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Director Software Jobs in Seattle, WA (NOW HIRING)

Job Summary The Director of Software Engineering leads multiple software engineering teams responsible for the delivery of innovative, scalable, secure, and reliable products and services. This role ...

Dir. Software Engineering

Seattle, WA · On-site

$287K/yr

Director, Software Engineering: We are seeking a seasoned Director of Engineering to join our dynamic team. As a first-line manager, you will lead a team of talented engineers, driving technical ...

Dir. Software Engineering

Seattle, WA · On-site

$287K/yr

Director, Software Engineering: We are seeking a seasoned Director of Engineering to join our dynamic team. As a first-line manager, you will lead a team of talented engineers, driving technical ...

Director, Software Engineering

Seattle, WA · On-site

$287K/yr

This positon is a apeople manager role reporting to the Senior Director, Software Engineering. Responsibility * Manage high-throughput, real-time observability pipelines processing massive volumes of ...

Director, Software Engineering

Seattle, WA · Hybrid

$287K/yr

This positon is a apeople manager role reporting to the Senior Director, Software Engineering. Responsibility * Manage high-throughput, real-time observability pipelines processing massive volumes of ...

The Marketplace Platform Reliability team develops and maintains engineering systems that empower thousands of engineers to deliver reliable, scalable, and high-performing software. This team manages ...

Visa will accept applications for this role until at least 11-30-2026 We are seeking a Director of Software Engineering who combines strategic leadership with strong technical depth. This role leads ...

Director, Software Engineering

Seattle, WA · On-site +1

$202K - $299K/yr

What you'll do As the Director of Engineering for Search, you serve as the strategic architect ... software engineering leadership, specifically managing teams focused on large-scale distributed ...

What you'll do As the Director of Engineering for Search, you serve as the strategic architect ... software engineering leadership, specifically managing teams focused on large-scale distributed ...

Director, Software Engineering

Bellevue, WA · On-site

$285K/yr

The ideal candidate brings strong software engineering depth, proven people leadership, and the ability to stay close to day-to-day design, code, architecture, delivery, and operational decisions ...

Director, Software Engineering

Bellevue, WA · On-site

$285K/yr

The ideal candidate brings strong software engineering depth, proven people leadership, and the ability to stay close to day-to-day design, code, architecture, delivery, and operational decisions ...

Visa will accept applications for this role until at least 11-30-2026 We are seeking aDirector of Software Engineeringwho combines strategic leadership with strong technical depth. This role leads ...

Visa will accept applications for this role until at least 11-30-2026 We are seeking aDirector of Software Engineeringwho combines strategic leadership with strong technical depth. This role leads ...

As Senior Director of Software Engineering, you will drive technical strategy and execution across a diverse portfolio including augmented reality and immersive training environments. Your teams will ...

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Showing results 1-20

Director Software information

See Seattle, WA salary details

$158.3K

$289.2K

How much do director software jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for director software in Seattle, WA is $277,741.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $288,100.00 and $288,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a director software?

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 Seattle, WA?

The most popular types of Software jobs in Seattle, WA are:

What cities near Seattle, WA are hiring for Director Software jobs?

Cities near Seattle, WA with the most Director Software job openings:

Infographic showing various Director Software job openings in Seattle, WA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $277,585 per year, or $133.5 per hour.

Director, Software Engineer

NetApp

Bellevue, WA

$284K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 10 days ago


NetApp rating

9.4

Company rating: 9.4 out of 10

Based on 5 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

2nd of 500 rated business services


Job description

Job Summary

The Director of Software Engineering leads multiple software engineering teams responsible for the delivery of innovative, scalable, secure, and reliable products and services.

This role partners closely with Product Management, UX, Architecture, Customer Success, and executive leadership to translate business objectives into engineering strategy and execution.

The Director drives organizational effectiveness, technical excellence, operational discipline, and talent development while ensuring successful delivery of business-critical initiatives. 

