Engineering Manager

Zendesk is seeking an Engineering Manager to lead the Maquina team in Lisbon, Portugal. The team turns customer knowledge into AI-powered procedures that guide agents through complex workflows, and conversational AI agents handle them autonomously. The role requires a leader who can grow the team, manage delivery of an ambitious AI product roadmap, and establish their own leadership presence in the Lisbon office.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/Information Systems or related field.
• 2+ years of experience managing a software engineering team, including hiring, performance management, and career development.
• A background as an individual contributor on engineering projects — you can engage meaningfully in architectural discussions and code reviews.
• Experience delivering products in an agile environment with clear delivery metrics (cycle time, throughput, defect rate).
• Strong collaboration skills — you've worked effectively with product, design, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Experience managing or building a team across locations or time zones.
• Clear, direct communication — you give feedback with care and seek problems head-on.
• You understand how and where AI can accelerate you and your team, and are not afraid to experiment and learn.

Benefits

• Full ownership of your team's products and delivery.
• A high-impact role shaping how AI is used in customer service at scale.
• The opportunity to grow and shape a team in Lisbon.
• Collaboration with experienced engineering teams in Copenhagen.
• A culture that values learning, craft, and people over process.
• Full benefits, including generous paid time off, 401k matching, and a retirement plan.
• Relocation assistance.