At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic engineering team to build innovative payment solutions.
- Company: Exciting Series B fintech startup revolutionising real-time payments.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity options, hybrid work, and generous holiday allowance.
- Other info: Join a culture that values fast, safe releases and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Shape the future of payments while leading a talented engineering team.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in software engineering, with leadership experience in high-growth tech.
We are a Series B fintech startup on a mission to make real-time payments seamless, secure, and accessible for businesses of all sizes. We are building the next generation of payments infrastructure and we need exceptional engineering leadership to take us there.
We are looking for a Head of Engineering to lead our 40-person engineering organisation, set the technical vision, and partner closely with our CPO and CEO to drive product delivery. You will be expected to go deep when it matters while also operating at the strategic level bridging the gap between engineering execution and business outcomes.
- Own the engineering roadmap and translate business strategy into actionable technical plans.
- Lead, mentor, and grow a team of engineers across backend, frontend, platform, and data disciplines.
- Drive architectural decisions for our core payments platform, ensuring scalability, security, and regulatory compliance (PCI-DSS, PSD2, FCA).
- Partner with Product, Design, and Commercial teams to ship high-quality, customer-facing features on time.
- Establish and improve engineering processes, including delivery cadence, incident management, and on-call practices.
- Own technical hiring — build a world-class engineering culture that attracts and retains top talent.
- Define and track engineering KPIs: reliability, deployment frequency, lead time, and developer experience.
- Represent engineering at board level and with key investors and enterprise clients.
8+ years of software engineering experience, with at least 3 years in an engineering leadership role.
- Proven track record of leading and scaling engineering teams (20+ engineers) in a high-growth technology environment.
- Strong understanding of distributed systems, cloud-native architecture (AWS or GCP), and API design.
- Experience in financial services, payments, or highly regulated industries is a strong advantage.
- Experience running Agile/product-led engineering teams with a focus on outcomes over output.
- Experience with Kafka, Kubernetes, Go, or Python at scale.
- Exposure to security-first engineering practices and SOC 2 / ISO 27001 environments.
Competitive salary: £180,000 – £220,000 depending on experience. Meaningful equity package (EMI options). Hybrid working: 3 days in our London Bridge HQ, 2 days remote. £25 days holiday + bank holidays + your birthday off.
Engineering Principles: Ship iteratively: we favour fast, safe releases over big-bang deployments.
Engineering employer: Forsyth Barnes
As a leading fintech startup based in London, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic and inclusive work culture that empowers our employees to innovate and excel. With competitive salaries, meaningful equity packages, and a hybrid working model, we offer our engineering team the flexibility and support needed to thrive. Join us to lead a talented group of engineers in shaping the future of payments while enjoying ample opportunities for professional growth and development.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Engineering
✨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 opportunities. A personal recommendation can go a long way in landing that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! Attend industry meetups or webinars, and don’t be shy about sharing your insights. This not only builds your profile but also puts you on the radar of potential employers.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by diving deep into the company’s tech stack and recent projects. Being able to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs will set you apart from the competition.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always on the lookout for top talent, and applying directly can give you an edge. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team!
We think you need these skills to ace Engineering
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Head of Engineering. Highlight your experience in leading engineering teams, especially in fintech or payments, and showcase any relevant projects that demonstrate your ability to bridge technical and business strategies.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about real-time payments and how your leadership style aligns with our mission. Be sure to mention specific achievements that relate to the job description.
Showcase Your Technical Vision:In your application, don’t just list your skills—show us your vision for the engineering roadmap. Talk about how you would approach architectural decisions and what processes you’d implement to ensure scalability and security in our payments platform.
Apply Through Our Website:We love seeing applications come through our website! It helps us keep everything organised and ensures your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it’s super easy to do—just follow the prompts and let us know why you’re the perfect fit!
How to prepare for a job interview at Forsyth Barnes
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
As a Head of Engineering, you’ll need to demonstrate a deep understanding of distributed systems and cloud-native architecture. Brush up on your knowledge of AWS or GCP, and be ready to discuss how you've applied these technologies in past roles.
✨Showcase Leadership Experience
Highlight your experience in leading and scaling engineering teams. Be prepared to share specific examples of how you've mentored engineers and fostered a strong engineering culture, especially in high-growth environments.
✨Align with Business Goals
Make sure you can articulate how technical decisions impact business outcomes. Prepare to discuss how you've translated business strategies into actionable technical plans and how you’ve driven product delivery in previous roles.
✨Prepare for Cultural Fit
Cultural fit is key in a startup environment. Research the company’s values and be ready to discuss how your leadership style aligns with their mission to create seamless payment solutions. Show enthusiasm for building a world-class engineering team!
