Head of Global Software Development Center of Excellence

Job Title: Head of Global Software Development Center of Excellence
Company:Confidencial (Apenas para Cadastrados)
Location: Multiple Locations (Brazil, Costa Rica or Mexico)
Employment Type : Full-time

About Confidencial (Apenas para Cadastrados)

Confidencial (Apenas para Cadastrados) is an evergreen holding company that acquires and operates proven software businesses that have significant growth potential in a variety of vertical markets, enabling them to be market leaders in their niche industry. Solen owns several software companies in various market spaces: Human Resource Technology, Fleet Telematics, Asset Management, E-Health, Document Management, and other innovative software solutions in a variety of industries. Solen is backed by a group of advisors and investors that have built software businesses of material scale (10-100M in ARR) and advised many.

About the role

At Solen, it's Day 1 of a decades-long journey. You will be responsible for building, scaling, and operating a shared global engineering organization that provides high-quality, cost-effective software development services to a portfolio of PE-backed acquired software companies.

This role ensures engineering capacity, consistency, and modernization support across portfolio companies—while respecting decentralized ownership, existing product roadmaps, and local autonomy. The CoE acts as an enablement platform, not a centralized command structure.

Key Responsibilities

CoE Strategy & Operating Model

• Define and execute the strategy, scope, and operating model for the Global Software Development CoE.
• Determine which services are best delivered centrally (e.g., maintenance, modernization, QA, security remediation, integrations, tooling) versus retained locally.
• Establish clear engagement models, SLAs, intake processes, and prioritization mechanisms for portfolio companies.

Portfolio Company Enablement

• Partner with portfolio company CEOs, CTOs, and product leaders to augment development capacity post-acquisition.
• Provide engineering support for legacy systems, technical debt reduction, cloud migrations, security hardening, and incremental product enhancements.
• Support integration initiatives, carve-outs, and separation projects following acquisitions.

Global Talent & Delivery Management

• Build and manage distributed engineering teams across multiple geographies (onshore, nearshore, offshore).
• Set hiring standards, technical bars, career paths, and performance management frameworks.
• Ensure predictable delivery, quality, and cost efficiency across time zones and cultures.

Engineering Standards & Best Practices

• Establish pragmatic engineering standards covering code quality, testing, security, documentation, and DevOps.
• Promote reuse of tooling, frameworks, and patterns where appropriate—without forcing uniformity across heterogeneous codebases.
• Introduce modern development practices incrementally into legacy environments.

Governance, Risk & Security

• Ensure CoE-delivered work meets portfolio expectations for security, compliance, IP protection, and data privacy.
• Partner with InfoSec and compliance teams to remediate inherited risks common in acquired software businesses.
• Maintain clear accountability and transparency for work performed by the CoE.

Financial Management & Value Creation

• Own the CoE budget, cost model, and chargeback or allocation mechanisms.
• Deliver measurable value through improved delivery velocity, reduced third-party spend, and enhanced engineering productivity.
• Track ROI of CoE engagement across portfolio companies.

Success Metrics

• Adoption and satisfaction of CoE services by portfolio companies
• Delivery quality, predictability, and cycle time
• Reduction in technical debt, security findings, or legacy risk
• Cost efficiency relative to external vendors or fully local teams
• Retention and development of global engineering talent

Ideal candidate profile

Required

• 5+ years' experience in software engineering leadership, including building and running global delivery organizations
• Proven experience supporting multiple acquired or PE-backed software companies
• Strong understanding of legacy software environments and modernization challenges
• Demonstrated success managing distributed teams across geographies
• Ability to balance central leverage with local autonomy

Nice to have but not mandatory

• Experience operating an internal development CoE or shared services model
• Background in vertical market software or mission-critical systems
• Exposure to post-merger integration, carve-outs, and technical due diligence
• Familiarity with PE operating models and value creation plans

Leadership Attributes you need to have

• Pragmatic, execution-focused, and comfortable with imperfect systems
• Strong influencer without relying on formal authority
• Low-ego partner to founders, CTOs, and operators
• Long-term thinker aligned with PE value creation horizons
• Disciplined operator with strong communication and prioritization skills

Why This Role Matters

In acquisition-driven software portfolios, engineering quality and capacity are often uneven. The Global Software Development CoE provides stability, leverage, and modernization capability—allowing portfolio companies to focus on customers and growth while preserving their autonomy and culture.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Recruitment Disclaimer

Confidencial (Apenas para Cadastrados) will never request payment, banking information, or other sensitive personal or financial details during any stage of the recruitment process. All official communication will come from a verified @solensoftware.com email address. Any outreach outside these standards should be disregarded and reported to us through our official channels.

Confidencial (Apenas para Cadastrados) is a performance-oriented organisation that values career advancement, internal development, and transparent practices. We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for all team members. We do not discriminate based on race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or any other legally protected status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any of these characteristics.

Solen-isms

Pioneering

Pioneering driven by opportunity, using first principles thinking and unbound by tradition or rules.

Mutual Elevation

Committed to growth, elevating teams, developing future leaders, and removing barriers to mastery and joy.

Learn-It-Alls

Learn-it-alls, not know-it-alls, embracing failure as part of growth and progress.

Figure-It-Out-iveness

Embracing challenges, fostering growth, and taking initiative, leaders thrive on hard work and high failure tolerance.

Completionists

We exhibit stick-to-it-iveness. We are Completionists. We adapt. We think long-term. No plan B. We are all in. We burn the boats.

Ownership Mindset

We own the mission. We don't wait to be told. We lead, fix, and build as if it were ours. When problems arise, we run toward them, not away.

Dialectical

We learn through conversation. We ask, listen, question, and evolve — valuing disagreement as a tool for alignment and deeper understanding.

Benchmark to Best

We seek out excellence. We measure ourselves against the best and adapt quickly, always looking for the edge that moves us forward.

Will to win

Leaders relentlessly pursue potential, reject mediocrity, and get what they tolerate.

Candor

We communicate with integrity, transparency, and respect in all conversations.

Band of beavers

We are relentlessly resourceful, industrious semi-aquatic rodents. Our teeth are self-sharpening. As multi-faceted generalists, we terraform

Frugality

Achieving more with less, focusing on quality, long-term value, and company-wide responsibility.