Head of Software Engineering

Head of Software Engineering

Join a dynamic and fast-growing leader in the retail industry, renowned for its expansive multi-channel presence and commitment to innovation. This company is on a journey of technological transformation, seeking a visionary Head of Engineering to drive the next phase of growth. This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned engineering professional to shape the future of technology within a thriving, fast-paced environment, and to progress toward a CTO role. This role is a Hybrid position and requires two days a week in Central London.

The Role

As the Head of Engineering, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and executing the technology strategy for the business. You will oversee all aspects of software engineering and quality assurance across multiple sites & third parties, ensuring that technology solutions are not only robust and scalable but also aligned with the company's ambitious growth objectives.

The essential candidate will have substantial experience in the commerce sector, ideally within large enterprise environments. Your expertise in evaluating "buy vs. build" technology models will be crucial as you guide the company in making decisions that are both cost-effective and future-proof. This is a role for an experienced Head of Engineering looking to grow further in their role with an amazing brand.

Key Responsibilities

Technology Strategy Development

Collaborate with senior stakeholders to define the technology strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives and future growth plans. Present and defend this strategy to Senior stakeholders. You must have experience of this.

Buy vs. Build Decisions

Assess the need for custom-built applications versus off-the-shelf solutions, ensuring decisions are made that balance innovation, cost, and scalability.

Technical Sustainability

Drive the implementation of a composable architecture, ensuring that the technology stack is flexible and adaptable to the evolving needs of the business.

Team Leadership & Development

Manage, mentor, and grow a high-performing engineering team. You will be responsible for setting up the team structure, defining operating models, and crafting a strategic hiring plan to meet future needs. All of this whilst working with third party suppliers.

Operational Excellence

Oversee the day-to-day operations of the software engineering and QA teams, ensuring seamless delivery of technology solutions while maintaining high standards of quality and efficiency.

Stakeholder Management

Engage with senior stakeholders across the business, providing clear communication and ensuring that technology initiatives are understood, valued, and supported.

Budgeting & Resource Allocation

Plan and manage the technology budget in software engineering, making strategic decisions on resource allocation to maximise return on investment.

The ideal candidate

Experience

Extensive experience in the commerce sector, particularly within large enterprise environments with multi-channel operations as a Head of Engineering or equivalent. The ideal candidate will be keen to hit the ground running.

Strategic Vision

Proven track record of developing and implementing technology strategies that drive business growth and innovation.

Leadership

Strong people management skills, with experience in structuring and growing high-performing engineering teams.

Technical Acumen

Deep understanding of modern software engineering practices, including custom-built applications, composable architectures, and the latest technology trends.

Stakeholder Engagement

Experience presenting technology strategies to senior leadership and the board, with the ability to communicate complex concepts in a clear and compelling manner.

Adaptability

Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with a strong sense of urgency and the ability to navigate and drive change.

This is a rare opportunity to join a forward-thinking retail leader at a critical stage of its technological evolution. As Head of Engineering, you will have the autonomy to shape the future of the company’s technology landscape. For the right candidate, this role offers a clear path of progression, with the chance to leave a lasting impact on a major player in the retail sector.

For more info - hit apply or reach out to Sam Allen at Digital Gurus.