Sr. Manager Software Engineering - Experience Prototyping

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. Manager Software Engineering - Experience Prototyping

Company: General Motors

Location: Warren, Michigan, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Software Engineering Management / Product Development Operations

Date Posted: 2026-05-28

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office minimum)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead a high-impact software engineering team focused on rapid prototyping and technical experimentation for next-generation vehicle experiences.

• Drive the definition and delivery of innovative software solutions across web, mobile, and embedded platforms, directly influencing product roadmaps and strategic investments.

• Foster a culture of disciplined innovation, leveraging deep technical expertise in full-stack development, cloud services, and AI/ML to inform product strategy and requirements.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Design, and Hardware Engineering to translate ambiguous concepts into actionable prototypes and validated hypotheses.

• Manage multiple engineering leads and their teams, ensuring alignment with GM's software engineering standards while empowering creative autonomy in prototype development.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role bridges the gap between pure software engineering and product development operations by focusing on rapid prototyping and experimentation. The "Experience Prototyping" aspect indicates a strong emphasis on user-facing software solutions and the operational processes required to bring them from concept to validated prototype for further development. The hybrid work model and specific office reporting requirement are crucial for candidates to note.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of 4 engineering leads and their respective software development teams dedicated to experience prototyping.

• Own and manage the relationship between the Experience Prototyping engineering team and the mainline Software Engineering organization, ensuring adherence to GM's software engineering standards and best practices.

• Partner with Product, Design, and Hardware Engineering leaders to develop and optimize a framework for translating undefined concepts into clear hypotheses, experiments, and functional prototypes.

• Ensure that all prototypes are technically sound and have a clear, defined path for handoff to product and delivery teams for further development and integration.

• Drive the recruitment, development, and retention of a high-performing, inclusive, and technically proficient engineering team.

• Represent the Experience Prototyping engineering function in senior cross-functional forums, utilizing experimental data to influence product, platform, and investment decisions.

• Manage software engineering costs and provide regular reporting for the Experience Prototyping team, ensuring fiscal responsibility and efficient resource allocation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of people management, technical leadership, and strategic product influence. The emphasis on "translating ambiguous concepts into clear hypotheses, experiments, and prototype work" underscores the operational process of innovation and validation, a key aspect for operations professionals. The need to "ensure prototypes are sound with clear paths for handoff" points to the importance of defining and managing development handoff processes.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 12+ years of professional software engineering experience across web, mobile, and/or embedded platforms, with a focus on innovation and early-stage product discovery.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated experience leading innovation, prototyping, or early-stage product discovery efforts, beyond just production delivery.

• Strong technical foundation in modern full-stack development (front-end, back-end, and mobile), with the ability to evaluate architecture, design patterns, and code quality.

• Proven ability to decompose broad, ambiguous concepts into clear work items and executable experiments for engineering teams.

• Exceptional strategic thinking skills, with a demonstrated ability to connect customer needs, technical possibilities, and business outcomes to drive product strategy.

• Understanding of user-centered design principles and proven experience collaborating closely with UX/UI and Industrial Design teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Deep understanding of automotive software and hardware architecture, including in-vehicle systems, connectivity, and embedded platforms.

• Prior experience working within General Motors (GM) or strong familiarity with GM’s technology stack, development cycles, and product ecosystem.

• Demonstrated ability to bridge technical and business domains in fast-paced prototyping or advanced engineering environments.

• Experience collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams in large enterprise or automotive settings.

• Familiarity with rapid prototyping and lean product development frameworks such as design sprints, Lean methodologies, and hypothesis-driven development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a blend of deep technical expertise, strategic product thinking, and robust people management. For operations candidates, skills in process decomposition, hypothesis formulation, and cross-functional collaboration are critical. The "preferred skills" related to automotive software and GM's ecosystem are highly valuable for demonstrating domain-specific operational understanding.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrable examples of successfully leading teams through the innovation and prototyping lifecycle, from concept ideation to validated technical experiments.

• Case studies showcasing the ability to translate ambiguous product concepts into clear hypotheses, executable experiments, and functional prototypes.

• Evidence of technical leadership in full-stack development, architecture design, and code evaluation for web, mobile, and/or embedded platforms.

• Examples of cross-functional collaboration with Product Management, UX/UI Design, and Hardware Engineering teams to refine and validate prototypes.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase of frameworks or methodologies used to manage the rapid prototyping process, including experiment design, execution, and data analysis.

