Overview
The Lead Software Engineer will oversee a team of approximately 10 software engineers within an established UK SaaS business, focusing on driving engineering excellence and improving delivery processes. This leadership role will involve strategic collaboration with senior stakeholders and ensuring the adoption of modern engineering practices in a cloud-based environment. The position is intended for a professional looking to make a significant impact on the engineering culture and technical direction of the organization.
Responsibilities
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of approximately 10 software engineers.
- Manage performance, career development, recruitment, and team growth.
- Improve and embed engineering best practices across the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
- Own engineering governance related to security, compliance, and data protection.
- Lead the migration of infrastructure to a public cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
- Partner with senior stakeholders to translate product strategy into engineering delivery.
- Drive the adoption of modern AI-assisted software development practices.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement and technical excellence.
Requirements
- Previous experience managing software engineering teams (ideally 5+ developers).
- Strong understanding of PHP (or NodeJS/Python), MySQL, and modern web application development.
- Experience implementing scalable engineering processes and delivery standards.
- Proven experience with cloud infrastructure and migration projects (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
- Knowledge of software security, GDPR, and compliance requirements.
- Ability to work closely with executive leadership and influence technical strategy.
- Interest in AI-driven software development and emerging engineering practices.
- Willingness to work from the Milton Keynes office at least four days per week.