At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead UI engineering teams and shape the frontend architecture of our eCommerce platform.
- Company: Join Farnell, a global leader in technology distribution with a supportive culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible working, gym access, and generous holiday allowance.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for career growth and continuous learning.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on cutting-edge projects while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Expertise in React.js, Node.js, and experience managing frontend teams required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
The UI Engineering Manager is a hands-on technical leader responsible for the frontend architecture, performance, security, and evolution of the Farnell eCommerce platform. This role combines deep expertise in modern Single Page Applications (SPAs) with people leadership, architectural influence, and cross‑functional collaboration.
The successful candidate will act as both a technical authority and engineering manager, guiding the UI engineering teams while shaping the long‑term frontend technology strategy. A key focus will be ensuring the Farnell website remains secure, highly performant, scalable, and aligned with modern SPA architectural best practices.
What's in it for you?
- A supportive team environment where everyone really is working toward the same goal.
- A strong open-door policy within management.
- An environment where you will be given the tools and opportunities to further your career.
- Pension scheme (Matched up to 8%).
- Simply Health Medical Plan.
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays with option to buy additional holiday.
- FREE Onsite Parking & FREE Onsite Gym.
- Flexible hybrid working.
- Cycle to work Scheme.
- EV Electric Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme.
- Discount and retailer reward schemes.
What will you be doing?
- Technical Leadership & Architecture: Act as the technical authority for front‑end engineering, with expert knowledge of SPA architectures, React.js, and Node.js. Own and evolve the frontend technology stack, setting standards for frameworks, libraries, build pipelines, and tooling. Guide architectural decisions to ensure the platform keeps pace with emerging frontend technologies, patterns, and industry best practices. Analyse existing UI codebases and architectural solutions, identifying risks, technical debt, and opportunities for improvement. Produce clear technical recommendations, designs, and roadmaps to improve platform quality, maintainability, and delivery efficiency.
- Performance, Security & Quality: Ensure the Farnell eCommerce website is secure, resilient, and performant at scale. Demonstrate deep expertise in browser render paths and critical rendering optimisation. Core performance metrics including TTFB, TTFP, TTI, and overall page responsiveness. Caching strategies and complexities inherent in SPA‑based architectures. Drive performance optimisation initiatives across rendering, networking, asset delivery, and runtime behaviour. Embed performance and security considerations into development standards, CI/CD pipelines, and code review processes.
- Engineering Methods & Delivery: Define and continuously improve frontend engineering methods, processes, and ways of working. Promote best practices in code quality, testability, observability, and maintainability. Partner with Product, Platform, and Architecture teams to ensure UI solutions align with wider business and technical strategy. Influence delivery planning and prioritisation with a strong focus on technical excellence and long‑term sustainability.
- People Management & Team Leadership: Provide line management for the UI Developer teams, including coaching, mentoring, performance management, and career development. Create a culture of engineering ownership, continuous improvement, and technical excellence. Support team members in developing modern frontend skills and strong engineering judgement. Encourage self‑learning, experimentation, and knowledge sharing across teams.
- Communication & Stakeholder Engagement: Demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills, capable of clearly articulating complex technical concepts to varied audiences. Work closely with Global Architects and senior technical stakeholders, contributing to cross‑domain architectural discussions. Produce concise, high‑quality architectural documentation, proposals, and technical decision records.
What about you?
Essential:
- Significant hands‑on experience building and evolving large‑scale SPAs in production environments.
- Expert knowledge of React.js and Node.js, including modern patterns, tooling, and ecosystem best practices.
- Deep understanding of browser internals, render pipelines, and performance tuning.
- Proven experience optimising SPA performance metrics such as TTFB, TTFP, and TTI.
- Strong grasp of SPA caching strategies, including trade‑offs across client, edge, and server layers.
- Demonstrable experience analysing existing systems and successfully driving architectural and process improvements.
- Experience leading and managing frontend engineering teams.
Desirable:
- Experience working on high‑traffic, customer‑facing eCommerce platforms.
- Familiarity with micro‑frontend or modular frontend architectures.
- Experience collaborating in globally distributed engineering environments.
Personal Attributes:
- Highly self‑motivated, with a strong track record of continuous self‑learning in frontend technologies.
- Pragmatic and analytical, able to balance technical ambition with delivery realities.
- Confident technical leader who can challenge constructively and influence without authority.
- Strong sense of accountability for both technical outcomes and people development.
If you are interested in applying for this role, then APPLY NOW.
UI Engineering Manager in Leeds employer: Avnet
Farnell, an Avnet company, is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and supportive work environment in Leeds, where innovation thrives. With a strong focus on employee development, competitive benefits including a pension scheme, health plans, and flexible working arrangements, Farnell empowers its team to excel in their careers while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The culture encourages continuous learning and technical excellence, making it an ideal place for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the tech industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land UI Engineering Manager in Leeds
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the tech industry, especially those who work at Farnell or similar companies. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your technical skills. Since this role is all about UI engineering, make sure you can confidently discuss React.js, Node.js, and SPA architectures. Practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! Be ready to share examples of how you've successfully managed teams and driven architectural improvements in past roles. Farnell values strong people management, so highlight your coaching and mentoring experiences.
✨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, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining the Farnell team.
We think you need these skills to ace UI Engineering Manager in Leeds
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience with SPAs, React.js, and Node.js. We want to see how your skills align with the role of UI Engineering Manager, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant projects!
Show Your Leadership Skills:Since this role involves managing teams, it’s crucial to demonstrate your leadership experience. Share examples of how you've coached or mentored others in frontend development, and how you’ve driven architectural improvements in past projects.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, clarity is key! Use straightforward language to explain your technical expertise and achievements. We appreciate well-structured applications that make it easy for us to see your qualifications at a glance.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s the quickest way for us to receive your application and start the review process, so don’t miss out!
How to prepare for a job interview at Avnet
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of React.js and Node.js. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with SPAs and how you've tackled performance optimisation in the past. This role is all about technical authority, so showing off your expertise will definitely impress.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led teams in the past. Think about times when you coached or mentored team members, and be ready to discuss how you foster a culture of continuous improvement. Farnell is looking for someone who can inspire and guide their UI engineering teams.
✨Communicate Clearly
Practice articulating complex technical concepts in simple terms. You’ll need to engage with various stakeholders, so being able to convey your ideas clearly is crucial. Consider preparing a few key points about architectural decisions you've made and how they benefited your previous projects.
✨Understand the Business Context
Familiarise yourself with Farnell's eCommerce platform and its challenges. Think about how your technical decisions can align with business goals. Showing that you understand the bigger picture will demonstrate your strategic thinking and make you stand out as a candidate.
