Associate Director - App Engineering

Position Title: Associate Director - App Engineering
Position Type: Regular - Full-Time
Position Location: Gurgaon
Requisition ID: 33004
Role Overview
We are seeking a visionary Software Engineering Lead with deep expertise in Solution Architecture to spearhead our digital agriculture initiatives. The ideal candidate will possess a robust background in full-stack development, complex database management (SQL), and Azure cloud architecture.
In this role, you will bridge the gap between agronomic needs and enterprise technology. You will leverage your experience to design scalable solutions that integrate field data, farm management systems, and enterprise resource planning (SAP), ensuring our technology stack drives efficiency and sustainability in our agricultural operations.
Role Summary
As the Software Engineering Lead, you will define the technical vision and drive the end-to-end development of applications that support our "Farm-to-Fork" and agribusiness processes. You will lead a team of senior developers and engineers, collaborating closely with product owners and agronomy experts to deliver robust, scalable solutions. This role requires a proactive solution architect who is comfortable moving between high-level system design and deep-dive code reviews across front-end and back-end technologies.
Key Accountabilities
1. Solution Architecture & Technical Strategy

• Architectural Leadership: Design and oversee the implementation of scalable, secure, and high-performance architectures using Azure cloud services.
• System Integration: Define strategies for integrating diverse agricultural data sources (IoT sensors, drone imagery, machinery data) with core enterprise backends.
• Database Strategy: Architect complex data models; manage multiple database environments with a strict focus on SQL performance, data integrity, and cross-database synchronization.
• Standards Definition: Establish coding standards, architectural patterns, and best practices for full-stack development to ensure maintainability and scalability.

2. Engineering & Development Leadership

• Full-Stack Oversight: Lead the development team in coding, testing, and deploying web and mobile applications, ensuring expert-level quality in both Front End (e.g., React, Angular) and Back End (e.g., .NET Core, Java, Node.js) technologies.
• Ag-Tech Implementation: Drive the technical execution of agriculture-specific use cases, such as precision farming tools, yield forecasting models, and supply chain tracking.
• Cloud Native Development: Leverage Azure capabilities (App Services, Azure Functions, Azure SQL) to modernize legacy applications and build net-new cloud-native solutions.

3. Agriculture Domain & SAP Integration

• Domain Alignment: Act as the technical subject matter expert for Agriculture use cases, translating complex agronomic requirements into technical specifications.
• SAP Connectivity: Lead the integration strategy between custom software solutions and SAP modules specific to Agriculture, ensuring seamless data flow regarding procurement, inventory, and logistics.

4. Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Cross-Functional Liaison: Serve as the primary bridge between the software engineering team and business stakeholders (Agronomists, Supply Chain Managers, Operations).
• Agile Leadership: Work with Product Owners to groom backlogs, estimate complexity, and ensure timely delivery of sprints.
• Mentorship: Mentor senior and junior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.

5. Quality, Security & Compliance

• Data Governance: Ensure compliance with data privacy laws and agricultural data standards, particularly regarding farm and grower data.
• Reliability: Implement rigorous CI/CD pipelines and automated testing frameworks to ensure zero-downtime deployments during critical farming seasons.

Qualifications
Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field (Master's degree preferred).
• 15+ years of total experience in Software Engineering with a minimum of 5 years in a Solution Architecture or Technical Lead capacity.
• Proven track record of designing and delivering complex enterprise-grade applications.
• Mandatory: Prior experience or deep functional knowledge of the Agriculture domain (AgTech, Farm Management Systems, or Agri-Supply Chain).

Technical Skills

• Solution Architecture: Proficient in Microservices architecture, API design (REST/GraphQL), and Event-Driven Architecture.
• Database Expertise: Expert-level skills in SQL (schema design, stored procedures, query optimization) and familiarity with NoSQL databases for unstructured data.
• Full Stack Proficiency: Deep hands-on experience with modern Front End frameworks (React, Angular, or Vue) and Back End languages (C#, Java, or Python).
• Cloud Platform: Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Azure (Infrastructure as Code, PaaS, SaaS models).
• Domain Specifics (Critical): Familiarity with SAP environments (especially modules related to Agriculture/logistics) is highly preferred. Understanding of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) data is a plus.

Leadership & Soft Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a "business-first" mindset.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of explaining complex architectural decisions to non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to manage distributed teams and prioritize roadmap items in a dynamic environment.

McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. We see value in ensuring we have a diverse, antiracist, inclusive, merit-based, and equitable workplace. As a global family-owned company we are proud to reflect the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that diversity drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger.
McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.
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Job Family: Information Technology
Division: Global Digital Technology
Department: GDTC India Function
Location(s): IN - India : Haryana : Gurgaon
Company: McCain Foods(India) P Ltd