Powering the world’s payments ecosystem
ACI powers the payments ecosystem – globally, and you power ACI. You’ll innovate, collaborate, and grow – in an energetic technology culture with decades of proven success. ACIers – in all roles and levels – are truly your colleagues and many are your friends. Our size and reach allow you to see the global impact of your work. You are visible, your talents are valued, and you are empowered to shape the future of payments.
As a Director, Software Engineering in Norcross, GA or Omaha, NE you will join a diverse, passionate team, dedicated to powering the world’s payments ecosystem!
JOB PURPOSE
The Director, Software Engineering defines and executes engineering strategy for major product lines. This senior leadership position owns end-to-end delivery accountability for significant engineering organizations, drives technical excellence at scale, manages substantial budgets, and builds strategic partnerships that enable business success.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership & Business Impact
- Lead significant engineering organization of 30-60 engineers across 3-5 managers
- Define and execute engineering strategy for major product lines
- Own end-to-end delivery accountability with executive visibility
- Manage substantial budget ($2M-$5M+) including headcount and operational expenses
- Lead critical initiatives that directly impact business outcomes and revenue
Engineering Excellence & Organizational Development
- Drive engineering excellence including architecture, quality, velocity, and reliability
- Define engineering standards, practices, and methodologies for the organization
- Build and scale high-performing engineering organization through strategic hiring
- Develop leadership pipeline including managers and senior technical talent
- Shape organizational culture emphasizing innovation, quality, and collaboration
Cross-Functional Partnership & Executive Communication
- Build strategic partnerships with Product, Design, and other Engineering leaders
- Present engineering strategy, progress, and recommendations to executive leadership
- Collaborate with peers on enterprise initiatives and technical strategy
- Drive adoption of AI-assisted development and transformative engineering practices
- Represent engineering in customer and partner engagements as needed
QUALIFICATIONS
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field; Master's preferred
- Equivalent experience (12+ years) may substitute for degree
Experience
- 10-15 years of software engineering or technology leadership experience
- 5+ years managing engineering managers and leading large teams
- Proven track record of delivering complex, enterprise-scale software products
- Experience with P&L management, budget ownership, and resource planning
- Payments, financial services, or regulated industry experience preferred
Technical Skills
- Deep understanding of software architecture at enterprise scale
- Expert knowledge of modern engineering practices and methodologies
- Understanding of scalability, reliability, and performance at high scale
- Knowledge of security, compliance, and regulatory requirements
- Strong understanding of engineering metrics and organizational effectiveness
Leadership & Management Skills
- Exceptional leadership and organizational transformation capabilities
- Strategic vision with strong business acumen
- Executive presence and communication skills
- Proven ability to build and scale engineering organizations
- Strong influence and partnership across all organizational levels
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience leading engineering through company growth or transformation
- Track record of technical innovation and competitive differentiation
- Experience with M&A integration or organizational restructuring
- Industry thought leadership through speaking or publications
WORK ENVIRONMENT
- Hybrid work model with flexibility; multiple office locations available
- 20-30% travel for leadership meetings, customer engagements, and strategic initiatives
- High availability for executive meetings and global collaboration
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT
ACI Worldwide is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. This position does not offer sponsorship for employment visa status or work permit now or in the future.
In return for your expertise, we offer opportunities for growth, career development, and a competitive compensation and benefits package—all within an innovative and collaborative work environment.
Are you ready to help us transform the payments ecosystem? To learn more about ACI Worldwide, visit our web site at www.aciworldwide.com Job ID (Requisition #19505)
Important Notice About Recruitment Scams
Job seekers should be aware of ongoing recruitment scams where individuals or organizations impersonate legitimate companies to offer fake job opportunities. These scams often involve requests for personal information, payments, or interviews through unofficial channels. Please be cautious and verify any communications claiming to be from our company (www.aciworldwide.com / @aciworldwide.com). The ACI Worldwide recruitment team will always follow official channels and will never request payment.
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About UsACI Worldwide is a global leader in mission-critical, real-time payments software. Our proven, secure and scalable software solutions enable leading corporations, fintechs and financial disruptors to process and manage digital payments, power omni-commerce payments, present and process bill payments, and manage fraud and risk. We combine our global footprint with a local presence to drive the real-time digital transformation of payments and commerce.Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field
- Or equivalent experience (12+ years) in lieu of degree
- 10-15 years software engineering or technology leadership experience
- 5+ years managing engineering managers and leading large teams
- Proven track record delivering complex, enterprise-scale software products
- P&L management, budget ownership, and resource planning experience
- Deep understanding of enterprise software architecture and scalability
- Expert knowledge of modern engineering practices and methodologies
- Knowledge of security, compliance, and regulatory requirements
- Strong understanding of engineering metrics and organizational effectiveness
- Exceptional leadership, organizational transformation, and executive communication skills
- Willingness to travel 20-30% for leadership meetings and customer engagements
- Authorized to work in the United States; employer does not sponsor visas
- Master's degree (preferred)
- Payments, financial services, or regulated industry experience (preferred)
- Experience leading engineering through growth, M&A, or organizational restructuring (preferred)
- Industry thought leadership through speaking or publications (preferred)
ACI Worldwide Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about ACI Worldwide and has not been reviewed or approved by ACI Worldwide.
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Healthcare Strength — Health, dental, and vision coverage are complemented by HSA options, disability insurance, AD&D, and wellbeing programs. Offerings span core medical protection with added wellness support.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) with company match and pension/retirement options support long‑term savings. Additional programs such as an employee stock purchase plan contribute to financial security over time.
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Flexible Benefits — A flexible, hybrid office culture with work‑from‑home options and adaptable schedules supports work‑life balance. Paid time off and country‑tailored packages allow alignment of benefits to local needs.
ACI Worldwide Insights
What We Do
ACI Worldwide is a global software company that provides mission-critical real-time payment solutions to corporations. Customers use our proven, scalable and secure solutions to process and manage digital payments, enable omni-commerce payments, present and process bill payments, and manage fraud and risk. We combine our global footprint with local presence to drive the real-time digital transformation of payments and commerce.
