Mission
As a Dev Team Leader, you will be the technical cornerstone of our development team (~15), driving both technical excellence and team growth. You will lead the delivery of high-quality, scalable software solutions while creating a culture of continuous improvement and quality-first development practices.
You will report to the Head of Engineering and work closely with the Product team to translate business requirements into robust technical solutions, ensuring our platform continues to serve hundreds of organizations making a positive impact worldwide.
Responsibilities
Technical Leadership & Architecture
* Design and implement scalable, maintainable software architecture that supports our growing user base and feature set
* Drive technical decision-making and establish architectural standards across the development team
* Ensure code quality through comprehensive review processes, testing practices, and adherence to coding standards
* Maintain deep expertise in PHP ecosystem, staying current with best practices and emerging technologies such as AI
* Champion technical debt management, working strategically with product and engineering leadership to balance feature delivery with code health
Team Leadership & Development
* Lead, mentor, and grow a team of PHP developers, fostering professional development and technical excellence
* Create and maintain a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous learning
* Conduct regular 1-on-1s, performance reviews, and career development discussions
* Support hiring by evaluating technical skills, participating in interviews, and helping shape the team's future
* Facilitate technical discussions and decision-making, ensuring alignment and knowledge sharing across the team
Roadmap & Sprint Management
* Co-own the planning and execution of the product roadmap with the Product Management team
* Balance scope, timelines, and technical feasibility while maintaining high-quality standards
* Plan and execute sprints effectively, ensuring clear goals and deliverable outcomes
* Manage dependencies, risks, and technical constraints in roadmap planning
* Ensure accurate effort estimation and timeline commitment across development initiatives
Quality & Performance Management
* Establish and monitor KPIs and OKRs related to delivery velocity, code quality, and operational stability
* Implement and maintain quality assurance processes, including automated testing and code review standards
* Monitor and improve team performance metrics, ensuring continuous improvement in delivery and quality
* Drive a healthy balance between development speed and long-term maintainability
* Contribute to maintaining our ISO 27001 certification by ensuring development processes adhere to information security management standards and compliance requirements
Cross-functional Collaboration
* Collaborate effectively with Product and Head of Engineering to ensure aligned goals and shared understanding
* Communicate technical concepts and decisions clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
* Participate in strategic planning and contribute to engineering organization decisions
* Support product discovery and technical feasibility assessments for new features and initiatives
About You
Required Experience & Skills
* Degree in Computer Science, related field, or equivalent proven experience
* 5-10 years of experience in software development leadership roles
* Deep expertise in PHP ecosystem and culture, with practical experience leveraging Laravel as a development framework
* Strong understanding of software architecture principles
* Proven experience with solution architecture and system design for scalable applications
* Proficiency in code versioning control, branching strategies, and CI/CD practices
* Experience with middleware technologies such as RDBMS, message brokers, and caching systems
* Strong background in establishing and monitoring KPIs, OKRs, and engineering metrics
Leadership & Soft Skills
* Passion for mentoring and developing others, with a track record of growing technical talent
* Strong communication skills with ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
* Experience managing technical roadmaps and sprint planning processes
* Ability to make tough technical decisions and drive consensus among team members
* Strong focus on quality and ability to balance speed with maintainability
* Experience working with existing codebases and driving architectural improvements
Preferred Qualifications
* Experience in SaaS environments and understanding of multi-tenant architecture
* Knowledge of performance optimization and scalability best practices
* Experience with modern DevOps practices and cloud infrastructure
* Understanding of security best practices and compliance requirements
* Experience with agile methodologies and team coaching
Practical Information
* Location : Brussels
* 3 days remote
* Start date : ASAP
* We do not provide work permits
* Optimy welcomes applications from freelancers only.
Our Offer
* A competitive package tailored to your experience — with room to grow as you do
* A flexible hybrid work model with the possibility to work fully remotely, while staying connected with the team by occasionally visiting our Brussels office
ABOUT US
We believe corporations can be a force for good—and at Optimy, we make that vision a reality.
Our mission is to empower corporations to maximize their positive impact while minimizing their operational costs. The Optimy platform is the most configurable solution for managing grants, volunteering, donations, and sponsorships. We help over 350 forward-thinking customers in 30 countries run impactful programs, managing more than 1.5 million projects in 22 languages.
Why join Optimy?
We’re not just a tech company; we’re a community of passionate changemakers from over 10 countries, united by the goal of creating positive change in the world. Our diverse, agile team of 50+ professionals thrives in a culture of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity. Whether you’re driven by technology or purpose, you’ll find meaningful opportunities to grow and make a difference here.
Be part of something bigger.
At Optimy, your work helps leading organizations create lasting social impact. Join us and contribute to projects that truly matter, in a dynamic, flexible work environment that champions your professional growth.