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Software Development Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Axos Bank

Software Development Manager

San Diego, CA · On-site

$110K - $140K/yr

About This Job Axos Bank is seeking a Software Development Manager, AVP to lead engineering delivery for Axos Bank's Core Services platform, the backbone of the enterprise. This leader will own end ...

Axos Bank

Software Development Manager

Irvine, CA · On-site

$110K - $140K/yr

About This Job Axos Bank is seeking a Software Development Manager, AVP to lead engineering delivery for Axos Bank's Core Services platform, the backbone of the enterprise. This leader will own end ...

Axos Bank

Software Development Manager

San Diego, CA · On-site

$120K - $140K/yr

Axos Bank is looking for an experienced, product-oriented Software Development Manager to join our software engineering team and help ensure that the experience of our clients is second to none. This ...

Axos Bank

Software Development Manager

San Diego, CA · On-site

$110K - $140K/yr

About This Job Axos Bank is seeking a Software Development Manager, AVP to lead engineering delivery for Axos Bank's Core Services platform, the backbone of the enterprise. This leader will own end ...

Axos Bank

Software Development Manager

Los Angeles, CA

$110K - $140K/yr

About This Job Axos Bank is seeking a Software Development Manager, AVP to lead engineering delivery for Axos Bank's Core Services platform, the backbone of the enterprise. This leader will own end ...

Axos Bank

Software Development Manager

Coronado, CA · On-site

$110 - $140/hr

About This Job Axos Bank is seeking a Software Development Manager, AVP to lead engineering delivery for Axos Bank's Core Services platform, the backbone of the enterprise. This leader will own end ...

Axos Bank

Software Development Manager

San Diego, CA · On-site +1

$120K - $140K/yr

Axos Bank is looking for an experienced, product-oriented Software Development Manager to join our software engineering team and help ensure that the experience of our clients is second to none. This ...

MSI group

Sr. Software Development Manager

Fremont, CA · On-site

$150 - $200/hr

Job Title: Sr. Software Development Manager Pay Range: $150,000.00-$200,000.00 Annually Location: Fremont, CA, USA Description: We are looking for an experienced Software Development Manager to lead ...

Amazon

Software Development Manager, Ring

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$144K - $191K/yr

Ring is looking for a Software Development Manager responsible for leading a team of engineers working on the development and production of products, focusing on safety and security based connected ...

Amazon

Software Development Manager, Ring

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$144K - $191K/yr

Ring is looking for a Software Development Manager responsible for leading a team of engineers working on the development and production of products, focusing on safety and security based connected ...

Axos Bank

AVP, Software Development Manager

San Diego, CA · On-site

$110K - $140K/yr

As our Software Development Manager, you will be responsible for designing and implementing projects to enhance and improve our digital banking platform, in line with our product roadmap and delivery ...

Axos Bank

AVP, Software Development Manager

San Diego, CA · On-site

$110K - $140K/yr

As our Software Development Manager, you will be responsible for designing and implementing projects to enhance and improve our digital banking platform, in line with our product roadmap and delivery ...

Amazon

Software Development Manager, Ring

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$144K - $191K/yr

Ring is looking for a Software Development Manager responsible for leading a team of engineers working on the development and production of products, focusing on safety and security based connected ...

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Software Development Manager information

See California salary details

$78.5K

$140.2K

$176.2K

How much do software development manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for software development manager in California is $140,241.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $121,900.00 and $160,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a software development manager do?

As a software development manager, your primary responsibilities are to oversee software development teams and to act as a liaison between your teams and senior management. You hire and train new staff, manage and evaluate existing developers, provide guidance on the design and implementation of new software applications, and ensure that projects stay on schedule and within budget. You collaborate with upper-level management and your developers to make sure that new and existing software applications meet business objectives.

What does a software development manager do?

A Software Development Manager oversees teams of software engineers to ensure successful planning, development, and delivery of software projects. They coordinate project timelines, allocate resources, and facilitate communication between team members and stakeholders. Additionally, they mentor developers, set technical standards, and help align software initiatives with business objectives. Their role balances technical expertise with leadership and project management responsibilities.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a software development manager?

To thrive as a Software Development Manager, you need a solid background in software engineering, leadership experience, and usually a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with project management tools (like Jira or Trello), version control systems (such as Git), and sometimes certifications like PMP or Scrum Master are highly beneficial. Exceptional communication, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to motivate and mentor teams are critical soft skills. These competencies ensure successful project delivery, foster team development, and align technical efforts with business goals.

How does a software development manager typically balance technical leadership with people management responsibilities?

As a Software Development Manager, you’ll find that balancing hands-on technical leadership with people management is a central part of the role. You’ll spend part of your time guiding architectural decisions and overseeing code quality, while also focusing on coaching, mentoring, and supporting your team’s professional growth. Effective delegation, setting clear priorities, and maintaining open communication with both developers and stakeholders are key to managing these dual responsibilities. Many managers also work closely with product managers, QA, and other departments to ensure alignment across projects.

What is the difference between Software Development Manager vs Software Engineer?

