At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering teams to deliver innovative data-centric products and drive modern engineering practices.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking tech company focused on sustainability and innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid work options, annual bonus, and generous leave.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a leadership role while shaping the future of technology.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in data engineering with leadership experience and Azure expertise.
The predicted salary is between 95000 - 110000 £ per year.
The Head of Engineering leads multiple product engineering squads, leveraging both UK engineering resources and RecoTek (Reconomy’s near-shore technology scaling hub based in Bucharest), focused on delivering innovative data-centric products for Valpak and the wider Reconomy business.
Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer (Comply) and being an active member of the Comply Technology Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the Head of Engineering is responsible for all Valpak engineering operations and for the establishment of common engineering standards, modern and secure development practices, and platform capabilities across the Comply division and the wider Reconomy organisation.
This senior leadership role will be responsible for defining and driving the delivery of a modern data platform for Valpak and Comply, contributing to and aligning with the wider Reconomy Data Strategy; using Azure Cloud technologies, overseeing the development of data infrastructure, data pipelines, and data products with a strong emphasis on security, scalability, governance, and business impact.
The Head of Engineering will be a Technology Business Partner for Valpak, accountable not only for the data platform but also for multiple line of business software applications, operational systems including Dynamics 365 CRM, and upgrade projects to migrate legacy applications to modern Azure PaaS infrastructure.
Key Responsibilities- Engineering Leadership
- Lead and own all software engineering delivery for Valpak, reporting to the CTO (Comply).
- Act as Valpak’s senior software engineering leader, supporting strategic initiatives and bids.
- Lead, mentor and develop Tech Leads and product engineering squads.
- Build a high-performance engineering culture aligned to Reconomy standards.
- Drive recruitment, retention and development of engineering talent, leveraging near-shore capability.
- Engineering Strategy
- Define and deliver Valpak’s engineering strategy aligned to Comply and Reconomy objectives.
- Own and maintain a multi-year technology roadmap.
- Ensure technology investments enable scalability, efficiency and innovation.
- Continuously evolve strategy in line with market and technology trends.
- Engineering Excellence
- Establish and uphold engineering, architectural and coding standards.
- Embed modern development practices including DevOps, CI/CD and automation.
- Improve delivery speed, quality and productivity through standardised tooling and AI.
- Ensure consistency and maintainability across all software products.
- Data Strategy
- Define and deliver a multi-year data strategy aligned to Reconomy’s Data Strategy.
- Support enterprise data architecture, governance, security and quality standards.
- Implement a Data as a Product approach, enabling reuse and potential monetisation of data assets.
- Data Engineering & Platforms
- Set data engineering standards and governance across Valpak.
- Enable trusted self-service analytics via Reconomy’s Datastream platform.
- Oversee the design, optimisation and scalability of Azure-based data platforms.
- Quality Assurance
- Implement Reconomy’s engineering quality strategy, standards and testing frameworks.
- Enforce quality gates across the full development lifecycle.
- Champion a culture of shared ownership for quality and continuous improvement.
- Provide assurance on product quality, release readiness and risk.
- Cloud Engineering & Platform Operations
- Implement Reconomy’s cloud strategy across Valpak systems.
- Embed modern DevSecFinOps and shift-left ownership within engineering teams.
- Ensure cloud platforms are secure, resilient, scalable and cost-optimised.
- Drive automation and infrastructure-as-code adoption.
- Delivery Enablement, AI Agentic Coding & Productivity
- Drive adoption of agentic AI across the software development lifecycle.
- Ensure AI-assisted development is safe, secure and aligned to engineering standards.
- Track and improve engineering performance metrics and delivery predictability.
- Valpak Technology Business Partner
- Act as the Technology Business Partner for Valpak senior leadership.
- Align engineering delivery with business priorities and growth objectives.
- Communicate strategy, progress and outcomes to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Lead resourcing, prioritisation and delivery of high-impact initiatives.
- Risk, Security & Resilience
- Ensure compliance with enterprise security, resilience and ISO27001 requirements.
- Embed secure-by-design principles into engineering practices.
- Support operational resilience through robust system and reliability engineering.
- Partner with security and infrastructure teams to manage and mitigate risk.
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science or a related field.
- 10+ years of experience in data engineering, with at least 4–5 years in a leadership or managerial role and experience of managing multiple teams.
- Expertise in building and scaling data platforms, with a strong focus on Azure Cloud technologies (e.g., Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse, Azure Data Lake, Azure SQL Database, Databricks, Apache Spark).
- Proven experience leading the implementation of data platform strategies and managing large-scale data infrastructure initiatives using Azure.
- Demonstrated experience implementing modern engineering practices such as DevOps, CI/CD, automated testing, and platform engineering.
- Experience building and scaling cloud-native platforms in large enterprises.
- Strong background in enterprise architecture, integration patterns, and API-driven architectures.
- Experience operating within complex organisational structures, balancing centralised technology governance with business unit autonomy.
- Experience leading distributed engineering teams, including offshore or near-shore development centres.
- Experience managing major technology transformation or modernisation initiatives.
- Dual Location / Hybrid worker Status
- Participation in our annual Incentive Plan (VIP) - up to 15% bonus
- 25 days annual leave plus
Head of Engineering employer: Advanced Supply Chain Group
Contact Detail:
Advanced Supply Chain Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Engineering
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage on platforms like LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their products and services, especially those related to data engineering and Azure technologies. This will help you tailor your responses and show you're genuinely interested.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your technical skills! Brush up on relevant tools and technologies, especially those mentioned in the job description. Consider mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to get comfortable with technical questions.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step to connect with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Engineering
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Head of Engineering role. Highlight your experience with Azure Cloud technologies and leadership in data engineering, as these are key aspects of the job.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: We want to see how you've led teams and driven engineering excellence in your previous roles. Share specific examples of how you've built high-performance cultures and mentored tech leads.
Emphasise Your Strategic Thinking: This role is all about aligning engineering strategies with business objectives. Be sure to mention any experience you have in defining technology roadmaps or implementing data strategies that drove business impact.
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensure you’re considered for this exciting opportunity.
How to prepare for a job interview at Advanced Supply Chain Group
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in Azure Cloud technologies and data engineering principles. Brush up on your knowledge of Azure Data Factory, Synapse, and other relevant tools. Being able to discuss these in detail will show that you’re not just familiar with the tech but can lead teams effectively.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led engineering teams and driven successful projects. Think about specific challenges you faced and how you overcame them. This role is all about leadership, so demonstrating your ability to mentor and develop talent will be key.
✨Align with Company Goals
Understand Reconomy’s objectives and how the Head of Engineering role fits into their broader strategy. Be ready to discuss how you can contribute to their goals, especially around scalability, efficiency, and innovation. This shows you’re not just looking for a job, but are genuinely interested in their mission.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect to face scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and decision-making process. Think through potential challenges related to data governance, security, and cloud operations, and be ready to articulate your approach to tackling these issues.