• Examples of how technical feasibility and user needs were integrated into prototype development and validation.

• Documentation of how prototypes were evaluated and how findings informed product roadmaps, requirements, and platform investments.

• Evidence of managing engineering costs and reporting for prototyping initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, a portfolio should not just showcase technical achievements but also the operational processes used to achieve them. This includes how concepts were deconstructed, how experiments were designed and executed, and how learnings were operationalized into product decisions. Demonstrating proficiency in managing the lifecycle of a prototype from idea to validated concept is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $238,700 - $365,700 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Bonus Potential: Eligibility for an incentive pay program based on company, job level, and individual performance.

• Total Rewards: Comprehensive benefits package designed to support well-being and career ambitions, accessible via GM's Total Rewards resources.

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance (implied by Total Rewards).

• Retirement Savings Plans (implied by Total Rewards).

Working Hours:

• Standard 40-hour work week (implied by full-time employment).

• Hybrid work model requires a minimum of three days per week in the Warren, MI office.

• Travel expected to be less than 25%.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is noted as a good faith estimate, potentially based on California Bay Area compensation standards and may vary by location. Candidates should verify specific benefits and local compensation practices with GM. The hybrid work requirement with specific office days is a critical operational consideration for work-life integration.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Automotive Manufacturing & Software Development. General Motors is a global leader in designing, manufacturing, and marketing vehicles, now heavily investing in software-defined vehicles and advanced mobility solutions.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (over 10,000 employees). This scale implies established processes, complex matrixed structures, and significant resources, but also potential for bureaucracy.

Founded: 1908. With over a century of history, GM has a deep legacy in innovation and a forward-looking vision, emphasizing adaptability and transformation toward future mobility.

Team Structure:

• The Experience Prototyping engineering team reports to the Director, Experience Prototyping – Vehicle Product Management, with a dotted-line relationship to the mainline Software Engineering organization.

• This role directly leads 4 engineering leads, each managing their respective teams, creating a multi-layered management structure.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on disciplined innovation, rapid prototyping, and technical experimentation to inform product roadmaps and requirements.

• User-centered design principles are integral, driving the creation of compelling vehicle experiences.

• Lean product development frameworks (e.g., design sprints, hypothesis-driven development) are likely utilized to accelerate discovery and validation.

• Data-driven decision-making, using evidence from experiments to influence strategic direction.

Company Website: https://www.gm.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: GM's transition to software-defined vehicles is a significant operational shift. Understanding this transformation is key to grasping the strategic importance of prototyping and how it integrates into the broader product development lifecycle. The company's size and legacy suggest a need for operational agility within a structured framework.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Management (Manager of Managers). This role is responsible for leading teams of leaders, requiring a strong blend of technical acumen, strategic vision, and people development skills. The focus on prototyping and innovation positions it within a forward-looking product development function.

Reporting Structure: Reports to a Director and has a dotted-line to a broader engineering organization. This dual reporting suggests a need for strong cross-functional alignment and the ability to navigate different organizational priorities.

Operations Impact: The work directly influences product roadmaps, platform investments, and the definition of next-generation software experiences. Success in this role means shaping the future of GM's software-defined vehicles and customer interactions, leading to tangible business outcomes and competitive advantage.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into Director-level roles within Product Management or Software Engineering, or to lead larger, more established engineering organizations.

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in advanced areas like AI/ML, automotive embedded systems, or cloud-native architectures through leading complex prototyping initiatives.

• Product Strategy Influence: Gain significant experience in shaping product strategy and influencing executive-level decisions through data-backed experimental outcomes.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Develop a comprehensive understanding of the entire product development lifecycle, from concept to delivery, across multiple disciplines.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique opportunity to grow at the intersection of engineering leadership and product strategy, particularly within the evolving automotive tech landscape. The emphasis on prototyping and innovation provides a platform for developing skills critical for future product development leadership roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. Employees are expected to work from the GM Global Technical Center in Warren, MI, a significant hub for GM's research, development, and engineering activities.

Office Location(s): GM Global Technical Center - Cole Engineering Center Tower, Warren, Michigan, United States. This location is a central point for many technical functions within GM.

Workspace Context:

• The Warren Technical Center is a large, modern facility designed to foster collaboration and innovation among engineering and technical teams.

