Technical Lead - PHP

Company Overview

Cartrack, a subsidiary of Karooooo Ltd. (listed on NASDAQ as KARO), is a global leader in mobility solutions, specializing in real-time data analytics, fleet management, and vehicle tracking. With over 2.3 million active subscribers across more than 23 countries, Cartrack’s mission is to drive efficiency and connectivity for vehicle fleets worldwide, making transportation smarter and more sustainable.

As a pioneer in the telematics industry, Cartrack provides a comprehensive Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform that delivers critical insights to businesses, enabling them to optimize their operations, reduce costs, and enhance safety. The platform is trusted by small to large enterprises across various industries, including logistics, insurance, and automotive, for its reliability, scalability, and robust performance.

At Cartrack, we are not just offering a job; we are offering the opportunity to be part of a mission-driven company that is transforming the way fleets operate globally. Our commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction, and sustainability is reflected in our continuous growth and strong financial performance, as we expand our footprint in key regions like Southeast Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Join us at Cartrack and be part of a dynamic team that is shaping the future of connected mobility, ensuring that fleets around the world are more efficient, safe, and connected.

Profile

We are seeking an experienced Technical Lead who thrives at the intersection of technical leadership, team management, and project delivery. The ideal candidate has a strong track record of defining technical solutions, leading distributed engineering teams, and driving projects to successful completion. You should be proactive, decisive, and able to work in a fast-paced environment where priorities can shift quickly. The role requires excellent communication skills, both with technical teams and non-technical stakeholders, and the ability to navigate challenges, remove blockers, and guide teams toward high-quality delivery.

Role

This role requires someone who is organized, technically proficient, and capable of leading distributed development teams through the full lifecycle of software projects. You will participate in project requirements and design discussions, define the technical scope and solutions for projects, and identify the resources required to deliver on commitments.

You will manage developers directly, providing guidance to overcome technical challenges and removing blockers to ensure smooth progress. You will review development work, provide constructive feedback to your team, and coordinate closely with other team leads, the product design team, and QA to ensure alignment and high-quality delivery.

While primarily focused on leadership and coordination, you will also contribute hands-on coding (<20%) when necessary to unblock or support the team. You will define project timelines, track progress, and ensure that deliverables meet both technical standards and business requirements.

If you are someone who enjoys leading engineering teams, shaping technical solutions, and driving projects from concept to completion, this role offers the opportunity to directly impact both the platform and the success of the engineering organization.

Must have

• Team management: Experience in mentoring and managing a team of 2 to 10 developers. 5+ years
• Language & Tech stack agnostic: Successfully worked on projects and applications involving different programming languages. 15+ years of hands-on
• SQL: Proficient in writing and optimizing SQL queries. Capable of designing databases.
• Linux: Proficiency in Linux environment, including scripting and system management
• Git: Expertise in using Git for version control. Understand branching, merging and collaborative workflows.

Nice to have

• PHP / Node js: Hands on experience working on the backend of applications using either PHP or Node js
• Typescript with ReactJS: Hands on experience of building front-end applications with React & typescript.
• Postgresql: Experience in optimizing queries and designing database for Postgresql
• Containerization: Experience in managing applications that are run using a containerization technology like Docker and orchestration technologies like Kubernetes
• Continuous Integration: Familiar with CI/CD pipelines and associated tools like GitLab CI