At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and develop engineering teams, driving improvements in delivery and quality.
- Company: High-growth SaaS technology business with ambitious plans and significant investment.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, and strong executive exposure.
- Other info: Opportunity to work with modern technologies and AI-assisted development.
- Why this job: Shape the future of engineering and make a real impact from day one.
- Qualifications: Experience leading software engineering teams and improving delivery predictability.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 110000 £ per year.
Hybrid | Cardiff / West Yorkshire (2-3 days per month) £90,000 - £110,000 + Benefits
Hiiya are exclusively supporting a high-growth, PE-backed SaaS technology business as they look to appoint a Director of Engineering. This is a genuinely exciting opportunity for an experienced engineering leader who enjoys improving how engineering teams operate, rather than simply overseeing delivery. The business has ambitious growth plans, significant investment behind it and a mature engineering function of around 20 engineers that now needs a senior leader to help take it to the next level. They're looking for someone who can bring structure, accountability and modern engineering practices into an already talented team.
What will you be doing?
A big part of this role is centred around engineering effectiveness. You'll be responsible for improving delivery predictability, quality, engineering standards and overall team performance, whilst helping create an environment where engineers can do their best work. You'll work closely with Product and senior leadership to ensure engineering effort remains aligned to business priorities, balancing speed of delivery with quality, scalability and long-term maintainability. There are also a number of strategic initiatives underway across platform consolidation, engineering modernisation and AI-assisted software development, meaning you'll have the opportunity to make a significant impact from day one.
Responsibilities will include:
- Leading and developing Engineering Managers, Technical Leads and Software Engineers
- Driving improvements across delivery, quality, automation and engineering maturity
- Introducing meaningful engineering metrics and dashboards to improve visibility and decision-making
- Improving CI/CD, testing strategies, release processes and technical governance
- Championing AI-assisted engineering and modern development practices
- Supporting roadmap planning, technical prioritisation and capacity management
- Identifying capability gaps, coaching future leaders and helping shape the future engineering organisation
We're keen to speak with leaders who have experience:
- Leading software engineering teams of 15-40+ people
- Managing senior engineers, Tech Leads and/or Engineering Managers
- Improving engineering delivery, quality and predictability
- Using engineering metrics to drive performance and accountability
- Modernising engineering practices through tooling, automation and AI
- Partnering closely with Product and senior stakeholders
- Operating within SaaS, platform, fintech, regtech or other complex technology environments
Whilst this isn't a hands-on coding role, you'll need enough technical credibility to challenge decisions, support technical leaders and influence engineering direction. The environment is heavily cloud-based, with technologies including Azure, APIs, CI/CD, automated testing and modern software engineering practices.
Why consider it?
- Newly created leadership role with significant influence
- Opportunity to shape the future engineering organisation
- Large investment in engineering, tooling and AI
- High-growth environment with ambitious plans
- Strong executive exposure and genuine ability to influence strategy
- Hybrid working with only 2-3 office visits per month
If you're the sort of leader who enjoys building high-performing engineering teams, improving systems and leaving organisations in a better place than you found them, we'd love to speak.
Director of Engineering in Newport employer: Hiiya
Hiiya is an exceptional employer that offers a dynamic and supportive work environment for the Director of Engineering role. With a strong focus on employee growth, you will have the opportunity to lead a talented team while driving innovative engineering practices in a high-growth SaaS technology business. The hybrid working model allows for flexibility, with only 2-3 office visits per month, ensuring a healthy work-life balance while contributing to significant strategic initiatives.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Director of Engineering in Newport
✨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 Hiiya 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 Hiiya.
✨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 Hiiya.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
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 Hiiya 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 Director of Engineering in Newport
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 Hiiya.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Hiiya 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 Hiiya
✨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 Hiiya 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.
