Senior Product & Software Engineer

Organization: Shaqodoon Organization
Duty Station: Somalia/Somaliland
Position: Senior Product & Software Engineer
Employment Type: Short-term Consultancy (2 Months, Daily Rate Basis)
Reporting To: Executive Director / Director of Programs & Innovation
Location: Somalia/Somaliland
1. Background
Shaqodoon Organization is a Somali-led organization working to expand economic opportunities, strengthen
employability, support entrepreneurship, and deliver innovative solutions that improve livelihoods and access to
services.
As part of its continued organizational growth and digital transformation, Shaqodoon seeks to recruit a Senior
Product & Software Engineer to lead the design, development, improvement, and technical delivery of digital
products and software solutions.
The position will be based in Somalia/Somaliland, and will work closely with Shaqodoon's leadership, program
teams, product stakeholders, external partners, and technical service providers across the organization's
operations.
2. Purpose of the Position
The Senior Product & Software Engineer will be responsible for translating business and program needs into
scalable, secure, user-friendly, and sustainable digital products.
The role combines software engineering, product development, technical leadership, system architecture,
and product management support. The successful candidate will take ownership of the full software
development lifecycle, from understanding user needs and defining technical solutions through development,
testing, deployment, monitoring, and continuous improvement.
The position is expected to contribute to building technology products that can support Shaqodoon's programs,
internal operations, beneficiaries, partners, and future digital business opportunities.
3. Key Responsibilities
A. Product Development & Technical Leadership
• Lead the design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance of digital products and software
applications.
• Translate product requirements, business needs, and user feedback into effective technical solutions.
• Work with leadership and program teams to identify opportunities where technology can improve
organizational impact and efficiency.
• Contribute to product strategy, roadmaps, priorities, and technical feasibility assessments.
• Lead technical decision-making and recommend appropriate technologies, frameworks, platforms, and
development approaches.
• Ensure products are scalable, maintainable, secure, and cost-effective.
• Develop MVPs and prototypes to validate new product concepts and ideas.
• Continuously improve existing systems based on user feedback, performance data, and organizational
priorities.
B. Software Engineering
• Design and develop high-quality, scalable, and maintainable software applications.
• Develop clean, well-documented, reusable, and secure code.
• Build and maintain APIs, databases, integrations, and backend services.
• Develop responsive and user-friendly web applications and, where required, mobile solutions.
• Integrate third-party platforms, APIs, payment systems, authentication services, and other relevant
technologies.
• Conduct code reviews and establish appropriate software development standards.
• Troubleshoot technical issues and resolve software bugs and performance problems.
• Maintain appropriate technical documentation, including system architecture, APIs, deployment procedures,
and user documentation.
C. System Architecture & Infrastructure
• Design appropriate software architecture for new and existing products.
• Assess infrastructure requirements and recommend appropriate cloud, hosting, database, and deployment
solutions.
• Implement CI/CD processes and automated deployment where appropriate.
• Establish monitoring, logging, backup, recovery, and system availability practices.
• Ensure solutions can scale as the organization's users, data, and product requirements grow.
• Identify and address technical debt and system vulnerabilities.
D. Security & Data Protection
• Implement secure software development practices throughout the product lifecycle.
• Ensure appropriate access controls, authentication, authorization, encryption, and data protection
mechanisms.
• Identify and mitigate software and infrastructure security risks.
• Support compliance with applicable data protection and privacy requirements.
• Ensure sensitive organizational and user data is handled securely.
• Conduct or coordinate security testing where necessary.
E. Product User Experience
• Work closely with product stakeholders and users to understand their needs and challenges.
• Participate in user research, product discovery, requirements gathering, and usability testing.
• Collaborate with designers to create intuitive and accessible user experiences.
• Use user feedback and product analytics to guide continuous improvement.
• Ensure products are practical and accessible to their intended users, including users with varying levels of
digital literacy.
F. Collaboration & Stakeholder Management
• Work collaboratively with program, operations, finance, communications, M&E, and leadership teams.
• Translate technical concepts into clear and understandable language for non-technical stakeholders.
• Manage relationships with external developers, technology vendors, consultants, and technical partners
when required.
• Participate in project planning, technical meetings, product reviews, and demonstrations.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior developers or other technical personnel.
G. Innovation & Digital Transformation
• Identify emerging technologies and assess their potential value to Shaqodoon.
• Explore opportunities involving AI, automation, data analytics, digital platforms, and other emerging
technologies.
• Support the development of technology-enabled business models and digital services.
• Recommend opportunities to automate manual processes and improve organizational efficiency.
• Contribute to Shaqodoon's broader digital transformation strategy.
4. Key Deliverables
The Senior Product & Software Engineer will be expected to deliver, as applicable:
1. Functional and scalable software products and applications.
2. Technical architecture and system designs.
3. Product roadmaps and technical implementation plans.
4. Working MVPs and prototypes for new digital products.
5. Well-tested and documented software releases.
6. APIs and third-party integrations.
7. Secure and reliable deployment and hosting environments.
8. Technical documentation and system manuals.
9. Regular product performance and technical reports.
10. Software maintenance, upgrades, and continuous improvement.
11. Technical assessments and recommendations for new technology initiatives.
12. Mentorship and technical capacity building for other team members

