Sr. Backend Software Engineering Manager

iHeartRadio

Current employees and contingent workers click here to apply and search by the Job Posting Title.

The audio revolution is here – and iHeart is leading it!  iHeartMedia, the number one audio company in America, reaches 90% of Americans every month -- a monthly audience that’s twice the size of any other audio company – almost three times the size of the largest TV network – and almost 4 times the size of the largest ad-supported music streaming service.  In fact, we have:

• More #1 rated markets than the next two largest radio companies combined;

• We’re the largest podcast publisher, with more monthly downloads than the second- and third-largest podcast publishers combined. Podcasting, the fastest-growing new media, today has more monthly users than streaming music services or Netflix;

• iHeart is the home of many of the country’s most popular and trusted on-air personalities and podcast influencers, who build important connections with hundreds of communities across America;

• We create and produce some of the most popular and well-known branded live music events in America, including the iHeartRadio Music Festival, the iHeartRadio Music Awards, the iHeartCountry Festival, iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina and the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour;

• iHeartRadio is the #1 streaming radio digital service in America;

• Our social media footprint is 7 times larger than the next largest audio service; and

• We have the only complete audio ad technology stack in the industry for all forms of audio, from on demand to broadcast radio, digital streaming radio and podcasting, which bring data, targeting and attribution to all forms of audio at an unparalleled scale.  As a result, we’re able to combine our strong leadership position in audience reach, usage and ad tech with powerful tools and insights for our sales organizations to help them build success for their clients at a more efficient cost than any other option. 

Because we reach almost every community in America, we’re committed to providing a range of programming that reflects the diversity of the many communities we serve – and our company reflects that same kind of diversity.  Our company values stress collaboration, curiosity, welcoming dissent, accepting mistakes in the pursuit of new ideas, and respect for everyone.

Only one company in America has the #1 position in everything audio: iHeartMedia!

If you’re excited about this role but don’t feel your experience aligns perfectly with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.  At iHeartMedia we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace and are looking for teammates passionate about what we do!

What We Need:

What You'll Do:

Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Build, manage, and mentor a high-performing team of backend engineers focused on API development and platform scalability.
• Facilitate career development and ensure engineers are growing both professionally and technically.
• Create a collaborative, inclusive team culture that emphasizes ownership, accountability, and innovation.
• Act as a bridge between technical and non-technical teams, ensuring clear communication of API platform goals and capabilities.

API Platform Strategy & Development

• Define and drive the API platform's technical vision and architecture to support high availability, scalability, and extensibility.
• Oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of APIs, ensuring they meet performance, security, and usability standards.
• Advocate for API-first design principles across the organization and ensure consistency in API standards and best practices.
• Optimize API performance by implementing effective caching strategies and scalable architectures.

Operational Excellence

• Manage API lifecycle processes, including versioning, deprecation strategies, and integration of third-party APIs.
• Ensure API documentation is comprehensive, up-to-date, and developer-friendly.
• Implement and maintain CI/CD pipelines tailored for API development, deployment, and testing.
• Monitor and improve API reliability, latency, and error rates by using analytics and observability tools.

Collaboration & Delivery

• Work closely with Product and cross-functional teams to prioritize API features and enhancements that align with business needs.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure APIs integrate seamlessly with backend services and external partners.
• Lead technical discussions around security, scalability, and maintainability of APIs while addressing both immediate needs and long-term goals.
• Proactively identify and mitigate technical risks, ensuring API uptime and business continuity.

What You'll Need:

• Build, manage, and mentor a high-performing team of backend engineers focused on API development and platform scalability.
• Facilitate career development and ensure engineers are growing both professionally and technically.
• Create a collaborative, inclusive team culture that emphasizes ownership, accountability, and innovation.
• Act as a bridge between technical and non-technical teams, ensuring clear communication of API platform goals and capabilities.

• Define and drive the API platform's technical vision and architecture to support high availability, scalability, and extensibility.
• Oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of APIs, ensuring they meet performance, security, and usability standards.
• Advocate for API-first design principles across the organization and ensure consistency in API standards and best practices.
• Optimize API performance by implementing effective caching strategies and scalable architectures.

• Manage API lifecycle processes, including versioning, deprecation strategies, and integration of third-party APIs.
• Ensure API documentation is comprehensive, up-to-date, and developer-friendly.
• Implement and maintain CI/CD pipelines tailored for API development, deployment, and testing.
• Monitor and improve API reliability, latency, and error rates by using analytics and observability tools.

• Work closely with Product and cross-functional teams to prioritize API features and enhancements that align with business needs.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure APIs integrate seamlessly with backend services and external partners.
• Lead technical discussions around security, scalability, and maintainability of APIs while addressing both immediate needs and long-term goals.
• Proactively identify and mitigate technical risks, ensuring API uptime and business continuity.

What You'll Bring:

Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Build, manage, and mentor a high-performing team of backend engineers focused on API development and platform scalability.
• Facilitate career development and ensure engineers are growing both professionally and technically.
• Create a collaborative, inclusive team culture that emphasizes ownership, accountability, and innovation.
• Act as a bridge between technical and non-technical teams, ensuring clear communication of API platform goals and capabilities.

API Platform Strategy & Development

• Define and drive the API platform's technical vision and architecture to support high availability, scalability, and extensibility.
• Oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of APIs, ensuring they meet performance, security, and usability standards.
• Advocate for API-first design principles across the organization and ensure consistency in API standards and best practices.

Operational Excellence

• Manage API lifecycle processes, including versioning, deprecation strategies, and integration of third-party APIs.
• Ensure API documentation is comprehensive, up-to-date, and developer-friendly.
• Implement and maintain CI/CD pipelines tailored for API development, deployment, and testing.
• Monitor and improve API reliability, latency, and error rates by using analytics and observability tools.

Collaboration & Delivery

• Work closely with Product and cross-functional teams to prioritize API features and enhancements that align with business needs.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure APIs integrate seamlessly with backend services and external partners.
• Lead technical discussions around security, scalability, and maintainability of APIs while addressing both immediate needs and long-term goals.
• Proactively identify and mitigate technical risks, ensuring API uptime and business continuity.
• Optimize API performance by implementing effective caching strategies and scalable architectures.

Compensation:

Salary to be determined by multiple factors including but not limited to relevant experience, knowledge, skills, other job-related qualifications, and alignment with market data.

$160,000 - $200,000

Location:

Position Type:                                                                                             

Time Type:

Pay Type:

Benefits:

iHeartMedia’s benefits offering is flexible and offers a variety of choices to meet the diverse needs of our changing workforce, including the following:

• Employer sponsored medical, dental and vision with a variety of coverage options

• Company provided and supplemental life insurance

• Paid vacation and sick time

• Paid company holidays, including a floating holiday that enable our employees to celebrate the holiday of their choosing

• A Spirit day to encourage and allow our employees to more easily volunteer in their community

• A 401K plan

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at no cost – services include telephonic counseling sessions, consultation on legal and financial matters, emotional well-being, family and caregiving

• ​A range of additional voluntary programs, such as spending accounts, student loan refinancing, accident insurance and more!

We are accepting applications for this role on an ongoing basis.

The Company is an equal opportunity employer and will not tolerate discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, disability, ethnicity, national origin, marital status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected classification or status.

Non-Compete will be required for certain positions and as allowed by law.

Our organization participates in E-Verify.  Click here to learn about E-Verify.