Software Engineering Manager - PHP

Software Engineering Manager – PHP – up to £85K plus benefits (United Kingdom - Remote role)

Change Digital are delighted to be the exclusive recruitment partner for a leading global technology company as they continue to scale their engineering organisation across the UK.

Our client builds world-class software solutions used across Legal, Risk, Compliance, and HR functions—supporting 20,000+ organisations, including 30% of the Fortune 500, with over 500,000 users in 160+ countries. You'll be joining a highly collaborative, diverse and innovation-driven engineering culture that blends entrepreneurial agility with enterprise-level impact.

Software Engineering Manager – The Opportunity

This is a true Player-Coach position, ideal for a technically credible leader who enjoys shaping strategy while remaining hands-on. You will lead two core sprint teams (6 developers), drive technical excellence and champion engineering improvements across the product suite.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Strategy & Leadership

• Challenge inefficiencies and drive improvements across architecture, tooling, and delivery.
• Set and enforce engineering best practices in testing, security, and code quality.
• Contribute 30–40% hands-on coding to establish and exemplify high technical standards.
• Translate product goals into clear technical roadmaps and make decisive technical choices.
• Collaborate effectively with Product, DevOps, and other Engineering Leads to ensure platform alignment.

People Leadership & Delivery Management

• Line manage two sprint teams, including structured weekly 1:1s and career development planning.
• Mentor engineers, foster continuous learning, and provide constructive technical feedback.
• Optimise operational efficiency by identifying blockers and ensuring consistent sprint delivery.

Required Experience:

• 8+ years of professional software development with strong architectural experience.
• Strong backend expertise in PHP / Laravel and frontend skills in Angular / TypeScript.
• Ability to remain a high-performing developer while managing team responsibilities.
• Proven record of influencing engineering culture and driving process improvements.
• Deep understanding of Agile/Scrum, capacity planning, and delivery practices.

Nice to Have:

• Prior formal line management experience.
• Experience with large-scale, data-driven SaaS products.

Who You Are:

• A principled technical advocate who isn't afraid to challenge the status quo.
• A Player-Coach who thrives in both leadership and hands-on development.
• Someone who commands respect through technical depth and leads by example.

Interested?

As the exclusive recruitment partner, Change Digital are managing the full hiring process. This role is urgent in nature so please email your CV to mitesh.fatnani@change-digital.co.uk or call 077 375 38 248 for more information.