Software Engineering Manager

About Halter

Halter is building technology to help farmers and graziers run more productive and sustainable businesses. Its platform replaces many time-consuming parts of traditional farm management and is helping reshape grazing practices in a way that feels almost magical to customers. The company is focused on meaningful, high-impact work and is backed by major investors including Founders Fund, Bessemer Venture Partners, BOND, DCVC, Blackbird, Promus Ventures, Peter Beck of Rocket Lab, and Icehouse Ventures.

Role overview

Halter is hiring a Software Engineering Manager who can both lead people and stay deeply involved in technical problem-solving. This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys setting technical direction, working closely with product and design, and helping engineers grow while solving difficult real-world challenges. The position calls for strong ownership, the ability to bring clarity to ambiguous situations, and the willingness to contribute code and technical judgment directly.

What the team builds

The engineering organization works on one integrated system that combines hardware, software, and AI on live farms. The work spans large-scale sensor data, real-world modelling, mobile and web product experiences, platform scalability, and engineering for constrained hardware and unreliable rural connectivity. Solutions must work in real farm conditions, not only in a standard digital environment.

Key responsibilities

• Lead a group of frontend and backend engineers, supporting performance, growth, feedback, mentoring, and hiring.
• Set and guide the technical direction of the team’s work so solutions are dependable, maintainable, and meaningful to customers.
• Help define the scope, structure, and sequencing of work while keeping delivery aligned with farmer and rancher needs.
• Remain close to the technical details across services, data, and system design, and bring a clear technical viewpoint.
• Support engineering-led initiatives and help prepare the team for scale.
• Work side by side with product and design teams to shape product direction and clarify ambiguous requirements.
• Look for practical ways to use AI tools to speed up development or enable new ways of working.
• Spend time on farm to build strong domain understanding.
• Contribute to engineering practices and team culture across Halter.
• Write code and stay involved in building the product rather than operating only as a people manager.

What success looks like

• You have direct experience managing engineers, including performance conversations, mentoring, and hiring.
• You think with a product mindset and care about the end-user impact of what is shipped.
• You have a strong sense of UX, speed, and product quality, and you can tell when the experience feels right.
• You can organize work effectively without over-directing others, balancing speed with quality.
• You remain calm in pressure-filled situations, work with low ego, and can help a team move through complex challenges.
• You have experience in fast-moving startups and are comfortable with ambiguous problem spaces and growth environments.

Preferred background

Experience with hardware or real-world systems is a plus, as is exposure to mobile development, React Native, and products designed for demanding environments where physical conditions shape the user experience.

Benefits

• Snacks and drinks are available in the office.
• Southern Cross Health Insurance is provided to support wellbeing.
• Primary caregivers receive 6 months of fully paid parental leave.
• Secondary caregivers receive 4 weeks of fully paid parental leave.
• An annual NZ$1,000 self-development budget is available for personal growth.
• Wellness leave and unlimited paid annual leave are offered.
• Employees receive a remuneration package that includes salary, benefits, and an employee stock ownership plan.

Office-first working style

Halter follows an office-first culture because it believes in-person collaboration strengthens relationships, learning, feedback, and long-term impact. The default is to work from the office every day, while still allowing flexibility when needed. The company places a high level of trust in employees and values strong working relationships over heavy process and policy. Team members who have joined from fully remote or hybrid environments often describe the office atmosphere as highly energizing and difficult to leave behind.

Diversity and application guidance

Halter is committed to an inclusive workplace where people can bring their full selves to work. Candidates from under-represented groups are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every requirement listed. Applicants are asked to submit a cover letter explaining their interest in the role and in working at Halter, along with a CV.

Why people enjoy working here

• The work has real-world impact and helps transform an entire industry.
• The team is made up of talented, kind, and driven people who enjoy solving hard problems together.
• There is strong room for learning, autonomy, and skill growth.
• The company embraces ambitious goals, fast execution, and difficult challenges.