Director, Product Engineering

Bright Horizons Children's Centers
life insurance, vision insurance, tuition assistance, 401(k), retirement plan
United States, Massachusetts, Newton
Aug 12, 2025
The Director of Application Development - Product Engineering will lead the development and engineering of mission-critical, center-facing applications that power the core of our business. This role is central to driving innovation across emerging Lines of Business (LoBs) and plays a key part in building and scaling intelligent digital platforms. The leader in this role will also spearhead the use of Generative AI (GenAI) to enhance productivity, streamline operations, and create differentiated experiences and values for Bright Horizons' users and customers. This Hybrid role requires in-person work at our Newton, MA headquarters. Bright Horizons is a leading education and care company that helps employees thrive at work and at home by partnering with employers to offer high-quality child care, elder care, and educational support. Our workplace reflects this commitment-with collaborative environments, meaningful benefits, and a culture that supports both career growth and personal well-being. Whether you're caring for children or powering the systems and partnerships that make it all possible, at Bright Horizons, you're the difference. Job Responsibilities: General Application Development and Engineering Skills Product-Centric Engineering: Lead the design, development, and support of high-impact, center-facing applications at the heart of our business operations, with a strong focus on scalability, performance, and business alignment. AI-Enabled Delivery: Champion the adoption and integration of Generative AI into development workflows to enhance developer efficiency, automate repetitive tasks, and unlock new product capabilities. Lifecycle & Agile Execution: Drive the end-to-end application lifecycle using Agile best practices, from concept through continuous delivery, while ensuring tight feedback loops and high-quality outcomes. Technical & Architectural Leadership: Set engineering direction, guide architectural decisions, and proactively evolve systems to meet emerging needs across Lines of Business. Metrics & Continuous Improvement: Define success metrics and use data to measure engineering performance, drive accountability, and identify continuous improvement opportunities. Resource & Budget Oversight: Align engineering investments with strategic goals through effective resource planning, budget management, and vendor coordination. Strategic Initiative Management: Lead complex application projects that power core business workflows, ensuring alignment with business objectives, timelines, and compliance needs. Collaborative Planning: Partner with Product and Business stakeholders to translate operational needs into clear, actionable project requirements-leveraging tools such as mock-ups, process flows, and GenAI-generated insights where applicable. Quality & Compliance Focus: Ensure rigorous testing and documentation practices are upheld, including enterprise review and compliance with audit and regulatory standards. Enterprise-Scale Execution: Coordinate across teams to deliver technology solutions that integrate with broader enterprise platforms and adhere to architecture review board decisions. Executive-Ready Messaging: Communicate complex technical and project updates in a clear, engaging way tailored for business stakeholders, engineering teams, and executive leadership. Cross-Functional Alignment: Serve as the central connector between IT, Product, Operations, and Business groups-ensuring mutual understanding and aligned execution. Feedback Loops & Adaptation: Incorporate stakeholder input into project plans and designs quickly, delivering updates with transparency and agility. Difficult Conversations with Tact: Address challenges and resolve conflicts professionally and proactively, always maintaining trust and collaboration. High-Performance Culture: Cultivate a collaborative, inclusive, and high-accountability engineering environment. Talent Development: Coach and develop engineers to reach their full potential through mentorship, clear feedback, and performance reviews. Team Empowerment: Empower team members by aligning individual strengths to business needs, promoting autonomy, and recognizing contributions. Conflict Resolution: Proactively address interpersonal dynamics and foster open communication to keep teams aligned and productive. Minimum Job Requirements: Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Technology or related field, 3 additional years of experience in a related role considered in lieu of degree 7 years of experience in application development and application development management roles Additional Job Requirements: 3+ years' experience and skills in building cloud-based SaaS applications 2+ years' experience and skills in understanding Microsoft Dynamics based technology Or equivalent 1+ year experience and skills in understanding applied GenAI use cases and creating values. 2 years of previous personnel management experience Some level of budgeting experience Experience with Agile transformation Strong technical capabilities with knowledge of Microsoft technologies and development practices Vendor management and oversight Ability to lead, motivate and direct a cross-functional workgroup while supporting a dynamic environment Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment and react to project adjustments quickly and effectively Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion in confidential matters Excellent analytical skills required Experience managing all phases of the project life cycle, including running project prioritization meetings, project post-mortem meetings and a proven track record of multi-tasking, and delivering projects on budget and on time with expected quality Self-starter with the ability to work with minimal supervision, and have excellent verbal and written communication skills At this time, Bright Horizons will not sponsor an applicant for employment authorization/visa for this position. Benefits: Bright Horizons offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements: * Medical, dental, and vision insurance * Paid vacation, sick, holiday, and parental bonding leave * 401(k) retirement plan * Long-term and short-term disability insurance * Life insurance * Money-saving discounts and financial planning tools * Tuition assistance and education coaching * Caregiving support and resources for the children and adults in your family * Learn more at https://careers.brighthorizons.com/us/en/health-and-wellness Life at Bright Horizons: Our people are the heart of our company. Because we're as committed to our own employees as we are to the children, families, and clients we serve, our collaborative workplaces are designed to grow careers and support personal lives. Come build a brighter future with us. Bright Horizons provides equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Bright Horizons complies with the laws and regulations described in the following federal government resources: Know Your Rights, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA). If you require assistance or a reasonable accommodation in completing these application materials or any aspect of the application and hiring process, please contact the recruitment helpdesk at 855-877-6866 or bhrecruit@brighthorizons.com. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.