At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead enterprise application engineering and drive continuous improvement across key platforms.
- Company: Join Hastings Group, a forward-thinking company focused on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, flexible working, and comprehensive health benefits.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team with excellent career growth opportunities and a focus on wellbeing.
- Why this job: Shape the future of technology while making a real impact on customer and colleague experiences.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in enterprise applications and strong knowledge of Microsoft 365 and HR & Finance platforms.
The predicted salary is between 30414 - 36989 £ per year.
Overview
As the Head of Enterprise Application Engineering you will be part of the CIO Technology Engineering senior leadership team.
You will lead the engineering, integration, configuration and continuous improvement of enterprise applications spanning Modern Workplace, Contact Centre, and HR & Finance platforms.
You will act as the technology lead maintaining guardrails for safe and secure development and deployment, working with stakeholders including CIO Group Architecture, CIO leadership, business stakeholders and suppliers to improve adoption, productivity, resilience, service performance and commercial outcomes in line with Hastings’ strategy.
This is a senior leadership role requiring strong technical judgment, stakeholder influence and people leadership.
You will help shape application roadmaps, drive high-quality outcomes, and champion continuous improvement in customer and colleague experience.
Responsibilities
- Define and enforce engineering standards and governance, including configuration and integration standards and controls for integrity, availability, supportability, compliance and resilience.
- Drive service quality through prevention, automation and continuous improvement, including monitoring, root cause analysis and action to keep technical debt low.
- Lead application strategy, guardrails and roadmap alignment, working with CIO Group Architecture to maintain design principles and cohesive delivery across teams.
- Build capability across Modern Workplace, Telephony, and HR & Finance.
- Provide technical leadership, stakeholder engagement and supplier management.
- Develop high-performing teams through coaching, recruitment and succession planning.
- Champion innovation, best practices and emerging technologies.
- Use management information and agreed KPIs to track progress, improve service performance and recommend continuous improvements.
- Contribute to enterprise-wide priorities through strategic alignment, cross-functional collaboration, change leadership and governance oversight.
Qualifications
- Proven leadership experience in enterprise application engineering, driving productivity, service quality and operational efficiency within a fast-paced, enterprise-scale technology environment.
- Strong knowledge of Microsoft 365, Modern Workplace, Contact Centre, and HR & Finance platforms, with the judgement to balance integration, security, supportability, resilience and business value.
- Experience with engineering methodologies, tools and best practices with the ability to set a pragmatic engineering culture that improves quality, pace and consistency.
- Excellent analytical, troubleshooting and problem-solving capabilities.
- Strong strategic and commercial awareness, with the ability to translate business strategy into technology priorities, trade-offs and measurable outcomes.
- Enterprise leadership capability, including cross-functional collaboration, change leadership, risk-aware decision-making and the ability to lead through ambiguity.
- A collaborative, organized and adaptable leadership style, with a focus on quality, customer outcomes and developing people.
- Note: Regrettably sponsorship is not available for this role.
Benefits
- Competitive salary and £6k car allowance.
- Flexible hybrid working approach.
- Competitive bonus scheme – eligible for annual 4Cs performance bonus.
- Private medical insurance (PMI) for you as a Band 5 colleague.
- Life assurance cover (4x salary), income protection, and matched pension contributions up to 10%.
- Mental wellbeing programme and support resources.
- 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with option to buy or sell one week.
- Discounts, cashback and additional wellbeing and financial planning support.
- Onsite facilities and additional employee engagement initiatives.
Hastings Group is an equal opportunities employer.
We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of gender, age, race, disability, ethnic background, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marital/family status.
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact us.
Job posting end date: 31/07/2026.
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StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Enterprise Application Engineering in Bexhill-on-Sea
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Hastings Direct or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Hastings Direct.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Hastings Direct.
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Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Hastings Direct that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Enterprise Application Engineering in Bexhill-on-Sea
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Hastings Direct.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Hastings Direct and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hastings Direct
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Hastings Direct uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