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

  • Define and execute engineering strategies that align with organizational and product objectives.
  • Develop and communicate long-term technology roadmaps and investment priorities.
  • Drive innovation through adoption of modern engineering practices, tools, and technologies.
  • Anticipate technical and organizational risks and implement mitigation strategies.

Engineering Execution

  • Lead the delivery of multiple software products, platforms, or engineering portfolios.
  • Ensure predictable execution against roadmap commitments, balancing speed, quality, security, and scalability.
  • Establish metrics, KPIs, and operational reviews to measure team performance and delivery outcomes.
  • Drive continuous improvement across software development lifecycle (SDLC), DevOps, CI/CD, and engineering operations.

People Leadership

  • Lead, coach, and develop engineering managers and high-performing software engineering teams.
  • Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and growth-oriented culture.
  • Drive organizational design, workforce planning, succession planning, and talent development strategies.
  • Recruit, retain, and develop top engineering talent.

Technical Leadership

  • Influence architecture and platform decisions to ensure scalability, availability, maintainability, and security.
  • Champion engineering best practices, coding standards, testing strategies, and operational excellence.
  • Partner with engineering and architecture leaders to drive technical direction and modernization initiatives.
  • Ensure compliance with security, privacy, regulatory, and governance requirements.

Cross-Functional Partnership

  • Collaborate closely with Product Management to align engineering priorities with customer and business needs.
  • Partner with Design, IT, Security, Sales, Customer Success, and Support teams to deliver exceptional customer outcomes.
  • Effectively communicate technical strategy, project status, risks, and business impact to senior leadership and stakeholders.
  • Influence and align cross-functional teams to achieve strategic objectives.
Job Requirements
  • 12+ years of software engineering experience.
  • 5+ years of people leadership experience managing managers and/or multiple engineering teams.
  • Experience leading large-scale software development initiatives from concept through delivery.
  • Strong knowledge of software architecture, cloud technologies, distributed systems, DevOps, and Agile methodologies.
  • Experience driving organizational change and scaling engineering organizations.
  • Proven ability to influence across technical and non-technical stakeholder groups.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or MBA.
  • Experience building and leading geographically distributed engineering teams.
  • Experience with SaaS, cloud-native platforms, AI/ML-enabled solutions, or enterprise software products.
  • Strong financial and operational management experience, including resource planning and budget accountability.
  • Demonstrated success driving digital transformation and modernization initiatives.
Education
  •  Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or related technical field. 

Compensation:
The target salary range for this position is 227,800 - 338,800 USD. The salary offered will be determined by the candidate's location, qualifications, experience, and education and may be outside of this range. Final compensation packages are competitive and in line with industry standards, reflecting a variety of factors, and include a comprehensive benefits package. This may cover Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Retirement or Pension Plans, Paid Time Off, various Leave options, Performance-Based Incentives, employee stock purchase plan, and/or restricted stocks (RSU's), with all offerings subject to regional variations and governed by local laws, regulations, and company policies. Benefits may vary by country and region, and further details will be provided as part of the recruitment process. 


What NetApp employees say

Pay

Hours and flexibility

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About NetApp

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

The NetApp portfolio of leading data, application, and storage solutions helps organizations manage applications and data everywhere across hybrid multicloud environments. Our 30 years of innovation have made us the proven leader in all-flash storage. We have the only enterprise-grade storage OS available natively on the world’s biggest public clouds. Our data services offer the best security and protection in the industry. We have CloudOps services that will revolutionize how you work in the cloud. And that’s just scratching the surface. In a world of hybrid multicloud complexity, we envision a better IT experience—an evolved cloud state where on-premises and cloud environments are united as one, always delivering simplicity, security, savings, and sustainability. To get you there, we build solutions that drive faster innovation wherever your data and applications live, with unified management and AI-driven optimization. No walled gardens. No lock-in. You get the freedom to do what’s best for your business today and the flexibility to adapt to whatever tomorrow throws at you.

Industry

It services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Sunnyvale, CA, US