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- Tasks: Lead and mentor a small team of Ruby engineers while staying hands-on with development.
- Company: Fast-growing SaaS company with a global platform and collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Remote-first role, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team exploring AI tools to enhance engineering productivity.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on a long-standing Ruby on Rails platform and shape engineering culture.
- Qualifications: Strong Ruby on Rails experience and previous leadership or mentoring roles.
I’m working with a fast-growing, well-invested SaaS company that is looking for a Development Team Lead to join its product engineering team. The company provides a global SaaS platform used by more than 65,000 people across the UK, Europe, the US and APAC, helping organisations manage information security, privacy and regulatory compliance.
This is a player-manager role focused on leading and developing a small engineering team while still remaining hands-on technically. You’ll work closely alongside an experienced Tech Lead who drives technical architecture and platform direction, while you focus on helping the team deliver effectively, grow professionally and operate at a high level. The core product is a long-running Ruby on Rails platform with over 15 years of history. Some legacy patterns still exist, but the engineering team is actively modernising the platform in a pragmatic, sustainable way. They are looking for someone who enjoys building strong teams and engineering culture just as much as writing good software.
You’ll be joining a collaborative SME environment where engineering has genuine influence across the business and where leadership is expected to be practical, supportive and hands-on.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Leading, mentoring and supporting a small team of Ruby engineers
- Remaining hands-on with Ruby on Rails development where needed
- Working closely with the Tech Lead on delivery, planning and team direction
- Helping improve engineering processes, communication and team collaboration
- Supporting performance management, coaching and career development
- Contributing to architecture discussions and platform modernisation
- Helping the team work effectively with AI-assisted engineering tools
- Creating a positive, accountable and delivery-focused team culture
Tech Stack
The core stack includes Ruby on Rails, Ruby, MySQL, GitHub Actions, Cypress, Turbo, StimulusJS, Action Policy, RailsEventStore, DelayJob, New Relic, JIRA and Confluence. The engineering roadmap includes moving ERB toward Phlex, Solr toward ElasticSearch or OpenSearch, improving component separation and continuing to modernise the platform in a pragmatic way.
AI in Engineering
The company is actively exploring how AI can improve engineering productivity, quality and workflow. They are not looking for an AI specialist or machine learning engineer. They are looking for someone who is already using, or genuinely interested in using, tools such as GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, OpenAI Codex or similar in a thoughtful and practical way. You should have strong judgement around where AI adds value, where engineering discipline still matters, and how to help teams adopt these tools sensibly.
What We’re Looking For
- Strong commercial Ruby on Rails experience
- Previous experience mentoring, leading or managing engineers
- Comfortable balancing people leadership with hands-on engineering
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
- Experience working with mature or legacy codebases
- Ability to improve team processes and engineering culture
- Good understanding of delivery, prioritisation and team collaboration
- High emotional intelligence and a supportive leadership style
- Product awareness and pragmatic technical decision-making
- Positive attitude toward AI-assisted development and modern tooling
You do not need to come from a large enterprise background or have managed huge teams. This role would suit someone who enjoys helping engineers grow, improving team effectiveness and leading by example in a collaborative engineering environment.
Useful Experience
- Coaching or mentoring engineers
- Leading delivery within small product teams
- AI-assisted development workflows
- Agile delivery within SME SaaS businesses
Salary & Working Pattern
- Remote-first UK role
- Occasional company days in Brighton (Voluntary and Expensed)
- Full-time, permanent position
This is a great opportunity to join a growing SaaS business where you can have genuine influence on both the platform and the engineering team, helping shape how the company scales over the next few years.
Development Team Lead (Ruby on Rails) in Brighton employer: Avanti Recruitment
Contact Detail:
Avanti Recruitment Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Development Team Lead (Ruby on Rails) in Brighton
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the tech industry, especially those who might know about opportunities in SaaS companies. A personal recommendation can go a long way in landing that interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a GitHub profile or any projects showcasing your Ruby on Rails expertise, make sure to highlight them. Potential employers love to see what you can do beyond just a CV.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the technical interview by brushing up on your Ruby on Rails knowledge and understanding the company’s tech stack. Familiarise yourself with their legacy systems and modernisation efforts to show you’re genuinely interested.
✨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’re always looking for passionate individuals who want to make a difference in the engineering world.
We think you need these skills to ace Development Team Lead (Ruby on Rails) in Brighton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your Ruby on Rails experience and any leadership roles you've had. We want to see how you've led teams and contributed to engineering culture, so don’t hold back on those details!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to show us your personality and passion for the role. Share why you’re excited about leading a team and how you can contribute to our collaborative environment. Keep it genuine and engaging!
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t forget to mention your hands-on experience with the tech stack we use, especially Ruby on Rails. If you've worked with AI-assisted tools or modernisation projects, let us know how you’ve used them to improve processes.
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 this exciting opportunity. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Avanti Recruitment
✨Know Your Ruby on Rails Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your Ruby on Rails knowledge before the interview. Be prepared to discuss your experience with legacy codebases and how you've contributed to modernising platforms in the past. This will show that you understand the technical challenges and can lead a team effectively.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Since this role is about balancing hands-on engineering with people leadership, think of examples where you've successfully mentored or supported engineers. Highlight your emotional intelligence and how you foster a positive team culture. This will demonstrate that you're not just a techie but also a supportive leader.
✨Be Ready for AI Discussions
The company is keen on exploring AI-assisted development tools. Familiarise yourself with tools like GitHub Copilot and be ready to discuss how you've used or would like to use them in your workflow. Showing genuine interest in AI's role in engineering will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Prepare Questions About Team Dynamics
Think about what makes a successful engineering team and prepare questions that reflect your interest in team collaboration and process improvement. Asking insightful questions about their current challenges and how they envision the team's growth will show that you're serious about contributing to their success.