Head of Software Engineering

Head of Software Engineering

I have partnered with a business on a mission to transform digital experiences at scale. This is a rare opportunity for an experienced Head of Software Engineering candidate who has real influence, owning engineering strategy, shaping architecture, and building a high-performing function from the ground up.

This is not a traditional corporate leadership role. The manager is looking for someone with a startup mindset, commercially aware, hands-on, and comfortable operating in ambiguity. You’ll bring an entrepreneurial approach, balancing speed with quality, and innovation with scalability.

Experience

• Define and execute the engineering strategy across digital, product and platform ecosystems.
• Lead end-to-end delivery, ensuring high-quality, scalable, and reliable releases.
• Partner closely with Product and Design as part of a leadership trio, shaping vision and outcomes.
• Establish modern engineering standards (cloud-first, CI/CD, automation, observability, secure SDLC).
• Drive operational excellence across performance, resilience, and security
• Build and scale a multi-site engineering organisation, embedding a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.
• Champion innovation and AI adoption where it delivers measurable business value.
• Improve developer experience and productivity through tooling and automation.
• Proven experience as a senior engineering leader (Head of / Director / VP level).
• Strong hands-on technical background with credibility across engineering teams.
• Deep expertise in Microsoft ecosystems, modern cloud architectures, and distributed systems.
• Strong knowledge of Web, Mobile, FE technologies such as JavaScript, React, Kotlin, .Net, Azure.
• Experience implementing CI/CD pipelines, observability, and secure engineering practices.
• Track record of scaling teams and delivering in fast-paced, evolving environments.
• Experience working in or with startup / scale-up environments.
• Commercially aware, data-driven, and decisive.
• Shape and lead engineering at a strategic, group-wide level.
• Join a business investing heavily in digital transformation and innovation.
• Work in a high-impact leadership role with real autonomy.

You’re someone who:

• Thrives in ambiguity and change.
• Thinks like a founder, not just an operator.
• Balances technical depth with business impact.
• Leads from the front—comfortable being both strategic and hands-on.

If you're ready to take ownership of a large-scale engineering function while operating with the agility and mindset of a startup, this is a role worth exploring.

Competitive salary on offer, hybrid working with 2-3 days required in the office based in central London.