How to apply for Senior Engineering Manager

About Atticus

Atticus is a platform that connects people in crisis to legal and government aid. It has helped hundreds of thousands of people access over $10 billion in aid and has over 20,000 five-star reviews. The company has raised over $100 million from top VC firms like Forerunner, Google Ventures, and True Ventures.

About the role

As a senior engineering manager, you will own one product pod and report directly to the VP of Engineering. You will be accountable for the health and growth of your team and for what the pod delivers. Each pod owns a piece of the business and is staffed with 4-6 engineers, a PM, and a designer.

A typical day

A typical day might involve meeting with your pod to prioritize roadmap items, coaching engineers on their growth, and collaborating with your PM and designer on upcoming features. You would also report to the VP of Engineering on pod health and delivery progress. Since the role is remote, you would use video calls and messaging tools to stay connected.

Who Atticus is looking for

• Experience managing cross-functional engineering teams of 4-6 engineers, ideally in a product-focused environment.
• Track record of owning a product area or business unit and being accountable for its outcomes.
• Ability to shape an ambitious roadmap and directly drive the work to get there.
• Comfort with remote work and reporting to a VP of Engineering.

Tips for this application

• Highlight any experience you have managing small, cross-functional teams (4-6 engineers) with a PM and designer.
• Emphasize instances where you were accountable for both team health and delivery outcomes, not just technical execution.
• Research Atticus's products (disability benefits and accident compensation) and mention how your engineering leadership can support their mission.
• Note that the role reports to Toby, the VP of Engineering—address your application accordingly if you write a cover letter.
• Show familiarity with the company's funding and growth stage ($100M+ raised, category-defining business) to demonstrate genuine interest.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your experience owning a product pod or business unit and being accountable for its success.', 'How you have grown and maintained the health of engineering teams of 4-6 people.', 'Your ability to shape and execute an ambitious roadmap in a remote setting.', "Why you want to work on Atticus's mission of connecting people to legal and government aid."]

Research before applying

• Read about Atticus's two main product areas: connecting people with disabilities to government benefits and helping victims of accidents get compensation.
• Look up the company's funding history and investors (Forerunner, Google Ventures, True Ventures) to understand its stage and backing.
• Find recent news or blog posts about Atticus's growth, such as the $10 billion in aid accessed and 20,000+ five-star reviews.
• Learn about Toby, the VP of Engineering, through LinkedIn or company blog posts to understand his leadership style and priorities.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you have managed a cross-functional pod (engineers, PM, designer) and handled competing priorities.
• A time you were accountable for a product area's outcomes and how you measured success.
• Your approach to growing and maintaining the health of a small engineering team.
• How you would shape a roadmap for one of Atticus's product areas (disability benefits or accident compensation).
• Your experience working remotely and collaborating with a VP of Engineering.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on technical skills and ignoring the people management and team health aspects of the role.
• Failing to show how you have been accountable for business outcomes, not just engineering delivery.
• Not researching Atticus's mission or products, which can make you seem uninterested in the company's specific work.