Introduction

Hi, my name is Hanh, but you can also call me David. I am originally from France and have been living in Thailand for the past 15 years. I’m excited to share my journey transitioning from individual contributor (IC) to engineering leadership.

I began my career as a software engineer in France, working on projects related to fleet management in the transport, logistics, and humanitarian sectors. In 2019, I relocated to Thailand to expand my international experience by joining the United Nations. After more than a decade with the UN, I ventured into entrepreneurship to help my wife grow her makeup business. Due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, I returned to software engineering, joining Opn as a Senior Software Engineer.

At Opn, I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to a variety of projects, including the merchant dashboard, Payments Links+, the Shopify payments app, in-app communication, e-commerce, and onboarding solutions. Over time, I transitioned from Senior Software Engineer to Software Engineering Lead, then to Software Engineering Manager, and now to Senior Software Engineering Manager. In my current role, I oversee multiple teams working on merchant services for customers across Southeast Asia, while also supporting software development for MerchantE, our U.S. subsidiary.

Transitioning to Senior Engineering Manager

Transitioning from an individual contributor (IC) role to a Senior Software Engineering Manager marked a significant shift in responsibilities. As a Senior Software Engineer, my focus was primarily on system design, writing high-quality code, and solving complex technical challenges. When I moved into the role of Software Engineering Lead, I took on additional responsibilities, such as overseeing system architecture, mentoring team members, and leading technical decisions.

Upon being promoted to Software Engineering Manager, the focus shifted more toward people management. I quickly had to adapt to conducting regular one-on-one meetings, identifying growth opportunities for my direct reports, resolving collaboration challenges, and refining or introducing new processes to ensure the team's health, engagement, knowledge sharing, and productivity.

Now, as a Senior Software Engineering Manager, my responsibilities have expanded to overseeing multiple teams and projects. My role primarily involves fostering cross-team collaboration, driving innovation, and aligning engineering efforts with the company’s strategic objectives. Long-term planning, scaling teams, and working closely with senior leadership to ensure alignment with business goals have become my main priorities.

My entrepreneurial mindset and experience have been key to becoming an effective leader, allowing me to drive innovation and better understand the business context behind technical decisions. If I could recommend only one book for both new and experienced managers, it would be “The Manager’s Path” by Camille Fournier. This book has provided me with invaluable insights into managing teams, developing leadership skills, and successfully leading technical projects.

Industry Knowledge and Trends

The payments industry is incredibly dynamic, with new payment methods constantly emerging, evolving regulatory requirements, and a growing demand for fast, reliable, and secure cross-border payment solutions. What makes it particularly exciting is the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies, including AI. There are many opportunities to leverage AI for orchestrating payments more effectively, enhancing fraud prevention, improving customer support, and streamlining underwriting processes. At Opn, we encourage our engineers to use AI tools like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, or Gemini to boost their productivity.

In such a fast-paced industry, continuous learning is essential. Staying up-to-date with industry trends, understanding regulatory changes, and adopting emerging technologies are critical for delivering innovative solutions. I foster a culture of learning within my teams, encouraging engineers to explore new tools and technologies. This not only keeps us at the forefront of innovation but also ensures we maintain a competitive edge in the market.

Challenges and Rewards in the Payment Sector

As a Senior Software Engineering Manager, one of the toughest challenges is learning to trust your teams while remaining accountable for their successes and failures. Although you’re no longer involved in every technical detail, the overall outcomes still rest on your shoulders. Striking the right balance between delegation and maintaining oversight is essential. Trusting your teams to deliver, while providing the right level of guidance, is a crucial skill to develop.

Another ongoing challenge is delivering projects quickly without accumulating technical debt. While meeting deadlines is important, addressing technical debt and maintaining sustainable systems is vital to long-term success.

Handling conflicting priorities and making tough decisions, all while keeping the team’s workload sustainable, demands resilience and adaptability. I must guide my teams through uncertainty, whether due to shifts in strategy or changes in project direction, while maintaining a focus on long-term goals.

Despite these challenges, shaping the direction of entire teams, watching them deliver successful projects, and knowing that your leadership made a difference is incredibly fulfilling.

Mentoring new engineering managers, witnessing the growth of your team members, and building strong, capable teams while driving innovation across multiple teams are deeply satisfying aspects of the role.

Conclusion

Transitioning from an individual contributor to a Senior Software Engineering Manager role has been one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of my career. This journey has pushed me to expand my skills beyond technical execution and embrace the complexities of people management and strategic planning.

The fast-paced nature of the payments industry, combined with the opportunities presented by emerging technologies like AI, makes this role both exciting and full of potential. Balancing trust, accountability, fast project delivery, and managing technical debt are ongoing challenges, but the rewards of guiding teams, driving impactful projects, and mentoring engineering managers are highly fulfilling.

For anyone considering a similar path, building and empowering teams to create modern, high-quality products and deliver significant business value is what makes the journey worthwhile.