Manager, Software Engineering

Job Description

Job Description: Here at Rakuten Kobo Inc. we offer a casual working start-up environment and a group of friendly and talented individuals. Our employees rank us highly in terms of commitment to work/life balance. We realize that for our people to be innovative, creative and passionate they need to feel valued and supported. If you’re looking for a company that inspires passion, personal, and professional growth – join Kobo and come help us on our mission of making reading lives better.

The Role

The Role: We are seeking a passionate individual to lead talented engineering teams in creating exceptional outcomes for Kobo and our customers. As an experienced Engineering Manager, you’ll have the exciting opportunity to guide a dynamic team responsible for some of the software underlying our market‑leading eReader devices. Your leadership will be pivotal in delivering an exceptional product with an engaging experience for our customers. The ideal candidate will be located near Toronto, Canada.

In the role of Software Engineering Manager, you’ll be responsible for: Leading ~20 engineers and testers in three Agile teams, focused on improving the software underlying Kobo’s eReaders. Actively participating in technical delivery activities from system design through to monitoring & incident response, providing technical leadership at every stage Providing mentorship and coaching to team members, actively seeking opportunities for their professional development & providing feedback in 1:1s and other settings Cultivating a collaborative atmosphere where individuals are encouraged to be their authentic selves and reach their full potential. Collaborating with cross‑functional peers in Product, Design & Architecture to guide initiatives from conception to production. Continuously enhancing and evolving team processes to achieve optimal outcomes. Continuously optimizing for a balance between immediate product goals, future technical needs, and current team health. Coordinating with other delivery team leaders to ensure seamless cross team collaboration on larger projects.

Desired Experience

• 5+ years of experience in a leadership role within a Software Engineering team, preferably in a consumer device setting.
• Extensive experience in managing individuals, including providing feedback and conducting performance reviews.
• 5+ years of experience as a Software Engineer, preferably in C++.
• Familiar with best practices, common challenges with building and maintaining consumer software products.
• Experience leveraging AI‑assisted tools and workflows to improve software development, quality assurance, project execution, and engineering team productivity.
• Demonstrated ability to understand, represent, and advocate for technical approaches and team needs in strategic discussions, effectively bridging the gap between engineering and leadership.
• Strong understanding and practical experience with project management.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across all organizational levels.
• Bonus points
• Familiarity with eReader or consumer electronics device development.
• Experience working with embedded systems, C++, or Linux environments.
• Prior experience with the Qt framework or GUI development.

The Perks

• Flexible hours and hybrid remote working environment
• Subsidized in‑office lunches
• Four extended long weekends in the summer
• Full benefits starting from your first day
• Paid Volunteer days, unlimited sick days, and 3% RRSP matching
• Work From Anywhere Program for up to 3 months (90 days)
• Lifestyle spending account
• Talent and development training budget
• Free Kobo device + free weekly e‑book or audiobook
• Weekly Kobo Spark sessions
• Maternity/paternity leave top up
• Dog friendly office

About Rakuten Kobo Inc.

About Rakuten Kobo Inc. Rakuten Kobo Inc. is the world’s digital bookseller created by and for booklovers. Owned by Tokyo‑based Rakuten Group, Inc. and headquartered in Toronto, Rakuten Kobo’s millions of worldwide users can read anytime, anywhere, and on any device. With a mission to make reading lives better for all, Rakuten Kobo connects readers to stories using thoughtful and personalized curation of eBooks and audiobooks, and the best dedicated eReaders and apps for reading. With the singular focus of making reading lives the best they can be, Kobo’s open platform allows people to fit reading into more moments in their busy lives. To learn more about Rakuten Kobo, visit Rakuten Kobo Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Accessibility accommodations for candidates with disabilities participating in the selection process are available on request. Any information received related to accommodation needs of applicants will be addressed confidentially. Rakuten Kobo would like to thank all applicants for their interest in this role however only qualified candidates will be shortlisted. #RKIND Five Principles for Success Our worldwide practices describe specific behaviors that make Rakuten unique and united across the world. We expect Rakuten employees to model these 5 Shugi Principles of Success. Always improve, Always Advance - Only be satisfied with complete success - Kaizen Passionately Professional - Take an uncompromising approach to your work and be determined to be the best Hypothesize - Practice - Validate – Shikumika - Use the Rakuten Cycle to succeed in unknown territory Maximize Customer Satisfaction - The greatest satisfaction for our teams is seeing their customers smile Speed!! Speed!! Speed!! - Always be conscious of time - take charge, set clear goals, and engage your team Rakuten is an equal opportunity employer. Accessibility accommodations for candidates with disabilities participating in the selection process are available on request. Any information received related to accommodation needs of applicants will be addressed confidentially. As part of our Rakuten interview process, we encourage applicants to use their own words, rather than AI‑generated content. Tell us your story in a way that's personal and authentic. Rakuten would like to thank all applicants for their interest in this role however only qualified candidates will be shortlisted.

Compensation

The successful applicant for this role will be eligible for stock options, health, vision, dental insurance, RRSP matching, Personal Time Off (PTO), Volunteer Time Off (VTO), and other employee benefits as the company implements.

CAD $144,812.00 - 194,812.00 annually Owned by Tokyo‑based Rakuten and headquartered in Toronto, Rakuten Kobo Inc. is one of the world’s most innovative eReading services offering more than 6 million eBooks and audiobooks to millions of customers in 190 countries. Believing that consumers should have the freedom to read any book on any device, Kobo provides people with a choice when reading. Kobo offers an eReader for everyone with a wide variety of E Ink eReaders to suit any Reader’s style including Kobo Clara HD, Kobo Aura H2O, and Kobo Aura ONE; along with the company’s free top‑ranking eReading and audiobook listening app for Apple® and Android®. Kobo’s award‑winning eReaders can be found in major retail chains around the world. For more information, visit With a growing catalogue of millions of titles in 97 languages, Kobo is a truly global eReading service for booklovers of all kinds, in every part of the world.