London | Up to £200,000 Base + Bonus + Benefits
Global Payments Technology
I'm partnering with a global payments technology business to appoint an exceptional Global Head / VP of Platform Engineering to lead the next evolution of its engineering infrastructure and developer platform.
This is a strategic leadership opportunity, reporting directly to the CTO, with responsibility for a globally distributed Platform Engineering organisation of approximately 30 engineers, supporting 100+ Product Engineers.
The Mission
The business is embarking on a significant technology transformation, with ambitions to enable AI-native software engineering and agentic development workflows at scale.
However, achieving this requires more than simply introducing AI tools.
It requires a modern, scalable and highly automated Platform Engineering function capable of supporting how engineering teams will build, test, deploy and operate software in the future.
We're looking for a technically credible, commercially aware engineering leader who can build the Platform foundations that make this transformation possible.
What You'll Be Responsible For
- Platform Strategy & Transformation – Evolve Platform Engineering from a predominantly operational function into a strategic, product-led capability that accelerates engineering delivery.
- AI-Ready Infrastructure – Define and deliver the infrastructure, tooling and Platform capabilities needed to securely enable AI-assisted development and agentic engineering workflows.
- Developer Experience (DevEx) – Build and improve Internal Developer Platforms, self-service infrastructure, automated provisioning and developer tooling.
- CI/CD & Engineering Productivity – Modernise software delivery pipelines, reduce manual processes and improve deployment speed, reliability and engineering autonomy.
- Cloud-Native Architecture – Lead the evolution of AWS, Kubernetes, infrastructure automation, observability and scalable engineering platforms.
- Global Engineering Leadership – Lead, develop and optimise a distributed Platform Engineering organisation, driving technical excellence, accountability and meaningful organisational change.
- Executive Partnership – Work closely with the CTO and wider technology leadership team to align Platform strategy with business priorities and long-term engineering ambitions.
Who We're Looking For
We're particularly interested in senior engineering leaders who can demonstrate:
- Significant leadership experience across Platform Engineering, Developer Infrastructure, Cloud Platforms or Engineering Enablement.
- Deep technical expertise in modern cloud-native infrastructure, Kubernetes, AWS, CI/CD and Platform architecture.
- A proven track record of transforming Platform Engineering into a scalable, self-service, product-oriented function.
- Experience building infrastructure and developer capabilities that support advanced automation, AI-assisted engineering or agentic workflows.
- Strong architectural judgement, with the credibility to challenge technical decisions and guide senior engineers.
- Experience leading globally distributed engineering teams and delivering complex technical and organisational change.
- The ability to operate strategically at executive level while remaining sufficiently close to the technology.
Payments, FinTech or regulated-industry experience would be advantageous, but we're equally interested in exceptional Platform leaders from other complex technology environments.
Importantly, you don't need to have led an organization-wide AI transformation. We're looking for someone who understands how to build the underlying Platform and infrastructure capabilities that enable one.
The Opportunity
- Base salary up to £200,000 + bonus + benefits
- Direct engagement with the CTO and senior leadership team
- Opportunity to shape the next generation of Platform Engineering and AI-enabled software delivery
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Global Head / VP of Platform Engineering employer: Gravitas Recruitment Group (Global) Ltd
As a leading institution in Higher Education, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and innovative work culture that empowers our employees to thrive. With a focus on professional development and growth opportunities, our team members are supported in their career journeys while contributing to meaningful projects that impact students' lives. Located in a dynamic environment, this role offers the unique advantage of predominantly remote work, allowing for flexibility and work-life balance during a pivotal time of change.
Contact Details:
Gravitas Recruitment Group (Global) Ltd Recruitment Team
