Head of Software Development

Head of Software Development

• Location: UK (Hybrid) - 3 days a week onsite 
• Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

An excellent, exciting new permanent position has become available for a growing Financial SaaS, Capital Markets company looking to hire an exceptional Head of Software Development to lead their software engineering organisation and serve as a key member of the senior leadership team. This strategic role combines deep technical leadership with people management and offshore team coordination, offering a clear pathway to Deputy CTO.

The successful candidate will own the end-to-end software delivery lifecycle, drive engineering excellence, and be instrumental in shaping their technology vision.

Day-to-Day of the Role:

• Strategic Leadership: Define and drive the software development strategy in alignment with business objectives. Lead architecture decisions, platform selection, and long-term scalability planning.
• Engineering Delivery: Own end-to-end software delivery across all product lines and platforms, including hands-on Java development. Establish and continuously improve engineering processes, CI/CD pipelines, and quality standards.
• Offshore Team Management: Lead, manage, and grow a distributed offshore development team. Build robust communication frameworks that bridge onshore and offshore teams.
• People & Culture: Hire, retain, and develop a world-class engineering team. Build an inclusive, high-performance engineering culture.
• Deputy CTO Responsibilities: Act as CTO in their absence, representing the technology function at the executive level. Lead cross-functional technology governance, security, and compliance initiatives.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• 10+ years in Java software development, with at least 5 years in leadership roles.
• Proven track record managing offshore/distributed teams.
• Strong background in full-stack or platform engineering.
• Experience in Capital Markets.
• Proficiency in Agile, DevOps, and cloud-native practices.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to operate at both strategic and hands-on levels.

Desirable:

• Previous VP Engineering experience.
• Experience in a scale-up or high-growth environment.
• Knowledge of AI/ML integration in product development.
• Familiarity with SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR compliance.
• Background in SaaS, fintech, or enterprise software.
• Experience customising Trading Systems (e.g., Calypso).
• Advanced degree in Computer Science or related field.

Benefits:

• Competitive base salary with performance-related bonus.
• Equity Options package commensurate with seniority.
• Clear and supported progression path to Deputy CTO.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (3 days a week onsite).
• Generous professional development and conference budget.
• Private healthcare, pension, life assurance, and critical illness insurance.
• A leadership team that values engineering as a core business differentiator.

To apply for the Head of Software Development position, please submit your CV to be considered immediately.