What Does a Software Development Manager Do?

Software development managers lead teams in the design, development, implementation, optimization, maintenance, and troubleshooting of software programs and applications. They develop short- and long-term strategies for developing scalable software products and services, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget while meeting quality standards and business objectives.

Successful software development managers have strong technical backgrounds and expertise in software development, combined with effective leadership skills. They are also responsible for communicating with executives and stakeholders, which requires the ability to explain complex technical solutions in simple terms effectively. Additionally, software development managers must be able to manage projects, requiring excellent organizational skills and abilities.

Software Development Manager Job Descriptions

It’s important to include the right content in your job description when hiring a software development manager. The following examples can serve as templates for attracting the best available talent for your team.

Candidate Certifications to Look For

• Project Management Professional (PMP). Becoming a certified Project Management Professional will allow a software development manager to demonstrate their expertise and foundation of project management. This certification covers both the basics and more advanced techniques of project management, which includes those which are required by a software development manager.
• Software Engineering Master Certification (SEMC). A Software Development Manager can benefit massively from having a Software Engineering Master Certification due to the nature of their position and the close intertwinement between software development management and software engineering.

How to Hire a Software Development Manager

There are a number of important initial considerations when hiring a software development manager:

• Recruiting: Do you have the knowledge, tools, and resources to attract and screen candidates?
• Complexity: Do you need a senior professional, or will mid or junior-level skills and experience suffice?
• Duration: Are you hiring for a project or an ongoing need?
• Urgency: How soon does the opening need to be filled? What happens while it remains open?
• Headcount: Do you have the budget and approval for an internal employee, or should you consider alternate options?

Answering these questions will help determine the best course of action for your current hiring need. Fortunately, great options exist for every scenario. These are our recommendations:

1. Use 4 Corner Resources (or another professional recruiting firm)

The heavy lifting is done for you when working with a top-tier staffing company like 4 Corner Resources. We source, screen, recruit, and deliver only the most qualified candidate(s), saving you significant time and effort throughout the hiring process while you remain focused on your core business. Understanding your needs and ensuring the right candidate for the position is the key to our success.

This is the best route to take when:

• You need to fill the position quickly
• You want access to a vast talent pool of high-quality, prescreened candidates
• You are hiring an employee as a direct placement but aren’t able to recruit effectively or efficiently with your internal staff. 
• You aren’t familiar with current salary rates, market trends, and available skill sets

2. Advertise your opening on a top job board

Your best option may be to advertise your opening on a proven job board. There are many widely used job sites out there that draw visits from qualified candidates. If you have someone internally who can dedicate the time and energy to sort through applications and screen individuals effectively, this can be a great choice. 

We recommend using a job board when:

• Your internal recruiting team has the knowledge and experience to assess candidate qualifications
• You are hiring a direct employee and have time to manage the entire recruiting effort 
• You have a process for receiving, screening, and tracking all resumes and applications
• You are prepared to respond to all applicants

We recommend CareerBuilder for software development manager openings:

CareerBuilder

CareerBuilder has been a trusted source for hiring since 1995. Reach 80+ million unique, diverse U.S. job seekers annually by posting your jobs through their talent acquisition channels. Through CareerBuilder, you can engage candidates and drive them into your sourcing pipeline. We recommend using CareerBuilder for hiring when you have the internal resources and processes to review, screen, and reply to all applicants.

3. Leverage your internal resources

You can utilize your own website, social media, and employees to assist in your search for top candidates. 

A company website posting should be the first step in notifying prospective candidates that you are hiring. Social media can also be a powerful tool for spreading the word about your new opening. As far as exposure is concerned, this option can be as good as some job boards when you have a large enough following across various platforms, like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter.

Current employees are every organization’s greatest asset. Encourage your internal team to promote job openings to their network by offering cash and other incentives.