Hybrid Engineering Manager – Frontend

at Rhino Entertainment

• Job title: Engineering Manager – Frontend
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Senior, Lead
• Salary: Not specified
• Degree requirement: No Education Requirement
• Tech skills: JavaScript, Jest, Next.js, Node.js, React, Redux, TypeScript, Webpack
• Location requirements: Hybrid, St Julian's, Malta

About the role

• Engineering Manager leading frontend engineering teams, focusing on technical oversight and people leadership at a fast-growing online gaming company.

Responsibilities

• We're hiring an **Engineering Manager** to lead our frontend engineering organization - two development teams and a frontend QA team, totalling ~16 engineers. This is a **people-first leadership role** for someone with deep technical credibility: you'll spend approximately **60% of your time on people management** (coaching, development, team building) and 4**0% on technical oversight** (architecture, code reviews, technical strategy).
• You don't need to write production code daily, but you should be comfortable diving into technical discussions, reviewing complex pull requests, making informed architectural decisions, and debugging critical issues when needed. Hands-on coding ability is a strong plus.
• You'll own the evolution of our frontend platforms (React-based Rhino Play and Next.js-based Rhino Next) while building a culture of quality, velocity, and continuous improvement across all brands.
• **Work Arrangement:****Candidates based in Malta or Bitola will work in a hybrid arrangement. Remote candidates from other European locations are welcome and expected to work aligned with Central European Time (CET)
• You'll Be Responsible For**People Leadership & Development (60%)
• Lead, mentor, and develop ~12 frontend engineers and 4 frontend QA engineers across distributed locations (Malta, Bitola, and remote)
• Conduct regular 1:1s, provide actionable feedback, and create personalized career development plans that help engineers reach their potential
• Build a high-trust, high-performance culture where engineers feel challenged, supported, and excited to grow
• Manage the frontend QA team, focusing on their professional development, test strategy, automation, and integration with development workflows
• Own recruitment, onboarding, and retention for frontend and QA roles
• Foster a culture aligned with Rhino's values: Community, Curiosity, and Achievers
• Support diverse, dynamic teams and ensure fairness in career development opportunities
• **Technical Strategy & Oversight (40%)**
• Shape the future of Rhino's frontend architecture in partnership with Product, Design, and Backend leadership
• Make informed technical decisions on Next.js architecture, Server/Client Components, SSR strategies, and performance optimization
• Review complex technical designs and pull requests; provide technical guidance and unblock challenging problems
• Champion modern practices and tools: component libraries, Storybook, Redux Toolkit, Jest, service workers, CI/CD pipeline enhancements, performance monitoring
• Ensure consistent approaches to authentication/authorization, session handling, and secure SSR patterns across brands
• Guide decisions around build systems (Webpack, Turbopack, Turborepo) and monorepo architecture
• Stay technically credible enough to earn respect from senior engineers and guide technical direction effectively
• Debug complex frontend and server-side issues when your expertise is needed
• **Delivery & Quality**
• Drive predictable delivery through clear goals, effective processes, and team rituals
• Elevate code quality through strong review culture (acting as a gatekeeper when needed), testing standards, and automation
• Partner with frontend QA team to strengthen test coverage (Jest, integration testing), reduce regressions, and increase release confidence
• Oversee and optimize the release process to ensure smooth product deployments across all brands
• Establish and track metrics that matter: team health, velocity trends, quality indicators, deployment frequency, and player-facing performance
• Proactively identify patterns in production errors and drive systematic improvements
• **Cross-Functional Collaboration**
• Translate product priorities into clear, achievable technical plans
• Facilitate smooth collaboration between frontend, backend, design, product, and QA teams
• Communicate technical tradeoffs, progress, and risks to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Act as the voice of frontend engineering in leadership discussions
• Bridge gaps and resolve blockers across teams