• Access to state-of-the-art tools, labs, and prototyping equipment is likely available, supporting the team's experimental mandate.

• The hybrid model necessitates a balance between in-office collaboration and remote work, requiring effective communication and workflow management.

Work Schedule:

• Standard work hours, with flexibility expected to manage project timelines and deliverables, especially in a prototyping environment.

• The hybrid schedule requires a minimum of three days per week on-site, facilitating in-person collaboration and team engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment at a major technical center like GM's in Warren offers a blend of structured in-office collaboration and the flexibility of remote work. Candidates should be prepared for a dynamic environment where prototyping and innovation are core functions, requiring adaptability in work schedule and location.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Resume and application review, potentially with an HR representative to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion with the Director of Experience Prototyping to explore leadership experience, technical depth, and strategic thinking. Expect questions on managing innovation and prototyping teams.

• Technical & Leadership Assessment: This may involve a technical deep-dive into full-stack development, architecture, or a case study focused on prototyping a new vehicle feature. It will also assess people leadership skills, conflict resolution, and team development strategies.

• Cross-Functional Panel Interview: Interaction with peers from Product Management, Design, and potentially mainline Software Engineering to evaluate collaboration style and ability to influence.

• Executive/Senior Leadership Interview: Final interview with senior leaders to assess strategic alignment, business acumen, and overall fit with GM's vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Innovation Process: Highlight projects where you led teams in early-stage discovery, prototyping, and experiment design. Focus on the process used to move from an idea to a validated prototype.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your team's prototypes on product decisions, feature development, or strategic investments.

• Demonstrate Technical Breadth: Include examples showcasing your understanding of full-stack development, architecture, and emerging technologies (AI/ML, cloud).

• Emphasize Leadership & Collaboration: Provide examples of how you led, mentored, and developed engineering teams, and how you collaborated effectively with non-engineering stakeholders (Product, Design).

• Tailor to GM: If possible, reference your understanding of the automotive industry or GM's specific challenges/opportunities in your portfolio presentation.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a case study focused on developing a prototype for a new vehicle software feature. This might involve defining hypotheses, outlining experimental approaches, and discussing technical feasibility.

• Practice articulating your leadership philosophy, how you foster innovation, and how you manage teams in a hybrid environment.

• Be ready to discuss your approach to balancing GM's established engineering standards with the need for rapid, creative prototyping.

• Prepare to answer questions about your experience managing engineering budgets and reporting on project progress and costs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process and portfolio review for this role will heavily scrutinize a candidate's ability to manage the operational aspects of innovation. This includes defining processes for experimentation, validating concepts, and ensuring prototypes are strategically aligned and technically sound for future development.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Version Control: Git (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket) is standard.

• CI/CD: Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions for automated build, test, and deployment pipelines.

• Containerization: Docker, Kubernetes for microservices and scalable application deployment.

• Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for scalable cloud-based services and AI/ML workloads.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Warehousing/Lakes: Snowflake, Amazon Redshift, Azure Synapse for storing and analyzing large datasets.

• BI & Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, Looker for creating dashboards and reports to present experiment outcomes and influence decisions.

• Log Analysis: ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana) or Splunk for monitoring and troubleshooting applications.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how prototypes integrate with customer-facing systems is crucial. Familiarity with Salesforce or other enterprise CRM systems may be beneficial.

• Workflow Automation: Tools for automating tasks within the prototyping lifecycle (e.g., scripting, task management tools like Jira for experiment tracking).

• Integration Tools: Understanding of APIs and middleware for connecting different systems and services.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role isn't solely about tool administration, a strong understanding of modern software development tools, cloud infrastructure, and data analytics platforms is essential. This knowledge is critical for evaluating technical feasibility, managing development processes, and understanding how prototypes can be integrated into larger systems.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Disciplined Innovation: Balancing creativity and rapid experimentation with structured processes and clear objectives to drive meaningful progress.

• Customer Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and meeting user needs through user-centered design and validated prototypes.

• Technical Excellence: Upholding high standards in software engineering, architecture, and code quality, even in experimental phases.

• Collaboration & Inclusion: Fostering a team environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and cross-functional teamwork is paramount.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Relying on evidence from experiments and prototypes to inform strategy and product direction.

