Vice President, Engineering

About the position

Ladder is a growing team of innovators focused on transforming the life insurance industry by putting the user at the center of product design. We have developed a method of real-time underwriting leveraging AI, which has significantly reduced the application process for life insurance from months to minutes. We are looking for an experienced and dynamic VP of Engineering who will help us reimagine life insurance. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in software engineering, leadership maturity, and a deep understanding of the software development life cycle. As VP of Engineering, you will be a strategic leader and an inspiring hands-on mentor, working closely with Product, Design, and Data Science teams to bring our product vision to life while maintaining a focus on user experience, innovation, and quality.

Responsibilities

• Set the technical vision and strategy in alignment with the company’s mission and goals, focusing on delivering exceptional end-user experiences.
• Build and lead high-performing engineering teams, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability.
• Work with the Product organization to analyze customer needs and develop the engineering team’s roadmap based on company goals and user impact.
• Lead the team through the software development lifecycle of Ladder’s core services, from ideation to deployment, ensuring end-user facing features are delivered on time, within scope, and with the highest quality.
• Promote a culture of feedback and transparent communication.
• Establish measurable goals for your team's productivity and impact.
• Mentor and lead engineers and engineering leaders, helping them grow.
• Act as an advisor to and collaborate with the executive leadership team to align on business goals and technical priorities.
• Recruit engineering talent into the organization while ensuring we can retain our top performers.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field; Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years of professional software development experience.
• 5+ years of experience in a leadership role, managing and mentoring engineering teams.
• Strong technical background, with expertise in full-stack development, cloud infrastructure, and modern software architecture.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams, balancing both business priorities and technical challenges.

Nice-to-haves

• Startup experience, or fintech/insurtech experience a plus.
• Familiarity with the challenges of building end-user facing products that require rapid iteration, high cross-functional collaboration, and continual performance optimization.
• Demonstrable past technical accomplishments and continues to remain hands-on.
• Able to easily transition between high-level strategy and day-to-day implementation.
• Results oriented, high energy, self-motivated.
• Track record of inspiring others & positive change in solution design, technical delivery, and process improvement.

Benefits

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Flexible paid time off including a week-long winter holiday closure.
• Stock options to participate in the success of building Ladder.
• A rewarding 401k match program matching up to 4% of contributions.
• Commuter benefits for office work including pre-tax benefits and free parking.
• A stocked, beautiful new office designed for all working styles with office snacks and catered lunches.
• Paid parental leave of ten weeks for all parents.
• Work-from-home flexibility and support including a one-time $500 remote office stipend and a monthly $150 stipend for WFH costs.
• Fun company-wide events to foster team bonding.