Role in brief
Figma is seeking an Engineering Manager for its Payload team, which develops an open-source CMS and application framework. This role involves leading the engineering team, driving technical strategy, and engaging with the open-source community and enterprise customers. It suits an experienced engineering leader with a strong background in modern web applications and developer platforms.
About the role
This role leads the engineering team responsible for Payload, Figma's open-source CMS and application framework. The manager will guide the team in evolving this content infrastructure, ensuring it supports Figma's offerings and enables developers to create various digital products and content-driven experiences at scale. Success involves strategic technical investments and fostering a collaborative environment.
A key part of this position involves direct engagement with the open-source community, contributors, and enterprise customers. The manager will gather feedback, understand user needs, and translate these insights into product and engineering priorities. This ensures that Payload continues to meet the demands of its diverse user base and maintains its relevance as a robust framework.
The manager will provide hands-on technical leadership, ensuring cohesive product experiences and appropriate technical abstractions across teams. This includes coaching and developing a team of engineers, managing performance, and fostering a culture of ownership and technical excellence. Close partnership with product and technical leaders is essential to align priorities and execute the roadmap effectively.
The annual base salary for this position ranges from $258,000 to $376,000 USD.
Skills that matter here
- Node.js: This skill is used for building modern web applications and platforms, which is a core responsibility of the Payload team.
- TypeScript: Experience with TypeScript is important for developing robust and scalable web applications and platforms.
- React: React is a framework used in building modern web applications, contributing to the team's work on developer platforms.
- Next.js: Next.js is relevant for developing modern web applications and platforms, aligning with the technical requirements of the role.
Who this role suits
- Someone who has led engineering teams in a technical product company for at least three years.
- An individual with a strong technical background in modern web application and platform development.
- A leader who can effectively engage with both open-source communities and enterprise customers.
- A manager focused on fostering team growth, collaboration, and technical excellence.
From the employer
What you’ll do at Figma:
- Lead the engineering team behind all of Payload
- Develop and execute on a strategy to leverage Payload to accelerate Figma’s suite of offerings
- Engage directly with open-source community members, contributors, and enterprise customers to understand their needs, gather feedback, and help translate insights into product and engineering priorities
- Provide hands-on technical leadership to your teams and others that collaborate with your teams to ensure a cohesive product experience and the right technical abstractions
- Lead, coach, and grow a team of engineers through hiring, mentorship, performance management, and career development, fostering a culture of ownership, collaboration, and technical excellence
- Partner closely with the product and technical leaders of Payload to align team priorities, support roadmap execution, and ensure engineering investments are focused on the highest-impact opportunities
We'd love to hear from you if you have:
- 3+ years of experience leading and developing software engineering teams within a technical product company
- Strong technical background building modern web applications and platforms using technologies such as Node.js, TypeScript, React, Next.js, or similar frameworks
- Experience building or leading teams responsible for developer platforms, application frameworks, or other highly extensible software systems
- Excellent product and technical judgment, with experience shaping developer-facing APIs and collaborating closely with design teams to deliver intuitive user experiences
While not required, it’s an added plus if you also have:
- Hands-on knowledge of CMS systems, particularly Payload and its ecosystem
- A track record of contributing to, maintaining, or leading teams behind open-source projects, with a strong grasp of community-driven product development
- A background in supporting enterprise customers and balancing the needs of large organizations with broader community priorities
- Comfort working with AI-assisted development workflows, agentic coding tools, or developer productivity platforms
At Figma, we offer:
- Equity to employees
- Competitive package of additional benefits, including health, dental & vision, retirement with company contribution, parental leave & reproductive or family planning support, mental health & wellness benefits, generous PTO, company recharge days, a learning & development stipend, a work from home stipend, and cell phone reimbursement
- Sales incentive pay for most sales roles and an annual bonus plan for eligible non-sales roles
- Pay Transparency Disclosure: Annual Base Salary Range: $258,000 — $376,000 USD
Questions about this role
What is the remote work policy for this role?
This is a fully remote position.
What level of experience is required for this role?
Candidates should have at least 3 years of experience leading and developing software engineering teams.
What technologies are important for this role?
Key technologies include Node.js, TypeScript, React, and Next.js, or similar frameworks.