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Director Software Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Walmart

(USA) Director, Software Engineering

Herndon, VA · On-site

$156K - $312K/yr

The Director, Software Engineering -- DDI role leads Walmart's enterprise DNS, DHCP, and IPAM engineering organization, shaping the strategy, architecture, and execution of mission-critical network ...

Marriott

Senior Director, Software Engineering

Bethesda, MD · On-site

$130K - $172K/yr

Establishes and manages continuous improvement efforts in technical project management, software ... Direct management of complex budgets in excess of $5M annual direct and indirect costs * Direct ...

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Director Software information

See Reston, VA salary details

$144.6K

$264.2K

How much do director software jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for director software in Reston, VA is $253,761.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $263,200.00 and $263,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are Director Software roles?

A Director of Software is a senior leadership position responsible for overseeing the software development teams and guiding the strategic direction of software projects within an organization. They manage engineering managers and developers, set technical vision, ensure projects are aligned with business goals, and often collaborate with other departments like product management and operations. The role requires strong technical expertise, leadership skills, and the ability to balance innovation with operational efficiency. Directors of Software are also tasked with recruiting top talent, mentoring team members, and ensuring software quality and security standards are met.

What are some typical challenges a Director of Software faces when leading cross-functional teams?

A Director of Software often encounters challenges such as aligning priorities across engineering, product, and design teams, ensuring clear communication, and managing competing deadlines. Balancing technical debt reduction with new feature development is also a common concern. Successful Directors build strong relationships with stakeholders, foster a culture of collaboration, and implement processes that support transparency and efficient decision-making.

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

To thrive as a Director of Software, you need extensive experience in software development, strong leadership abilities, and a relevant degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with technical tools such as project management software (e.g., Jira), cloud platforms, and agile methodologies, as well as certifications like PMP or Scrum Master, is highly beneficial. Exceptional problem-solving, communication, and team management skills set outstanding candidates apart. These competencies are crucial for guiding teams, delivering high-quality products, and aligning software initiatives with organizational goals.

What is the difference between Director Software vs Software Engineer?

AspectDirector SoftwareSoftware Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in CS or related field, leadership experienceBachelor's or higher in CS or related field, coding skills
Work EnvironmentLeadership, strategic planning, cross-team collaborationHands-on coding, development, debugging
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, software firms, startupsAlmost universal across tech industries
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared for career progression, responsibilitiesEntry to mid-level roles, technical focus

The main difference between a Director Software and a Software Engineer lies in their responsibilities and experience. Directors focus on strategic planning, team leadership, and project oversight, often requiring leadership credentials. Software Engineers are primarily involved in coding and technical development. While Software Engineers are more hands-on with daily technical tasks, Directors oversee multiple projects and teams, guiding overall software development strategies.

What are the most commonly searched types of Software jobs in Reston, VA? The most popular types of Software jobs in Reston, VA are:
What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Director Software jobs? Cities near Reston, VA with the most Director Software job openings:
Director Software jobs near you
Director, Software Engineering (Washington)

Director, Software Engineering (Washington)

Cengage Group

Washington, DC • On-site

$138K - $180K/yr

Full-time

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.

Job description

Director of Software Engineering – Cengage

We believe in the power and joy of learning. At Cengage, we help students around the world discover the power of learning. As a Director of Software Engineering, you will lead innovative products and shape AI-driven engineering teams.

Responsibilities
  • Work with multiple leaders, including the Digital leadership team and business partners, to craft a convincing technical strategy and roadmap(s) to achieve business unit goals.
  • Collaborate across functions to align on priorities for scaling and building our products globally.
  • Identify scalable products and deliver them to support our global customer base, incorporating new technologies and industry trends.
  • Partner with multi-functional leaders, through POM, to standardize and improve development, testing, and release processes, ensuring timely delivery of quality products.
  • Drive product and technology strategy reviews with Product Leaders and senior collaborators, leading strategic technological discussions.
  • Lead high-performing engineering teams, developing a pipeline of high-caliber talent and encouraging leaders to achieve priorities.
  • Cultivate a high-performance, transparent environment passionate about accountability and results.
  • Reinvent and optimize the SDLC using modern frameworks, principles, automation, and generative AI.
  • Champion a culture of continuous learning and professional development, offering team members opportunities to grow.
Skills you will need
  • 5+ years of leadership experience in developing technology strategies and driving innovation.
  • 10+ years of progressive software development experience.
  • Experience leading a global workforce of employees and contractors across different time zones.
  • Expertise in AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda, RDS, CloudFormation), cloud-native development (Kubernetes, Docker, microservices), and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, AWS CDK).
  • Solid understanding of AI concepts, technologies and methods, including machine learning, language, reasoning & multimodal models, prompt & context engineering, developing and using skills & agent frameworks, RAG, and vector databases.
  • Hands‑on experience integrating or experimenting with commercial and open‑source GenAI technologies and toolkits (e.g., coding assistants, OpenAI, Hugging Face, LangChain).
  • Strong experience in modernizing monolithic architectures, implementing hybrid cloud strategies, and crafting APIs to bridge legacy systems with cloud‑native platforms.
  • Proven ability to compose and build scalable, secure, high‑availability enterprise systems using CI/CD pipelines and automated testing frameworks.
  • Skilled in agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe) and customer‑centric product models to drive iterative development and rapid time‑to‑market.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Preferred
  • Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field, or equivalent combination of education and recent, relevant work experience.
Compensation

Base salary range: $138,200.00 – $180,000.00 USD. You will also be eligible for the company’s discretionary incentive bonus program, with a target of 25% of base salary. Note that the bonus is not guaranteed and is dependent on performance.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cengage is committed to working with broad talent pools to attract and hire strong and the most qualified individuals. Our job applicants are considered regardless of any classification protected by applicable federal, state, provincial or local laws.

Accommodations

Cengage is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities during our application process. If you are an applicant with a disability and require reasonable accommodation, please contact us at accommodations.ta@cengage.com.

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