Software Technical Lead

🚀 WE'RE HIRING — Senior Software Technical Lead | WakaEat 📍 Remote — Lagos, Nigeria | Contract-to-Hire | ₦600K → ₦900K/month

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🌍 ABOUT WAKAEAT

WakaEat is a food technology marketplace connecting consumers, restaurants, home chefs, and delivery partners to celebrate and expand the reach of African cuisine globally.

We are building Africa's leading vertical marketplace for African food commerce — serving Africans on the continent and across the diaspora in the US, UK, Canada, Europe, and beyond.

We are preparing for a simultaneous soft launch in Lagos, Nigeria and the DMV region (Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia), USA.

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🎯 THE OPPORTUNITY

WakaEat is at a critical stage of growth and we are hiring a Senior Technical Lead to take full ownership of the platform's technical delivery, stability, and performance as we move toward launch.

This is a hands-on leadership role combining technical execution, platform ownership, and real-world problem solving. You will work closely with the existing development team, take full architectural ownership, and drive the platform to production readiness ahead of our soft launch across two markets.

If you thrive in lean early-stage environments and want to own something meaningful — this role is for you.

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⚠️ READ BEFORE APPLYING

• You will work directly with an existing development team for full handover • You must deliver a written gap analysis within your first 14 days • This is hands-on leadership — you will be building, not just directing • 90-day probationary period (contract-to-hire) before full-time conversion

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🔧 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

🧱 Technical Direction & Architecture • Conduct full architecture review and take ownership of technical standards • Identify gaps and risks ahead of soft launch • Ensure all platform components are fully integrated and production-ready

🔄 Handover & Transition Leadership • Lead structured handover from existing development team • Deliver written gap analysis and risk register within the first 14 days • Resolve outstanding issues before full ownership transfer

💻 Hands-On Development • Actively contribute to the codebase — backend, APIs, and integrations • Debug and resolve production issues quickly and decisively • Handle system-critical components directly

🏗️ Platform Ownership & Stability • Own backend, web, and mobile system performance • Ensure real-time order flow works end-to-end across both launch markets • Monitor uptime and system health during live operations

💳 Payments & Integrations • Manage and troubleshoot Stripe (USD) and Flutterwave (NGN / multi-currency) • Ensure secure, reliable, and accurate transaction handling across both markets

📱 Mobile Platform • Oversee mobile app stability and release readiness across all platforms

👨‍💼 Team Leadership • Mentor and guide a small but growing development team • Conduct code reviews and enforce best practices • Provide weekly written progress updates directly to the CEO

🌍 Soft Launch Execution — Lagos & DMV • Be actively involved throughout both market launches • Resolve real-world issues affecting users, vendors, and riders rapidly • Support rapid iteration based on live user and vendor feedback

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✅ REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

Experience • 3–5+ years of software development in a senior or lead role • Proven experience stepping into an existing codebase and executing a structured handover • Experience owning a platform in a pre-launch or early-stage environment

Technical Expertise • Full-stack proficiency — backend, APIs, and third-party integrations • AWS infrastructure, software architecture, and scalable system design • Real-time systems — order management, notifications, and logistics • Mobile development — React Native, Flutter, or native Android/iOS • Payment gateway experience — Stripe and/or Flutterwave strongly preferred

Languages • Fluent English — written and spoken — required • French communication preferred—for coordination with existing development team

Leadership • Ability to mentor and guide engineers in a lean, fast-moving environment • Strong debugging and troubleshooting capabilities under production pressure

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⭐ PREFERRED — HIGHLY VALUABLE

• Experience with marketplace or food delivery platforms • Experience working in early-stage startups or pre-launch environments • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field • Experience managing distributed, multilingual development teams

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💰 COMPENSATION & TERMS

• Engagement Type: Contract-to-Hire (90-day probationary period) • Probation Salary: ₦600,000 gross / month • Post-Probation Salary: ₦900,000 gross / month (50% increase upon full-time conversion) • Notice Period (Probation): 7 days written notice by either party • Equipment: Company laptop provided — remains the property of WakaEat • Location: Remote — Lagos, Nigeria (in-person meetings required when requested)

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📩 HOW TO APPLY

Send the following to careers@wakaeat.com:

• Your CV / resume • A brief note on your experience with technical handovers and platform ownership • GitHub profile or relevant portfolio links

Subject line: Senior Technical Lead Application — [Your Name]

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

🌍 www.wakaeat.com | careers@wakaeat.com

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