Software Technical Lead (London Area)

Technical Lead

London

Hybrid

Are you a Senior Developer with strong leadership skills and a passion for eCommerce innovation? Do you want to take ownership of technical direction while remaining hands-on with Shopify development? If so, this is the perfect opportunity for you!

About the Role

Our client is looking for their first in-house Technical Lead to lead and contribute to their Shopify development efforts. You will work closely with their small, primarily outsourced engineering team, ensuring they are delivering high-quality, well-architected, and efficient solutions.

In this role, you will not only write code but also act as a technical leader, ensuring the team:

• Delivers high-quality software efficiently—pragmatism is key!
• Produces well-thought-out designs and architectures—neither overcomplicated nor too simplistic.
• Remains focused on priorities and delivers within reasonable timeframes.
• Encounters minimal roadblocks and progresses smoothly.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape the technical direction of the eCommerce platform, including Shopify storefronts, themes, extensions, and supplementary non-Shopify applications (e.g., subscription management, headless commerce, etc.).

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership & Development

• Act as the lead developer for all Shopify-related projects, setting the technical vision and best practices.
• Design, develop, and maintain custom Shopify themes, storefronts, and apps using Liquid, JavaScript, and React.
• Work on Shopify Plus integrations with APIs (Storefront API, Admin API, GraphQL, Shopify Functions).
• Develop and maintain non-Shopify apps, including subscription management solutions and headless commerce setups.
• Write clean, scalable, and maintainable code that balances performance, security, and long-term sustainability.
• Work with relational and NoSQL databases, ensuring efficient data management.

Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Lead a small, outsourced engineering team, providing technical guidance, code reviews, and mentorship.
• Ensure the team follows best practices in architecture, coding, and DevOps.
• Drive technical decision-making, ensuring designs are neither over-engineered nor too simplistic.
• Set up and refine CI/CD pipelines, automated testing frameworks, and DevOps workflows.
• Manage task prioritization and sprint planning to maintain a strong focus on business goals.

Process Improvement & Collaboration

• Work closely with stakeholders, designers, and marketers to bring ideas to life.
• Advocate for eCommerce best practices, including performance optimization and conversion rate improvements.
• Stay up-to-date with Shopify ecosystem changes, new APIs, and emerging technologies.

Who We’re Looking For

• 10+ years of software development experience, with a strong focus on eCommerce technologies.
• Degree in Computer Science (or a related field).
• Extensive experience with Shopify development, including Liquid, Shopify Plus, Storefront API, Admin API, GraphQL, Shopify Functions, and third-party app integrations.
• Strong knowledge of HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, React, PHP, and AWS.
• Experience leading a small development team as a Tech Lead, mentoring engineers, and driving project success.
• Deep understanding of software design principles (SOLID, DRY, design patterns).
• Proficiency in SQL and NoSQL databases.
• Strong DevOps knowledge, including CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and deployment strategies.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with a pragmatic approach to software development.