Technical Lead - Software

A well-established group is expanding its in-house engineering capability and is seeking a Technical Lead to lead a small, growing team.
This is a hands-on position. You will be actively involved in the codebase rather than overseeing from a distance. Expect approximately 60% development and 40% leadership responsibilities, with a gradual shift towards more leadership as the team grows.
The Role
Development and support are being brought in-house from an external partner, so you will join at a pivotal stage where the technical direction is being established rather than inherited. You will lead a team of four, expanding to six, taking ownership of the platform transition and bringing domain knowledge in-house.
In addition to delivery, you will be responsible for architecture and strategic technical decisions, conduct code reviews, and establish the standards guiding the team's work. There is a significant infrastructure element, currently weighted around 70/30 towards infrastructure and DevSecOps, as these capabilities transition in-house.
You will report directly to the Head of Development and Architecture, with the wider leadership team reporting to the CFO. Decision-making is swift, with minimal bureaucracy above you.
What We Are Looking For
- Strong commercial experience in Java, with at least three years working on high-volume applications
- Minimum three years' experience leading or mentoring engineers, with demonstrable examples of team development and growth
- Ownership of architecture and strategic technical decisions from start to finish
- Experience with infrastructure alongside software: cloud servers, containerisation, and a solid understanding of DevSecOps principles
- Familiarity with TypeScript, Node.js, GraphQL, and PostgreSQL within the platform stack
- Proven ability to lead through challenging delivery scenarios, such as failed releases, inherited technical debt, or complex migrations
- Excellent communication skills, able to explain technical decisions to non-technical stakeholders and link them to commercial outcomes
Desirable Skills
- Relevant cloud certifications
- Experience with Terraform, Docker, and integration tooling
- Awareness of ISO 27001 or exposure to recognised security frameworks
- Experience with headless commerce, Next.js, or modern CMS platforms
- Comfortable with AI-assisted development and able to articulate the code you deliver
What We Offer
An influential leadership role with genuine ownership, the opportunity to build and grow a team, and a leadership group that makes decisions swiftly. Salary is competitive and flexible, dependent on experience.
The recruitment process consists of two interview stages and will progress promptly.