Lead Software Engineer

Kafene is a leading point-of-sale financing partner dedicated to empowering flexible ownership solutions for underserved customers nationwide. By enabling our retail partners to offer flexible lease-to-own (LTO) purchase options for both prime and non-prime consumers, Kafene helps merchants grow their customer base and meet the increasing demand for furniture, appliances, electronics, tires, and other durable goods. Utilizing over 20,000 data inputs alongside cutting-edge AI and machine learning technologies, our platform creates a best-in-class experience for both merchants and customers. With over $350 million in sales since inception, we are rapidly growing and looking to expand our team.

We take pride in fostering a dynamic workplace culture that values collaboration, innovation, and mutual support. Our team of 170 is spread across our NYC headquarters, a Wilmington office, and fully remote staff nationwide. Last year, we were recognized as one of Built In's Startups to Watch and Forbes' Best Startup Employers.

We’re looking for a Lead Software Engineer who thrives at the intersection of hands-on execution and strategic thinking. In this role, you’ll operate as a highly skilled full-stack developer while also helping to shape our engineering practices, architecture, and technical direction.

You’ll collaborate closely with our US-based product team and Europe-based engineers—actively contributing to the codebase, influencing architectural decisions, and driving high-impact initiatives. You’ll report directly to the CTO.

While this is not a formal people management role, you’ll take on additional leadership responsibilities, serving as a technical mentor and force multiplier within the team.

This is an opportunity for someone who loves to build but also has the ability to zoom out, see the bigger picture, and guide strategic initiatives. You’ll play a critical role in scaling our core platform and shaping the future of our technology.

This role is open to remote work, but preference is given to candidates based in NYC (must have significant overlap with Eastern Time and some overlap with European hours).

What You'll Do:

• Own and deliver critical features and services across the stack (TypeScript, Node.js, Vue).
• Lead technical decision-making and architecture improvements to support business growth and scalability.
• Collaborate daily with offshore developers—reviewing code, unblocking teammates, and providing technical guidance.
• Provide on-call coverage to ensure system reliability and fast response times.
• Champion agile practices, continuous delivery, and strong testing practices.
• Identify and advocate for technical priorities to increase team velocity and product quality.
• Partner with product and business stakeholders to shape technical solutions aligned with business goals.
• Drive a culture of excellence by modeling proactive communication, ownership, and accountability.
• Serve as an advocate for the broader engineering team—amplifying their voices, surfacing feedback, and ensuring their perspectives help shape technical and product decisions.

What We're Looking For:

• 10+ years of full-stack experience with Node.js, TypeScript, and Vue.
• Experience working on complex backend systems and with RESTful APIs.
• A strategic mindset with the ability to advocate for impactful engineering work.
• An ability to break down large solutions into smaller working MVPs focused on moving fast, learning quickly, and driving value every release.
• Strong communication skills with the confidence to speak up and engage with business stakeholders.
• Able to work with distributed teams across time zones, overlapping with EST and some European hours, and participate in on-call support.
• Experience with agile methodologies and continuous delivery practices.

Nice to Have:

• Prior experience scaling systems for high-growth or consumer-facing products.
• Prior experience at a start-up or in the Fintech space.
• Interest in growing into a formal leadership role.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Base Salary: Earn a competitive base salary ranging from $150,000 to $190,000.
• Healthcare: We prioritize your well-being by covering 80% of medical, dental, and vision insurance costs, including coverage for your spouse, children, and other dependents.
• Retirement Benefits: Begin planning for your future from day one with our 401k plan.
• Paid Time Off: We understand the importance of work-life balance. That's why we offer flexible paid time off days starting from day one of your employment.

Kafene is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. If you are applying for a job in the U.S. and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request and contact information. Please note that only those inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.