At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire engineering teams while driving quality and delivery standards.
- Company: Established software products company evolving towards AI-enabled solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus, hybrid work model, and supportive culture.
- Other info: Fast interview process focused on culture fit and stakeholder alignment.
- Why this job: Join a trusted role with autonomy and make a real impact in tech leadership.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in leading engineering functions and exceptional people-first leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 110000 - 120000 £ per year.
Director of Engineering £110,000-£120,000 + Bonus | Hybrid (1-2 days per fortnight or month in Durham) Im working with an established software products company that is currently evolving towards an AI-enabled, platform-centric delivery model.
Theyre scaling up their engineering capability and looking for a key leader to join their team in the North East.
Why this role exists Theyre splitting out a combined leadership position to create a dedicated Director of Engineering.
The focus here is purely on people leadership, high delivery standards, and building talent density across the UK team while aligning closely with their US counterparts.
Why you should be interested If you love the "people side" of tech leadership and excel at keeping teams motivated through growth and change, this is a great fit.
Youll be stepping into a trusted role with high autonomy - no micromanagement here.
You get the backing of an international organisation, the pace of a growing business, and a sensible work-life balance with just 1-2 days in the office monthly depending where you live.
What you'll be doing Leading from the front: Managing multiple Engineering Managers, QA Testing Managers, and an overall team of ~30 internal staff plus contractors.
Driving delivery & quality: Ensuring cross-functional squads hit their goals deterministically, embedding quality engineering, test automation, and modern Dev Ops practices.
Deputising for executive leadership: Acting as a trusted second-in-command locally and stepping up to represent the UK team on a global stage.
Navigating change: Coaching teams through AI adoption, evolving ways of working, and managing dependencies across US and UK teams.
Managing operations: Taking ownership of workforce planning, engineering strategy, and overall budget allocation.
What they're looking for Proven experience leading sizeable engineering functions (ideally managing managers, multiple squads, and testing teams).
Exceptional people-first leadership with a knack for inspiring teams and navigating ambiguity.
Background managing software delivery within agile product environments.
Strong financial, budgeting, and workforce planning capability.
Experience collaborating with distributed or US-based teams is a major plus.
Nice to have A background in Saa S platforms or Ed Tech.
Experience integrating test automation and AI-assisted tools into delivery pipelines.
A strong grasp of modern cloud architectures and scaling platforms.
What's on offer Salary: Up to £120k base (with flexibility for exceptional experience) + company bonus.
Work pattern: Hybrid (typically1-2 days per fortnight or monthdepending on your location in Durham).
Culture: High support, high challenge, trusted environment with great work-life balance.
Interview process: Fast and focused (no technical testsjust conversation, culture fit, and stakeholder alignment).
Sound like a good fit? Drop me a message or send over your CV to start the conversation!
TPBN1_UKTJ
Director of Software Engineering in Durham employer: All The Top Bananas
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StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Director of Software Engineering in Durham
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at All The Top Bananas or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to All The Top Bananas.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like All The Top Bananas.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like All The Top Bananas that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Director of Software Engineering in Durham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at All The Top Bananas.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at All The Top Bananas and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at All The Top Bananas
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If All The Top Bananas uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