• Efficiency & Agility: Continuously seeking ways to optimize processes, accelerate development cycles, and adapt to evolving requirements.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively partnering with Product, Design, and Hardware Engineering, treating them as integral parts of the innovation process rather than separate entities.

• Open Communication: Encouraging direct and transparent communication, especially when navigating ambiguity in early-stage development.

• Feedback Loops: Establishing mechanisms for continuous feedback, both within the engineering team and with external stakeholders, to refine prototypes and strategies.

• Knowledge Sharing: Promoting a culture where learnings from experiments and prototypes are widely shared to benefit the broader organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes a proactive, collaborative approach to innovation. Operations professionals will find value in the structured yet agile methodology, the focus on data, and the emphasis on cross-functional teamwork to drive product development forward.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working with undefined concepts and translating them into clear, testable hypotheses and prototypes requires comfort with uncertainty and strong problem-solving skills.

• Balancing Speed and Rigor: The need for rapid prototyping must be balanced with GM's established software engineering standards and the need for robust, well-architected solutions.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring seamless collaboration and buy-in across Product, Design, Hardware, and mainline Software Engineering can be complex in a large organization.

• Resource Management: Efficiently managing engineering resources and budgets for experimental projects, demonstrating ROI on innovation efforts.

• Adapting to Evolving Technology: Staying current with rapid advancements in AI/ML, cloud, and embedded systems to ensure prototypes are cutting-edge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Technical Skills: Opportunities to deepen expertise in AI/ML, embedded systems, cloud-native architectures, and automotive-specific software stacks.

• Product Strategy Development: Gaining hands-on experience shaping product roadmaps and influencing executive decision-making through experimental data.

• Leadership Development: Formal and informal training in people management, strategic leadership, and cross-functional team building.

• Industry Exposure: Potential to attend industry conferences, engage with emerging technology partners, and stay at the forefront of automotive software innovation.

• Mentorship: Access to senior leaders within GM's product and engineering organizations for guidance and career development.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant challenges related to managing the operational process of innovation in a large, complex environment. However, these challenges also translate into substantial growth opportunities for operations professionals looking to expand their leadership and strategic capabilities.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• How would you operationalize a process for rapid prototyping of new in-vehicle software features, ensuring alignment with user needs and technical feasibility?

• Describe a time you had to translate a vague concept into a clear set of experiments or prototypes. What was your approach, and what were the outcomes?

• How do you balance the need for speed in prototyping with the requirement for robust, scalable software engineering practices and standards?

Company & Culture Questions:

• What excites you about General Motors' vision for software-defined vehicles, and how does your experience in prototyping align with this vision?

• How do you foster an inclusive and high-performing engineering team, particularly in a hybrid work environment?

• Describe your experience collaborating with Product Management and Design teams. How do you ensure effective communication and alignment on prototypes?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the initial ambiguous concept, the hypotheses you tested, the prototyping process you employed, the key technical challenges overcome, and the ultimate impact on product decisions.

• Highlight Process Ownership: Emphasize your role in defining and managing the operational workflows for prototyping, including experiment design, data collection, and analysis.

• Showcase Technical Depth: Be prepared to discuss the architecture, technology stack, and engineering decisions made for your prototypes.

• Quantify Outcomes: Use data and metrics to demonstrate how your team's work influenced product direction, informed requirements, or led to strategic investments.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your leadership approach, your problem-solving methodologies, and your understanding of the automotive industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparing for this role's interview requires demonstrating not just technical and leadership skills, but also a deep understanding of how to operationalize innovation. Focus on process, collaboration, and data-driven validation in your responses and portfolio.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused software engineering management position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the General Motors careers portal.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in leading software engineering teams, rapid prototyping, product discovery, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description such as "Experience Prototyping," "full-stack development," "AI/ML," "user-centered design," and "people leadership."

• Prepare Your Operations Portfolio: Curate examples of projects where you led teams through the innovation and prototyping lifecycle. Focus on demonstrating your process for translating concepts into validated prototypes and how this work informed product strategy.

• Practice Mock Interviews: Rehearse answers to common interview questions, focusing on strategy, leadership, and technical challenges. Be ready to present your portfolio and discuss your experience with specific examples.

• Research GM's Strategy: Understand GM's vision for software-defined vehicles and their current technological initiatives. This will help you articulate your alignment with the company's goals and demonstrate your strategic thinking during the interview process.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.