Qualifications and Experience
Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Computer
Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in software engineering, product development, or a
related technical role.
• Demonstrated experience designing and developing production-level software applications.
• Strong experience with modern software development methodologies and practices.
• Experience working across the full software development lifecycle.
Preferred Qualifications
• Master's degree or relevant professional certification in technology, software engineering, product
management, or a related field.
• Experience working in startups, technology companies, social enterprises, NGOs, development
organizations, or other innovation-driven environments.
• Experience taking digital products from concept/MVP through production and scale.
• Experience working with distributed or cross-functional teams.
6. Technical Competencies
The successful candidate should demonstrate strong proficiency in several of the following areas:
• Programming: JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, Java, PHP, or other modern programming languages.
• Frontend: React, Next.js, Vue, Angular, or equivalent frameworks.
• Backend: Node.js, Django, Laravel, FastAPI, Spring Boot, or equivalent technologies.
• Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, or equivalent database systems.
• APIs: REST APIs, GraphQL, webhooks, and third-party integrations.
• Cloud: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, or equivalent cloud platforms.
• DevOps: Git, CI/CD, Docker, automated testing, deployment, monitoring, and infrastructure management.
• Mobile: React Native, Flutter, or native mobile development is an advantage.
• Security: Secure coding, authentication, authorization, encryption, and data protection.
• Analytics: Product analytics, dashboards, logging, monitoring, and performance measurement.
• AI & Automation: Experience integrating AI tools, APIs, machine learning services, or automation
workflows is an advantage.
• AI & LLMs: Understanding of large language models (LLMs) and generative AI, including experience
with AI/LLM provider APIs (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic) is an advantage.
• Telecoms & IVR: Experience with IVR systems, Asterisk/PBX, SIP/VoIP, or other telecom integrations is
an advantage.
The candidate is not expected to master every technology listed above; strong expertise in a relevant modern
technology stack and the ability to learn and adapt to new technologies are essential.
7. Product Management Competencies
The role requires more than software development. The successful candidate should demonstrate the ability to:
• Understand user and business problems before developing technical solutions.
• Convert ideas into clear product requirements.
• Define MVP scope and prioritize features.
• Develop product backlogs and technical workplans.
• Balance user needs, technical feasibility, cost, security, and organizational priorities.
• Use data and user feedback to improve products.
• Measure product performance through appropriate KPIs.
• Work effectively with designers, program teams, leadership, and users.
8. Core Competencies
• Strategic and analytical thinking.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Product-oriented mindset.
• Technical leadership.
• Innovation and creativity.
• Attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills.
• Stakeholder management.
• Teamwork and collaboration.
• Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.
• Strong commitment to quality and continuous improvement.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and changing environment.
9. Performance Indicators
Performance will be assessed against agreed annual and quarterly objectives, including:
• Timely delivery of software products and agreed technical milestones.
• Quality, reliability, scalability, and maintainability of developed solutions.
• System uptime, performance, and security.
• Successful implementation of product roadmaps.
• User adoption and satisfaction.
• Reduction of manual processes through automation.
• Quality and effectiveness of technical documentation.
• Successful integration with internal and external systems.
• Effective collaboration with program and organizational teams.
• Innovation and contribution to new digital products and services.
• Effective management of technical risks and issues.
10. Reporting and Working Relationships
The Senior Product & Software Engineer will report to the Executive Director or designated senior manager and
will work closely with:
• Senior Management Team
• Programs and Innovation Teams
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)
• Finance and Operations
• Communications
• External technology partners and service providers
• Product users and other relevant stakeholders
The position will be based in Somalia/Somaliland, with potential interaction and collaboration with Shaqodoon
teams operating across Somalia and Somaliland.
11. Working Conditions
• Remuneration will be based on a daily rate, payable against actual days worked / agreed deliverables.
• Hybrid or flexible working arrangements may be considered in accordance with Shaqodoon's policies.
• Occasional travel may be required to support organizational programs, users, partners, or technical
implementation activities.
• The position may require working across different time zones and collaborating with distributed teams.

Interested candidates should submit their CV, Cover letter and Academic Qualifications outlining
their suitability to [email protected]
Application Deadline: 07 September 2026 at 5:00 PM (East Africa Time).
 Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted