadership. This often means splitting your time between high-level architecture decisions, code reviews, and staying updated on emerging technologies, while also focusing on coaching managers, developing talent, and fostering a collaborative team environment. Balancing these areas requires strong delegation skills, setting clear goals and expectations, and maintaining open communication channels. Many directors find success by empowering technical leads to own day-to-day technical decisions, allowing them to focus on strategic planning, cross-functional alignment, and organizational growth.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Director of Software Development, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director of Software Development, you need extensive experience in software engineering, leadership, project management, and a relevant technical degree. Familiarity with development frameworks, cloud platforms, Agile methodologies, and certifications like PMP or Scrum Master are highly valuable. Strong communication, strategic thinking, and team-building skills help drive cross-functional alignment and motivate high-performing teams. These skills are essential for delivering successful software products, managing complex projects, and fostering innovation within the organization.
What cities are hiring for Director Software Development jobs? Cities with the most Director Software Development job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Software Development jobs? The most popular types of Software Development jobs are:
What states have the most Director Software Development jobs? States with the most job openings for Director Software Development jobs include:
What are popular job titles related to Director Software Development jobs? For Director Software Development jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Director Software Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Software Development job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 90% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $177,979 per year, or $85.6 per hour.
Senior Director Software Development

Senior Director Software Development

Northern Trust

Chicago, IL • On-site

$205K - $360K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 16 days ago

Northern Trust rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 25 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

About Northern Trust:
Northern Trust, a Fortune 500 company, is a globally recognized, award-winning financial institution that has been in continuous operation since 1889.
Northern Trust is proud to provide innovative financial services and guidance to the world's most successful individuals, families, and institutions by remaining true to our enduring principles of service, expertise, and integrity. With more than 130 years of financial experience and over 22,000 partners, we serve the world's most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service.
Looking For:
Seasoned, multi-disciplinary technology leader with deep alternative investments domain knowledge and broad functional expertise.
Duties include:
  • Partner with business stakeholders to design end-to-end platforms, defining components and interactions that support the target operating model.
  • Provide strategic direction across technology teams, aligning execution with enterprise goals and influencing senior leadership on outcomes.
  • Translate business strategy into technology outcomes by surfacing cross-functional concerns, synthesizing inputs, and building consensus on solutions.
  • Build, develop, and organize teams to drive program-level initiatives.
  • Manage multiple units or functions through managers and technical leads, overseeing project planning, status reporting, specifications, and implementation for major software solutions.
  • Mentor and develop less-senior leaders through coaching and structured growth opportunities.
  • Deliver value iteratively and with a sense of urgency.
  • Lead capability technology delivery across multiple teams of developers, quality assurance, support and change management technology experts.
  • Set performance standards; run performance management; identify training and development needs; and build management capability for advanced leadership roles.
  • Manage vendor relationships to ensure outcomes (quality, performance, and scalability) meet business demands.
  • Define and govern technical architectures (security, observability, scalability, reliability, and recovery) and ensure compliance.
  • Ensure compliance with audit requirements, including change control procedures and data security.
  • Improve technology team effectiveness and productivity, and identify opportunities to help business teams do the same.
Experience:
  • Demonstrate in-depth functional industry knowledge of alternative investment financial services.
  • Demonstrate 10+ years of success designing and building enterprise-level applications, including complex data architectures, in a highly regulated environment (e.g., financial services).
  • Demonstrate 10+ years of progressive responsibility leading technical teams (e.g., developers, data engineers, business analysts, quality assurance, and production support).
  • Demonstrate understanding of data shape and context design to enable efficient and effective AI/LLM usage.
  • Demonstrate strong understanding of modern data storage architectures and data modeling.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of microservices architecture, cloud-native development, CI/CD, and automated builds.
  • Demonstrate understanding of modern security architectures, including implementing secure applications and protecting PII and HSI in public cloud environments.
  • Demonstrate understanding of financial markets and financial instrument types.
  • Demonstrate experience with Agile project methodology and collaboration.
  • Show strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Communicate effectively in writing and verbally, including with senior executive management.
  • Adapt quickly and effectively to change.
Education:
B.S. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline required; M.S. preferred.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. Northern Trust will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment-based visa)
Salary Range:
$205,700 - 360,100 USD
Salary range is a good faith estimate of base pay. Northern Trust provides a comprehensive benefits package including retirement benefits (401k and pension), health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, spending accounts and disability), paid time off, parental and caregiver leave, life & accident insurance, and other voluntary and well-being benefits. Northern Trust also provides a discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component.
Working with Us:
As a Northern Trust partner, greater achievements await. You will be part of a flexible and collaborative work culture in an organization where financial strength and stability is an asset that emboldens us to explore new ideas.
Movement within the organization is encouraged, senior leaders are accessible, and you can take pride in working for a company committed to assisting the communities we serve! Join a workplace with a greater purpose.
We'd love to learn more about how your interests and experience could be a fit with one of the world's most admired and sustainable companies! Build your career with us and apply today. #MadeForGreater
Reasonable accommodation
Northern Trust is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email our HR Service Center at MyHRHelp@ntrs.com .
We hope you're excited about the role and the opportunity to work with us. We value an inclusive workplace and understand flexibility means different things to different people.
Apply today and talk to us about your flexible working requirements and together we can achieve greater.

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