Vice President back end developer

A leading global investment firm is seeking an experienced Vice President of Backend Engineering to join its growing Technology & Engineering organisation. This is a senior-level position with both technical and leadership responsibilities, playing a key role in designing scalable backend systems and managing a high-performing engineering team.

The successful candidate will contribute to the development of mission-critical platforms that support portfolio management, investment strategy, and business operations. You’ll work within a cloud-native environment, leveraging technologies such as Python, Kubernetes, and modern CI/CD practices.

This role combines hands-on engineering with technical leadership, including responsibility for mentoring engineers, driving architectural decisions, and collaborating closely with cross-functional stakeholders.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of scalable backend services using Python and modern cloud-native patterns.
• Architect systems using microservices, Kubernetes, and cloud platforms to ensure scalability, reliability, and performance.
• Write, review, and maintain clean, efficient code and promote engineering best practices.
• Manage, mentor, and grow a team of backend engineers, providing technical guidance and fostering a culture of excellence.
• Participate in and lead agile ceremonies, including planning, stand-ups, and retrospectives.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and business teams to align technical efforts with strategic priorities.
• Drive initiatives related to system observability, availability, and maintainability.
• Take ownership of the full software lifecycle—from design through to production support.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• 10+ years of software engineering experience, including significant time spent in backend development roles.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including managing direct reports, mentoring junior developers, and influencing cross-functional teams.
• Strong expertise in Python or a similar object-oriented programming language.
• Hands-on experience building and maintaining microservices and deploying to containerised environments (e.g., Kubernetes).
• Deep knowledge of cloud infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps principles.
• Familiarity with frontend technologies such as React is a plus but not essential.
• Strong understanding of databases, data pipelines, and service-oriented architecture.
• Experience working in or a strong interest in the financial services, fintech, or investment management sector.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders and align technical solutions with business needs.
• A strategic mindset with a hands-on approach to problem-solving and technical delivery.