AspectSoftware Development ManagerSoftware Engineer
ResponsibilitiesOversees development teams, manages projects, sets strategic goalsDesigns, codes, tests software applications
Required SkillsLeadership, project management, technical expertiseProgramming, problem-solving, technical skills
CredentialsBachelor's or higher in CS or related field, often with experience in managementBachelor's or higher in CS or related field
Work EnvironmentTeam management, collaboration with stakeholdersIndividual or team coding tasks, development environments

The main difference between a Software Development Manager and a Software Engineer lies in their focus and responsibilities. Managers oversee teams and projects, while engineers focus on designing and coding software. Both roles require technical skills, but managers also need leadership and project management abilities.

More about Software Development Manager jobs

What are the most commonly searched types of Software Development jobs in California?

The most popular types of Software Development jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Software Development Manager jobs in California?

For Software Development Manager jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Software Development Manager jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Software Development Manager jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Software Development Manager jobs?

Cities in California with the most Software Development Manager job openings:

What are popular job titles related to Software Development Manager jobs in CA?

For Software Development Manager jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Software Development Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Software Development Manager job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 77% Full Time, 18% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $140,241 per year, or $67.4 per hour.

Software Development Manager

LULUS FASHION LOUNGE LLC

Chico, CA • On-site

$130K - $150K/yr

Full-time

Posted 5 days ago

Job description

The Software Development Manager oversees individual Software Developers and Development teams ensuring Lulus is meeting internal and external stakeholder needs for support and roadmap deliverables. They will ensure development teams are delivering against timelines as well as ensuring developer productivity, efficiency, quality, and documentation of the software development process for developers. The Development Manager will be a well-balanced leader, cultivating a culture of quality and timely software delivery from a technical aspect while placing equal emphasis on the growth and impact of each team member from a coaching perspective. The Development Manager will remove obstacles that impede delivery and create an environment where engineering teams can consistently deliver high-quality software. The Development Manager will work closely with the Director of Development on day-to-day operations to ensure KPIs for individuals and teams are measured and reported transparently, as well as help enforce and roll out process change to meet goals and objectives.
Schedule: The role follows a hybrid schedule based out of our Chico office, working onsite Tuesday through Thursday during standard business hours (approximately 9:00 AM-5:00 PM).
What You'll Do
  • Maximize development team throughput by ensuring requirements, risks, and status are clearly and honestly communicated between developers, product, and QA, enforcing scope and estimation discipline, and proactively addressing performance or engagement issues before they impact delivery
  • Foster individual and team growth, engagement, and retention
  • Manage the development team including performance reviews and promotions, hiring and separation of employees and task assignment, workload, and performance metric monitoring of team and individual employees
  • Develop and execute the technical roadmap in partnership with cross-functional teams
  • Identify systemic bottlenecks and implement improvements to engineering processes and delivery
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives across engineering practices, tooling, automation, and developer experience
  • Drive team adoption of AI-assisted development tools and practices, establishing usage guidelines and mentoring developers to improve productivity and code quality
  • Own team deliverables and timelines, forming and defending technical opinions on design and scope rather than simply relaying team status to stakeholders
  • Monitor and enforce software development practices and processes with teams and individuals
  • Participate in on-call schedule and response to incidents, ensuring they are resolved quickly with minimal impact
  • Lead technical design discussions and facilitate architectural decision-making
  • Monitor and enforce code quality standards

What You'll Need
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Engineering
  • 8+ years of relevant software development and/or engineering management experience
  • 2+ years of direct people management experience, with a proven ability to lead, coach, develop, and retain high-performing software engineering teams, including setting performance expectations, providing feedback, managing performance, and supporting career development
  • Excellent communication; written, oral and group facilitation with the ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Can work well under pressure; meeting multiple, and sometimes, competing deadlines
  • Ability to build and maintain positive relationships with teams and individuals
  • Strong technical foundation in software engineering, with the ability to evaluate technical solutions, participate in architectural decisions, and effectively partner with senior engineers.
  • Knowledge of modern software development tools, technologies, and application hosting platforms.
  • Experience establishing and improving engineering practices that support software quality, reliability, security, and maintainability.
  • Strong Agile software development knowledge and experience
  • Scrum master experience
  • Hands-on experience with AI coding assistants (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Claude, Cursor) and a track record of driving team adoption, establishing usage guidelines, or measuring productivity impact.

Nice to Have - Bonus Points!
  • Practical experience embedding AI throughout the SDLC - leveraging AI-assisted and spec-driven (SDD) development practices across planning, code review, QA, and release automation to improve engineering velocity and quality
  • Familiarity with AI/LLM integration patterns (prompt engineering, RAG, agentic workflows, or MCP servers) sufficient to evaluate vendor proposals, guide architecture decisions, and mentor engineers on responsible AI use

We're ready to meet you! Come help us achieve our ambitious goals!
At Lulus, we believe our people are our greatest asset and we seek to structure competitive compensation offers to ensure that we can attract and retain the best talent. Our job postings include an annual base salary range for the role. The stated base salary range represents our good faith estimate as to what candidates are likely to expect, and we tailor our offers within the range based on several factors, including the selected candidate's educational and professional experience, industry knowledge, location, technical and communication skills, and other factors that may prove relevant during the selection process. Base salary is a part of a total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include an annual bonus and other benefit programs.

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