Vice President, Engineering

Position Overview

• Location Type: Hybrid or Remote (Palo Alto)
• Job Type: Full-time
• Salary: Not Specified

Ladder is revolutionizing the life insurance industry by making it faster, simpler, and more accessible. We leverage AI and real-time underwriting to provide instant decisions and coverage in minutes, transforming a traditionally lengthy and paper-intensive process. We are seeking an experienced and dynamic VP of Engineering to lead our growing team and help us reimagine life insurance. This role requires a blend of strategic leadership and hands-on mentorship, working closely with Product, Design, and Data Science to deliver exceptional user experiences.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field; Master's degree preferred
• 10+ years of professional software development experience
• 5+ years of experience in a leadership role, managing and mentoring engineering teams
• Strong technical background, with expertise in full-stack development, cloud infrastructure, and modern software architecture.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams, balancing both business priorities and technical challenges.
• Startup experience, or fintech/insurtech experience is a plus.
• Familiarity with the challenges of building end-user facing products that require rapid iteration, high cross-functional collaboration, and continual performance optimization.
• Demonstrable past technical accomplishments and ability to remain hands-on.
• Ability to easily transition between high-level strategy and day-to-day implementation.
• Results-oriented, high energy, self-motivated.
• Track record of inspiring others and driving positive change in solutions.

Responsibilities

• Set the technical vision and strategy in alignment with the company’s mission and goals, focusing on delivering exceptional end-user experiences.
• Build and lead high-performing engineering teams, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability.
• Work with the Product organization to analyze customer needs and develop the engineering team’s roadmap based on company goals and user impact.
• Lead the team through the software development lifecycle of Ladder’s core services, from ideation to deployment, ensuring end-user facing features are delivered on time, within scope, and with the highest quality.
• Promote a culture of feedback and transparent communication.
• Establish measurable goals for your team's productivity and impact.
• Mentor and lead engineers and engineering leaders, helping them grow.
• Act as an advisor to and collaborate with the executive leadership team to align on business goals and technical priorities.
• Recruit engineering talent into the organization while ensuring we can retain our top performers.

Company Information

Ladder is a fintech company that has simplified the life insurance application process through innovative technology. We have provided over $74 billion in coverage and are recognized for our user-loved digital experience.

Location Details

This is a remote role based in one of the 23 states Ladder is currently hiring in: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, KS, MA, MD, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, TX, VA, WA, WI. Ladder is not currently sponsoring or transferring OPT or H1-B visas.