At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a tech squad, driving innovation and delivering customer-facing products.
- Company: Fast-growing Manchester tech company focused on rebuilding its technology capability.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, private healthcare, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join during a major transformation and make a real impact on technology.
- Why this job: Shape modern engineering culture and influence product direction in a collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Experience with React, TypeScript, PHP/Laravel, and strong leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 85000 - 100000 € per year.
We’re partnering with a fast growing Manchester business that is rebuilding its technology capability from the ground up and hiring a hands-on Tech Lead to drive one of its core product squads. This is a genuine engineering leadership role for someone who still loves being in the code. You’ll lead a cross-functional squad responsible for delivering customer-facing products used by millions of members across retail, rewards, and ecommerce-style digital experiences. Their PHP monolith is being phased out and carved into React microservices, so this won’t be a need in the role forever, but they do need someone confident enough to pick up when there might be spikes of CMS work. They are investing heavily in product, engineering, AI tooling and internal capability, making this an opportunity to shape both technical direction and engineering culture from an early stage.
This is a highly hands-on position, likely around 70-80% technical contribution alongside technical leadership, mentoring, and squad ownership. You’ll work closely with Product, UX, QA, and senior leadership to deliver meaningful customer features at pace, while helping establish engineering standards, delivery rhythm, and long-term platform direction.
What you’ll be doing:
- Technical contribution of around 80% hands-on development alongside technical leadership and mentoring to raise engineering standards and capability
- Leading architecture, design, and delivery across a modern full-stack environment centred around React, TypeScript and Node.js
- Remaining deeply hands-on in the codebase, solving complex engineering problems and leading by example
- Taking ownership of a critical legacy PHP/Laravel platform, helping modernise it safely while keeping delivery momentum high
- Working closely with Product and UX to deliver customer facing features through fast iteration and experimentation
- Driving best practices across clean architecture, testing, CI/CD, performance, and maintainability
- Helping shape the team’s adoption of AI-assisted and agentic development workflows
- Acting as a senior technical voice within the wider engineering function, contributing to platform and architectural decisions
What they’re looking for:
- Strong experience building modern frontend applications with React and TypeScript in production environments
- Production experience of PHP/Laravel (even if you’re not doing it currently)
- The backend estate currently spans Node.js and .NET Core, so experience in either would be valuable
- A hands-on technical leader who enjoys staying close to engineering rather than moving into pure management
- Strong understanding of software craftsmanship, automated testing and CI/CD
- Someone pragmatic, commercially aware, and comfortable balancing modernisation with real-world delivery pressures
- Interest or experience using AI tooling within engineering workflows
Nice to have:
- React Native experience
- Exposure to Azure and modern CI/CD tooling
- Background in ecommerce, loyalty, fintech, marketplaces, or consumer-facing digital products
What will you get out of it?
You’ll be joining during a major period of technical and organisational transformation, with the chance to help shape a modern engineering culture from the ground up - influencing architecture, tooling and delivery practices. Work directly with senior leadership and have real technical input into business direction. Join a collaborative, product-led environment that values speed, ownership, and low-ego teamwork. Also, you will be well compensated, with a salary between £85k-£100k depending on experience, in addition to a strong benefits package including private healthcare.
Get in touch for more information.
Lead Software Engineer in Manchester employer: Innova Recruitment Limited
Join a dynamic and fast-growing Manchester-based company that is committed to rebuilding its technology capabilities and fostering a collaborative, product-led environment. As a Lead Software Engineer, you will not only enjoy a competitive salary of £85k-£100k but also benefit from a strong package that includes private healthcare, while having the unique opportunity to shape the engineering culture and technical direction during a transformative period. This role offers significant hands-on development alongside leadership responsibilities, ensuring your contributions are both meaningful and impactful.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Software Engineer in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the tech industry, especially those who work at companies you're interested in. A friendly chat can lead to referrals, which are often the golden ticket to landing an interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those using React, TypeScript, and Node.js. This gives potential employers a taste of your coding chops and problem-solving abilities.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your coding skills and understanding system design principles. Practice common algorithms and data structures, and be ready to discuss your past projects and how you tackled challenges.
✨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 the team and contributing to their exciting journey.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Software Engineer in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the job description. Highlight your hands-on experience with React, TypeScript, and PHP/Laravel, as well as any leadership roles you've had. We want to see how you can contribute to our tech team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about this role and how your background makes you a perfect fit. Don’t forget to mention your love for coding and leading teams, as we value hands-on technical leaders.
Showcase Your Projects:If you've worked on relevant projects, whether personal or professional, make sure to include them. We love seeing real-world applications of your skills, especially in modern frontend development and engineering best practices. It gives us a glimpse of what you can bring to the table!
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 the role. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Innova Recruitment Limited
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re well-versed in React, TypeScript, Node.js, and PHP/Laravel. Brush up on your hands-on coding skills, as this role requires a strong technical contribution. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you've used these technologies.
✨Show Your Leadership Style
Prepare to talk about your experience in leading teams and mentoring others. Think of examples where you’ve driven engineering standards or influenced team culture. This role is about being a hands-on leader, so highlight how you balance coding with leadership.
✨Understand the Business Context
Familiarise yourself with the company’s products and their customer base. Be prepared to discuss how your technical decisions can impact user experience and business outcomes. Showing that you understand the commercial side will set you apart.
✨Be Ready for Problem-Solving
Expect technical questions that test your problem-solving skills. Prepare to walk through your thought process on complex engineering challenges you’ve faced. They’ll want to see how you approach issues and lead by example in finding solutions.
