At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the strategy to enhance developer experience and productivity using AI-powered tools.
- Company: Join Arbor Education, a forward-thinking tech company focused on innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 32 days holiday, wellness support, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with excellent career growth opportunities and a focus on wellbeing.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping the future of developer experience in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in developer productivity and strong technical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 110000 - 120000 £ per year.
Base pay range: £110,000 - £120,000. Location: Remote.
About the role
We are looking for an experienced and forward‑thinking Head of Developer Experience (DevEx) to join our Engineering team and help us define and lead the strategy to improve engineering productivity, developer experience, and adoption of AI‑powered tooling across Arbor's product and platform teams. The remit and focus of the role is to lead a team to design, implement, and own metrics‑driven approaches to productivity; drive process and tooling improvements; and introduce an Internal Developer Platform (IDP) to enable engineers to deliver value quickly, consistently, and with high quality. If you are a strong collaborator and a strategic thinker, this is the role for you.
Core responsibilities
- AI Tooling & Process Integration
- Lead the adoption of AI‑powered developer tools and embed AI‑assisted workflows into engineering processes, collaborating with Engineering Managers and Tech Leads.
- Identify, pilot, and scale AI tooling to improve productivity, velocity, and code quality across teams.
- Productivity Metrics & Continuous Improvement
- Define and implement productivity metrics; develop dashboards and regular reporting for leadership and teams.
- Design and execute strategies to systematically improve developer productivity and flow.
- Identify sources of developer waste and remove bottlenecks through automation, better tooling, and process re‑engineering.
- Developer Experience & Internal Platform
- Own the strategy and implementation of our Internal Developer Platform (IDP), likely Atlassian Compass, to provide self‑service tooling, templates, and documentation for engineers.
- Develop and maintain a service catalogue within the IDP in partnership with the platform team.
- Build and maintain templates, frameworks, and tools for rapid, consistent bootstrapping of new services and components.
- Utilise the Atlassian platform to provide joined up developer experiences.
- Support the integration of all product teams into a single platform.
- Collaboration & Leadership
- Partner closely with Platform Engineering to deliver foundational changes, before growing an autonomous DevX function.
- Advocate for a culture of continuous improvement, sharing best practices internally and externally.
- Over time, hire and lead a small team of Developer Experience (DevX) specialists.
Requirements
- Significant experience leading developer productivity, Developer Experience (DevX), or Platform Engineering initiatives in a SaaS environment.
- Proven expertise with Internal Developer Platforms (e.g., Atlassian Compass, Backstage, or similar) and experience implementing/operating IDPs at scale.
- Deep familiarity with developer productivity metrics (DORA, SPACE, custom frameworks) and using them to drive change.
- Demonstrable track record of introducing and scaling AI‑assisted tooling within engineering workflows.
- Experience designing and delivering templates, developer tooling, and service catalogues.
- Strong technical background in software engineering (hands‑on coding experience required).
- Proven ability to influence and lead cross‑functional teams without direct authority.
- SQL/BI experience (ideally with platforms like Snowflake) to query metrics and data.
Bonus skills
- Prior experience in EdTech or other regulated SaaS environments.
- Experience leading or managing small technical teams.
- Familiarity with modern DevOps, CI/CD, and cloud‑native patterns (AWS preferred).
- Track record of driving change in organisations scaling from legacy processes to modern DevEx platforms.
Benefits
- A dedicated wellbeing team who champion initiatives such as mindfulness, lunch n learns, manager training, mental health first aid training and much more!
- 32 days holiday (plus Bank Holidays). This is made up of 25 days annual leave plus 7 extra company wide days given over Easter, Summer & Christmas.
- Life Assurance paid out at 3x annual salary.
- Comprehensive wellness benefit provided by AIG Smart Health, which provides a 24/7 virtual GP service, Mental health support, Counselling, and personalised Health Checks.
- Private Dental Insurance with Bupa.
- Salary sacrifice Pension provided by Scottish Widows.
- Enhanced maternity and adoption leave (20 weeks full pay) and paternity (6 weeks full pay) pay.
- 5 free return to work maternity coaching sessions, helping you adapt to this new exciting time of life!
- Access to services such as Calm and Bippit (financial wellbeing coaching).
- All of our roles champion flexible working and we are happy to discuss what this means to you.
- Social committees that plan team, office and company wide events to bring people together and celebrate success.
- Dedicated professional development training budget (CPD courses, upskilling resources, professional memberships etc).
- Volunteer with a charity of your choice for a day each year.
- Dog friendly offices!
Interview process
- Phone screen
- 1st stage
- 2nd stage
Equal Opportunities
Arbor Education is an equal opportunities organisation. Our goal is for Arbor to be a workplace which represents, celebrates and supports people from all backgrounds, and which gives them the tools they need to thrive – whatever their ambitions may be. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.
Refer a Friend
Know someone else who would be good for this role? You can refer a friend, family member or colleague. If they are offered a role with Arbor, we will say thank you with a voucher valued up to £200! Simply email: careers@arbor-education.com.
We are unable to provide visa sponsorship at this time.
Head of Developer Experience (DevEx) employer: Arbor Education
At Arbor, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions a healthy work-life balance and fosters a supportive, collaborative culture. Our remote working environment allows for flexibility while providing ample opportunities for professional growth and development, ensuring our team members are not only challenged but also fulfilled in their roles. Join us in our mission to create happier working lives for educators, where your contributions directly impact the future of education.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Developer Experience (DevEx)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, especially those who work at Arbor or similar companies. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about the role and even a referral!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into Arbor's products and culture. Show us you’re not just another candidate; demonstrate how your experience aligns with our mission to enhance developer experience.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your past experiences have prepared you for this role. Highlight your successes in leading developer productivity and implementing AI tools.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Developer Experience (DevEx)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Developer Experience:When writing your application, let us see your enthusiasm for improving developer experience. Share specific examples of how you've enhanced productivity or implemented tools in previous roles. We love to see candidates who are genuinely excited about making a difference!
Be Metrics-Driven:Since this role is all about metrics and continuous improvement, make sure to highlight your experience with productivity metrics. Talk about how you've used data to drive change and improve processes. Numbers speak volumes, so don’t shy away from sharing your successes!
Tailor Your Application:Take the time to customise your application for this role. Use the job description as a guide and align your skills and experiences with what we’re looking for. This shows us that you’ve done your homework and are serious about joining our team.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it makes the process smoother for everyone involved!
How to prepare for a job interview at Arbor Education
✨Know Your Metrics
As a candidate for the Head of Developer Experience, you should be well-versed in productivity metrics like DORA and SPACE. Prepare to discuss how you've used these metrics to drive change in previous roles, and think about specific examples where you've identified bottlenecks and improved developer flow.
✨Showcase Your AI Tooling Experience
Since the role involves leading the adoption of AI-powered tools, come ready with examples of how you've successfully integrated AI into engineering workflows. Be prepared to discuss the challenges you faced and how you overcame them, as well as the impact on productivity and code quality.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Skills
This position requires strong collaboration with cross-functional teams. Think of instances where you've partnered with other departments, like Platform Engineering, to implement changes. Highlight your ability to influence without direct authority and how you fostered a culture of continuous improvement.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Given the technical nature of this role, brush up on your software engineering knowledge and be ready to discuss hands-on coding experiences. You might be asked about your familiarity with tools like Atlassian Compass or Backstage, so have specific examples of how you've used these platforms in past projects.
