At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic engineering team to revolutionise real-time payments.
- Company: Join a fast-growing fintech startup on an exciting mission.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity options, hybrid work, and generous holiday.
- Other info: Be part of a culture that values fast, safe releases and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the fintech space with innovative technology.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in software engineering, with leadership experience in 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.
Requirements:
- 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 in London employer: Forsyth Barnes
As a Series B 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 a strong focus on professional growth, we offer exceptional mentorship opportunities and a competitive benefits package, including meaningful equity options and a hybrid working model that promotes work-life balance. Join us to lead a talented engineering team in shaping the future of payments while enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of London.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Engineering in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the fintech space, especially those who might know someone at our company. A personal introduction can make all the difference in getting your foot in the door.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your expertise! Prepare to discuss your past projects and how they relate to our mission of seamless payments. We love seeing candidates who can connect their experience to what we do.
✨Tip Number 3
Be ready for a deep dive! In interviews, we might ask you to tackle some technical challenges or case studies. Brush up on your problem-solving skills and be prepared to showcase your thought process.
✨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 our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Engineering in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with our Head of Engineering role. Highlight your leadership experience, especially in scaling engineering teams and driving technical vision.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you're passionate about fintech and how your background makes you the perfect fit for our mission. Be sure to mention any relevant experience with payments or regulated industries.
Showcase Your Technical Expertise:In your application, don’t shy away from discussing your technical skills. We want to see your understanding of distributed systems, cloud-native architecture, and any experience with tools like Kafka or Kubernetes.
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 to lead our engineering team!
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 leading and scaling engineering teams. Be prepared to share specific examples of how you've mentored engineers and fostered a strong engineering culture. This is your chance to show how you can bridge the gap between technical execution and business outcomes.
✨Understand the Business Side
Since this role involves partnering closely with the CPO and CEO, it’s crucial to understand how engineering decisions impact business strategy. Prepare to discuss how you've translated business goals into actionable technical plans in previous positions.
✨Prepare for Cultural Fit Questions
Cultural fit is key in a startup environment. Be ready to discuss how you would contribute to building a world-class engineering culture. Think about your approach to hiring and retaining top talent, and how you can help establish effective engineering processes.
