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VP Engineering, Hardware

Berlin, Germany · Engineering

Our passion at SumUp is championing small businesses. We believe in creating technology that is flexible, fair, affordable and easy to use.  Every day millions of people around the world dream of starting their own businesses. We strive to help them to do this.

As VP of Engineering in the Hardware Tribe, you’ll lead the way in building and strengthening one of SumUp’s core pillars. You’ll oversee every stage of product development – from ideation and design to manufacturing and launch. You’ll also define how your teams grow and how we scale our ability to create new products from scratch. SumUp’s global footprint continues to grow rapidly. Our hardware products are owned by over 2 million merchants and thus used every day by millions upon millions of consumers. In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to take SumUp’s hardware portfolio and brand recognition to the next level. You’ll be responsible for strategy, growth, communication, delivery processes, team health, program management and operational routines – working together with business and technical leaders at SumUp to further grow the Hardware business and take it to the next level.

You will be working closely with your Engineering Leads across a number of teams to ensure the Tribe’s product vision is realized through engineering excellence, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing wherever possible. You’ll also work with other Engineering Tribe Leads, VP of Platform, and the CTO to formulate and drive the Technology Strategy of SumUp – defining domain splits, interactions between teams and platforms, and our approach to scaling. 

This role is an opportunity to make an impact and lift your career aspirations within a fast-growing, innovative, inclusive, and ethical business. As a naturally driven and inspirational leader, you welcome and expect outstanding performance from every member of the team. You love creative solutions and enjoy a vibrant and flexible working environment. Your passion will not only inspire the Hardware Tribe but will influence our people globally.

What you’ll do

  • Own the technology strategy and roadmaps for Hardware: Be responsible for the direction and management of engineering activities, ensuring that products meet design requirements, and deliver a consistent experience for users.

  • Lead a world-class Engineering team: Coach and develop Engineering Managers, hire new team members and be an authority alongside already very experienced engineers and leaders. You will regularly assess the technical state of teams, advocate for best practices broadly and promote best-in-class engineering practices.

  • Help balance long vs. short-term solutions with the teams.

  • Ensure a sound decision process and alignment with the engineering strategy of the Tribe resulting in interoperability, open standards and scalable infrastructure.

  • Maintain the engineering teams’ focus and alignment with SumUp’s general strategy.

  • Serve as a liaison with other Tribes and central SumUp teams to ensure Hardware is represented and its needs from other teams are addressed.

  • Represent SumUp Hardware in front of external parties.

You’ll be great for this role 

  • You have previous experience as a CTO or a (S)VP of Engineering in a multi-product organisation.

  • You have a proven track record of leading highly effective, agile, cross-functional teams with a strong focus on delivery in highly dynamic, interconnected organizations of a certain (global) scale and distributed or service-based systems.

  • You’ve mastered different leadership styles and use situational awareness to keep your team moving forward in even the most complex situations.

  • You have effective communication skills enabling you to guide cross-functional product and engineering teams. 

  • You know how to achieve success and buy-in through influence.

  • You strive to build a high-performance engineering culture based on strong cooperation and innovation.

  • You have an Engineering background and a deep understanding of the required capabilities for effective software (and hardware) product delivery and the ability to advocate for them, promoting their implementation, both in the Tribe and the broader organisation.

  • You’re an innovative thinker, able to quickly recognise opportunities and apply your expertise to deliver solutions that support outstanding customer experiences.

  • Previous Hardware experience would be great but is not a requirement.

Why you should join SumUp

  • We are a true tech company.

  • We’re a global and growing team of 3000+ people from 80+ countries, spread across 3 continents.

  • You can truly create your own path here and help us shape the future for small businesses globally.

  • We get together regularly for breakfasts, team events, office parties, and sports.

  • You’ll receive a budget for your individual development, attending conferences and external training. 

  • We offer a corporate pension scheme, 28 days’ paid leave, free German and yoga classes, subsidized Urban Sports Club membership and other great benefits.

  • Our new office is based in the centre of Berlin and offers an amazing view over the rooftops  - and also our own little gym

  • We offer visa and relocation support for you, your family, and even your pets.

About SumUp  

We believe in the everyday hero. Small business owners are at the heart of all we do, so we're creating tools that help them run their businesses. With a founder’s mentality and a 'team-first' attitude, our diverse teams across Europe and South and North America work together to ensure that the small business owners we partner with can be successful doing what they love.

SumUp is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that proudly pursues and hires a diverse workforce. SumUp does not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age or any other basis protected by applicable laws or prohibited by company policy. SumUp also strives for a healthy and safe workplace and strictly prohibits harassment of any kind.

Job Application Tip

We recognise that candidates feel they need to meet 100% of the job criteria in order to apply for a job. Please note that this is only a guide. If you don’t tick every box, it’s ok too because it means you have room to learn and develop your career at SumUp.