The ABCs of working at Spare

What do we do at Spare?

At Spare, we create data-driven software solutions for on-demand mobility. What does that mean? We help mobility providers and transit agencies of all sizes launch scalable, affordable, and equitable on-demand transportation services.

Examples include a tool to modernize the paratransit eligibility process for millions of low-mobility riders and a sophisticated platform that empowers transit planners to take charge of their own microtransit planning. We also enable them to run their entire transportation operation!

What’s the culture like at Spare?

At Spare, we aim to build and cultivate a culture where we:

1. Empower team members to make decisions and execute independently
2. Share information and context transparently
3. Provide open, honest feedback with positive intent
4. Be surrounded by highly effective people

How do you encourage and foster innovation?

We place a high value on collaborative and inclusive communication, which means our team members feel supported in bringing their ideas to life. It also means we have tight feedback loops, so we know if something is going off track and can pivot quickly. One of our Guiding Principles is innovation, so we encourage Spartians to launch and iterate, rather than delay and deliberate and to practice first principles thinking by challenging prevailing assumptions in order to improve and simplify.

Our Product and Engineering teams work in an agile environment on two-week sprints, which are also supplemented with semi-annual hackathons (to reduce technical debt, improve developer experience, and ship things more quickly) and on-site customer hackathons (to co-create technical solutions that will help them solve real-world problems and better serve their customers and communities).

Can I grow at Spare?

Yes! We believe one of the best parts of working at a small company is the ability to accelerate your learning and gain exposure and experience that you may not otherwise have at a larger company. We firmly believe in supporting the growth and development of Spartians, and providing internal progression and promotion opportunities. We encourage continuous feedback and development conversations through regular 1:1s, as well as through our formal performance review process which happens twice a year.

What is the team structure like at Spare?

As a small and nimble company, we have a fairly flat structure to encourage collaboration across teams and ownership over results and outcomes. Where it makes sense to introduce layers of management to create areas of focus and have appropriate team sizes, we use this opportunity to encourage career progression and promote people from within into roles of increasing responsibility and complexity. The founders are hands-on and accessible, supporting teams where they can to drive the business forward.

How is compensation determined?

Spare has built an equitable compensation structure based on role-specific from vetted salary surveys and databases, as well as professional networks and live candidate data. We also provide country-based compensation, which allows you to move around Canada without changing your salary. This compensation structure is regularly updated to remain market-competitive and we use this to track pay equity across the organization. .

At Spare we offer a total compensation offering that includes base salary, stock options, benefits, perks, and bonuses/commissions.

What benefits and perks do you offer?

• Health Benefits - We offer a fully-paid health insurance package that includes prescription drug, paramedical, mental health, dental, life insurance, travel insurance, and Employee Assistance Program for you and your family
• Lifestyle Spending Account - We know benefits aren't one-size-fits-all, which is why we offer an annual taxable allowance, which you can use to get reimbursed for a variety of expenses including education, wellness, transportation, and childcare/pet care.
• Paid Time Off - Along with your annual vacation, we also have company shut-down days and offer unlimited sick days to help you rest when you’re not feeling your best.
• Parental Leave Top-Up - We offer a 15-week compensation top-up for Spartians taking parental leave to help support your new family member.
• Home Office Allowance - We recognize the importance of a productive home office setup to help you do your best work, which is why we provide a one-time home office allowance
• Coworking Allowance - If you work remotely outside of the Greater Vancouver area, you will have access to a monthly coworking membership allowance to get together with team members in your city.
• Team Offsites & Socials - Teams are encouraged to meet up at least once a year to collaborate and connect, so we provide a travel and accommodation budget for teams to get together in-person. You also have a monthly budget to socialize with other Spartians in your city. Go out for a meal or hit up a karaoke spot!

What can I expect on my first day at Spare?

Whether you’re working remotely or in-person, we’ll arrange for you to meet your direct team first thing in the morning. Afterwards, you’ll spend some quality time getting to know  your manager! The onboarding process at Spare typically lasts about a month, so we can ensure you're fully up-to-speed on our products and teams!

Ready to be part of Spare’s journey and change the world of mobility? Check out our current openings. Don’t see anything that’s a good fit right now? We still want to hear from you. Get in touch here.