Tell me more ×
Programmers Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professional programmers interested in conceptual questions about software development. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 1 down vote favorite

I used to be a technical lead in a group of 3-5 programmers. Tech lead's responsibilities here would include thinking of/designing overall solution architecture, coding, refactoring, being the first to dive into the next big thing, reviewing others' code, sitting on customer meetings and answering endless questions from the rest of the team.

Now I'm moving on to a branch-level position (in a branch of ~60 people), which entails pretty much the same, sans maybe the coding/refactoring part. Still kinda a tech lead, but the title "tech lead" is already being used and means something else - a group-level tech lead.

Please help me come up with a good job title. I need something for my e-mail signature and, eventually, resume.

share|improve this question
is that a branch of 60 programmers? – blueberryfields Mar 16 '11 at 14:20
Yes. Arranged in groups of 3 to 12. QA people, DBA's, analysts not counted. – Seva Alekseyev Mar 16 '11 at 14:26
5  
It sounds like you are a manager. – Erin Mar 16 '11 at 14:30
Are you going to have tech leads (or anyone) working for you? – JohnFx Mar 16 '11 at 14:37
@JohnFx: not really, nor would I want that. More like advisory capacity/veto power. – Seva Alekseyev Mar 16 '11 at 14:47
show 1 more comment

closed as too localized by Anna Lear♦ Dec 19 '11 at 16:58

This question is unlikely to help any future visitors; it is only relevant to a small geographic area, a specific moment in time, or an extraordinarily narrow situation that is not generally applicable to the worldwide audience of the internet. For help making this question more broadly applicable, see the FAQ.

11 Answers

up vote 5 down vote accepted

If "Tech Lead" is the way in which you company calls what you are doing, then you could try adding a word before "Tech Lead" to explain the scope of the leadership.

Something like: Branch Tech Lead; Division Tech Lead; Über Tech Lead.

Just be careful if you choose the last one ;)

share|improve this answer
up vote 5 down vote

Sounds like a Systems Architect to me, especially since you won't be managing any people just the technical direction of multiple products.

share|improve this answer
up vote 4 down vote

What do you expect from the job-title ?

Is it to communicate clearly to everybody what your tasks and responsibilities are ? Look at your organisation and see what is the common job-title

Is it on put on your resume so it will be usable for job hunting ? Look what you want to do and what the head-hunters are looking for. My guess would be you can defend "Software Architect" Or with more coding in mind "Hands on Software Architect" or with more project management in mind "technical project manager"

Is it just to have fun : "doer of things"

Hope this helps.

share|improve this answer
+1 for asking the critical question. – David Thornley Mar 16 '11 at 20:22
up vote 3 down vote

I've seen the following titles apply to your position:

  • Senior software developer
  • Technical lead
  • Team lead
  • Software architect
  • Product manager
  • Systems analyst
  • Systems designer
share|improve this answer
up vote 2 down vote

how about "Supreme Almighty Grand Nagus of Technology"? ;)

share|improve this answer
1  
I'm more partial to "Grand High Poobah" :) – Seva Alekseyev Mar 16 '11 at 14:46
At one small company my title was "Lord of the Realm, Defender of the Faith, Keeper of the Gates of Chaos". I shared a cube with the company's "Senior Space Cadet". – TMN Mar 16 '11 at 15:00
I thought an answer to this question from the great Muad'Dib would be Mahdi: In the Fremen messianic legend, 'The One Who Will Lead Us to Paradise' – Luciano Mar 16 '11 at 15:29
up vote 2 down vote

What about Technical Co-ordinator? It's not well known, and I dont know how it would be perceived by future employers on a CV, but maybe it gets across the role you're doing?

share|improve this answer
Hm, good one. I'll throw it in. +1 to you. – Seva Alekseyev Mar 16 '11 at 14:55
up vote 2 down vote

Would "Internal Tech Consultant" or something similar work?

share|improve this answer
up vote 1 down vote

[Your group name] Group Tech-Lead

share|improve this answer
up vote 0 down vote

If it's a Ruby on Rails shop, you could call yourself Sensei (RoR shops seem to have affinity for something called "ninja devs").

share|improve this answer
1  
I'll feel unconfortable with people older than me calling me that :) I'm all too aware of the cultural connotations. – Seva Alekseyev Mar 16 '11 at 15:01
up vote 0 down vote

The best one I have come across when receiving an email was: "Chief Eternal Optimist"

Though in your case those higher up than you may feel usurped

share|improve this answer
up vote 0 down vote

Adversary, Destroyer of Kings, Angel of the Bottomless Pit, Great Beast that is called Dragon, Prince of This World, Father of Lies, Spawn of Satan, and Lord of Darkness

share|improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.