Requirements

• What You Bring**Experience:**
• 7+ years building modern frontend applications with deep expertise in React and TypeScript
• Strong understanding of Next.js, including Server vs Client Components, SSR caching strategies (static, dynamic, ISR, edge), and performance optimization
• 3+ years leading engineering teams. You've hired, mentored, managed performance, and scaled teams through growth
• Experience managing QA teams or working closely with QA leadership to build quality practices
• Track record of managing multiple teams or workstreams simultaneously in agile environments
• **How you Lead:**
• You believe great engineering starts with great people.
• You're energised by helping engineers achieve their potential, not just shipping features
• You lead with empathy and accountability, balancing when to coach, step in, or delegate - always with a growth mindset and creative problem-solving spirit.
• **Technical Foundation:**
• Strong grasp of frontend architecture, Redux Toolkit, testing (Jest), and performance optimization.
• Deep understanding of HTTP, debugging, and client/server communication.
• Skilled with tools like Webpack, Turbopack, Turborepo, and Storybook.
• Experience with secure authentication, SSR, and architectural decision-making.
• Able to guide engineers and review designs confidently, hands-on coding when it matters.
• **How You Work:**
• Clear, outcome-driven communicator who bridges tech and business.
• Experienced in leading distributed teams (CET-aligned).
• Collaborative, curious, and always focused on learning and improvement.
• **Bonus Points:**
• Experience in iGaming, betting, or high-traffic apps.
• Node.js, multi-brand/tenant systems, or advanced performance tuning.
• Familiarity with service workers, Zod, or edge computing.

Benefits

• **Working for Rhino includes plenty of perks.****What we offer:**
• Competitive salary based on your knowledge & experience
• Quarterly performance bonus split on personal objectives and company performance
• €500 Yearly Wellness & Mindfulness allowance to support an active lifestyle
• Flexibility & a work-life blend through our Hybrid Working environment
• Work from anywhere with our 30 days “overseas working”
• Diverse, dynamic, fun environment with happy and helpful colleagues
• Learning & Development opportunities to invest in your personal development
• Fresh fruit, healthy snacks & food are available at the office everyday - and of course, good tea & coffee
• Free parking, table tennis, lounge area, plenty of meeting rooms and sea views at our ergonomic office
• Regular social events to strengthen long lasting relationships
• Enjoy a “Me Day” on your birthday
• Paid time off, including extra days for special life events
• AXA Private Hospital & Dental Insurance Coverage
• Form an active part of our talent acquisition, with our Referral Bonus
• And to top it off, a great culture! **
• **Join us at Rhino Entertainment and unleash your full potential in a vibrant and rewarding career! 🎉****
• **Our Story******Rhino Entertainment Group is a fast-growing online gaming operator that was founded in 2020. Winner of the EGR Rising Operator of the Year Award 2023 and iGaming Idol Employer of The Year Award 2023 and is a company which operates a multi-brand strategy. Rhino group is committed to providing its players with the best possible gaming experience supported by a cutting-edge gaming platform.
• ****Our Culture******“We are a community of passionate, committed, driven and fun-loving people who are united by a shared mission to deliver world-class entertainment to our players in a vibrant and dynamic environment. Our culture identity is rooted in our curiosity, our sense of community and unwavering drive for success. We cherish each person’s unique qualities and contributions, and we encourage our team members to take ownership, think creatively, find solutions and enjoy the process of achieving our goals!” **
• **DEIB******We are proud to have so many diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and ideas represented within our Rhino community, which fuels an authentic workplace and a strong sense of belonging. This broad spectrum helps us achieve a supportive working environment where everyone can make the best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment. Diversity goes hand in hand with promoting equal opportunities for all current and future employees and at Rhino, we are committed to ensure fairness in our recruitment process. **
• **How We Work******At Rhino we very much believe in supporting flexible working arrangements! By blending working from our vibrant offices and using the latest tech to work from home, through our Hybrid Working environment, we firmly believe that we can create an effective, balanced, and collaborative working experience to help us achieve our goals!