Principal Software Engineer in Manchester

Principal Software Engineer in Manchester

Manchester Full-Time 54000 - 84000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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dcoded. | B Corp ™ pending

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead architectural direction and design resilient, cloud-native systems for a fintech platform.
  • Company: Join a leading UK fintech provider transforming digital customer journeys.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid work model, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of technology in finance and mentor the next generation of engineers.
  • Qualifications: Strong background in cloud systems, containerisation, and a passion for mentoring.
  • Other info: Dynamic environment with a focus on innovation and continuous improvement.

The predicted salary is between 54000 - 84000 £ per year.

We’re partnering with a dominant UK fintech platform provider. Their solution is enabling faster product launches, smarter decisions, and fully digital customer journeys, at scale. They are now looking to appoint a Principal Engineer to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of their platform and engineering culture.

This is a senior technical leadership role for someone who enjoys operating at system-wide level, influencing architecture, engineering standards, and long-term technical strategy. You’ll work across multiple product teams and domains, acting as a technical authority and multiplier, helping evolve a complex estate from legacy and on-prem foundations into resilient, modern, cloud-first platforms. You’ll partner closely with product, delivery, and engineering leadership to ensure technology choices are scalable, pragmatic, and aligned to commercial outcomes.

What You’ll Be Doing

  • Setting architectural direction across a large, multi-product B2B platform used by financial institutions at scale
  • Designing and evolving distributed, cloud-native systems with a strong focus on resilience, performance, and security
  • Leading cross-cutting technical initiatives that span teams, services, and domains
  • Defining and embedding best practices around APIs, cloud design, DevOps, and automation
  • Acting as a coach and mentor to senior engineers and technical leads, raising capability across the organisation
  • Driving consistency in patterns, tooling, and approach across services and codebases
  • Championing observability, continuous delivery, and “build it, run it” ownership
  • Proactively identifying systemic risks and improvement areas
  • Exploring and evaluating emerging technologies (including AI-enabled tooling) to improve productivity and platform efficiency
  • Contributing to improvements in engineering effectiveness

What We’re Looking For

  • A senior, hands-on technical leader with strong architectural judgement and delivery focus
  • Strong background in containerised environments (Docker, Kubernetes)
  • Experience with at least one high-performance language (e.g. Go)
  • Proven track record designing and evolving distributed, cloud-native systems
  • Solid understanding of API-first design, event-driven architectures, and microservices
  • Strong DevOps mindset ie CI/CD, infrastructure as code, automation by default
  • Comfortable influencing across teams without direct authority
  • A natural mentor who enjoys developing others and shaping engineering culture
  • Pragmatic and commercially aware — able to balance technical quality with business impact
  • Strong belief in operability, monitoring, and ownership from day one
  • Curiosity around how AI and modern tooling can enhance engineering outcomes

Principal Software Engineer in Manchester employer: dcoded. | B Corp ™ pending

As a Principal Software Engineer at our leading UK fintech platform provider in Manchester, you'll be part of a dynamic and innovative work culture that prioritises collaboration and continuous learning. We offer competitive benefits, including flexible hybrid working arrangements, and a strong focus on employee growth through mentorship and technical leadership opportunities. Join us to shape the future of our platform while enjoying the unique advantages of working in a thriving tech hub.
dcoded. | B Corp ™ pending

Contact Detail:

dcoded. | B Corp ™ pending Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Principal Software Engineer in Manchester

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the fintech space and let them know you're on the lookout for a Principal Software Engineer role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on opportunities or can refer you directly.

Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Attend meetups, webinars, or tech conferences related to cloud-native systems and DevOps. This not only helps you learn but also puts you in front of potential employers who value hands-on experience.

Tip Number 3

Don’t shy away from social media! Use platforms like LinkedIn to share your insights on architectural design and emerging technologies. Engaging with industry content can catch the eye of recruiters looking for someone with your expertise.

Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! We’ve got a range of exciting roles that could be perfect for you. Plus, applying directly shows your enthusiasm and commitment to joining our team in shaping the future of fintech.

We think you need these skills to ace Principal Software Engineer in Manchester

Architectural Judgement
Cloud-Native Systems Design
Containerised Environments (Docker, Kubernetes)
High-Performance Programming Languages (e.g. Go)
API-First Design
Event-Driven Architectures
Microservices
DevOps Mindset (CI/CD, Infrastructure as Code)
Automation
Technical Leadership
Mentoring and Coaching
Cross-Team Collaboration
Observability
Continuous Delivery
Emerging Technologies (AI-enabled Tooling)

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Principal Software Engineer role. Highlight your experience in cloud-native systems, containerised environments, and any leadership roles you've held. We want to see how you can shape our engineering culture!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about this role and how your background makes you the perfect fit. Don’t forget to mention your experience with APIs, DevOps, and mentoring others – we love a good story!

Showcase Your Technical Skills: In your application, be sure to highlight your technical expertise, especially in high-performance languages like Go and your experience with Docker and Kubernetes. We’re looking for someone who can influence architecture and drive technical initiatives, so let us know how you’ve done this in the past!

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 don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join our team at StudySmarter!

How to prepare for a job interview at dcoded. | B Corp ™ pending

Know Your Tech Inside Out

As a Principal Software Engineer, you’ll need to demonstrate your deep understanding of cloud-native systems and containerised environments. Brush up on your knowledge of Docker, Kubernetes, and high-performance languages like Go. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you've applied these technologies.

Showcase Your Leadership Skills

This role is all about influencing architecture and mentoring others. Prepare examples of how you've led cross-functional teams or initiatives in the past. Highlight your experience in coaching senior engineers and how you've contributed to shaping engineering culture.

Be Pragmatic and Commercially Aware

The company is looking for someone who can balance technical quality with business impact. Think about times when you've made decisions that positively affected both the tech stack and the bottom line. Be ready to discuss how you approach this balance in your work.

Stay Curious About Emerging Technologies

With a focus on AI-enabled tooling and modern practices, show your enthusiasm for exploring new technologies. Prepare to discuss any recent trends or tools you've evaluated and how they could enhance productivity or platform efficiency in a fintech context.

Principal Software Engineer in Manchester
dcoded. | B Corp ™ pending
Location: Manchester
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