Director of Engineering Excellence & Governance in London

Director of Engineering Excellence & Governance in London

London Full-Time 80000 - 100000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Intelix.AI

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead engineering excellence and governance across a complex tech environment.
  • Company: Dynamic enterprise in the financial services sector with a focus on innovation.
  • Benefits: Hybrid work model, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: Collaborative culture with a focus on continuous improvement and technical excellence.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of engineering standards and drive impactful change.
  • Qualifications: Extensive experience in engineering leadership and architecture governance.

The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.

A senior technology leader to define, embed and govern engineering standards across a large, complex, highly regulated enterprise technology environment. This is not a pure enterprise architecture, delivery management, audit, risk advisory or policy-only role. We are looking for a senior engineering and architecture leader who can set practical standards, drive adoption across distributed engineering teams, and ensure technology is built in a secure, scalable, resilient and controlled way. The role will suit someone who understands how modern engineering standards apply across cloud platforms, APIs, microservices, distributed systems, integration, secure development, CI/CD, observability, testing, resilience, operational readiness and architecture governance.

You will own the enterprise-wide engineering standards agenda, working closely with senior leaders across Engineering, Architecture, Security, Risk, Data, Operations, Product and Technology Delivery.

Key Responsibilities
  • Define and own the enterprise engineering standards framework across software development, architecture, cloud, integration, security, resilience and engineering governance.
  • Establish practical engineering guardrails that enable teams to deliver scalable, secure, compliant and maintainable technology.
  • Set standards for modern engineering practices including APIs, microservices, distributed systems, observability, CI/CD, automated testing, release quality and operational readiness.
  • Shape and evolve standards for cloud engineering, infrastructure patterns, deployment practices and platform consistency across multiple teams and domains.
  • Partner with Engineering, Architecture, Security, Risk, Operations and Product leadership to align standards with business priorities, regulatory expectations and enterprise technology strategy.
  • Drive adoption of engineering standards across diverse teams, ensuring consistency without creating unnecessary bureaucracy or slowing delivery.
  • Build governance mechanisms that provide visibility of adherence, exceptions, risks, technical debt and areas requiring remediation.
  • Use metrics, reporting and engineering insight to identify gaps in quality, resilience, consistency, security and control across the technology estate.
  • Review emerging technologies, regulatory developments and evolving engineering practices to keep standards relevant and forward-looking.
  • Promote a culture of engineering quality, accountability, technical excellence and continuous improvement across the wider technology organisation.
Experience Required
  • Strong experience in senior engineering leadership, enterprise architecture, architecture governance, platform strategy or enterprise-wide engineering standards.
  • Proven track record of defining and operationalising engineering standards across a large, complex organisation.
  • Strong understanding of modern engineering and architecture practices including cloud platforms, APIs, microservices, distributed systems, automation and secure-by-design delivery.
  • Experience translating architecture principles into practical standards, reusable patterns and delivery guardrails.
  • Strong governance experience, with the judgement to balance control, flexibility, speed and long-term sustainability.
  • Credibility working across Engineering, Architecture, Security, Risk, Operations and senior business stakeholders.
  • Experience influencing senior stakeholders in environments where technology quality, resilience and control are business-critical.
  • Strong understanding of operational resilience, security, auditability, risk management and technology controls within regulated environments.
  • Data-led approach to engineering quality and governance, with the ability to use metrics and evidence to drive improvement and accountability.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, build trust with senior stakeholders and raise standards across distributed engineering teams.
Preferred Background
  • Financial services, insurance, payments, banking, asset management, wealth, pensions or another highly regulated sector.
  • Cloud-native engineering, enterprise integration, platform transformation or large-scale engineering modernisation.
  • Experience across global or distributed engineering teams.
  • Exposure to CI/CD, observability, developer platforms, engineering assurance, SRE, platform engineering or reliability engineering.
  • Experience helping organisations reduce engineering fragmentation, improve reuse and strengthen consistency across a broad technology estate.
Ideal Candidate Profile

The strongest candidate will be a senior technology leader who has operated above individual delivery teams and has influenced how engineering is done across an enterprise. They should be credible with senior engineers and architects, but also comfortable engaging with executive stakeholders, risk, security, operations and business leaders. This person needs to be pragmatic. The role is about creating standards that teams actually adopt, not producing theoretical frameworks that sit on a shelf.

Director of Engineering Excellence & Governance in London employer: Intelix.AI

As a leading employer in the technology sector, we offer a dynamic and inclusive work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. Our London-based team benefits from hybrid working arrangements, competitive compensation, and a strong focus on professional development, ensuring that employees have ample opportunities to grow their skills and advance their careers. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking organisation that values engineering excellence and empowers its leaders to make a meaningful impact across a complex, regulated environment.

Intelix.AI

Contact Details:

Intelix.AI Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Director of Engineering Excellence & Governance in London

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with folks in the industry. Attend meetups, webinars, or conferences related to engineering excellence and governance. You never know who might be looking for someone just like you!

Tip Number 2

Showcase your expertise! Create a portfolio or a personal website where you can highlight your achievements in engineering standards and governance. This is your chance to shine and demonstrate how you can drive adoption across teams.

Tip Number 3

Prepare for those interviews! Research the company’s engineering practices and think about how you can contribute to their standards framework. Be ready to discuss how you've influenced engineering quality and governance in your previous roles.

Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! We’re always on the lookout for talented individuals who can help us shape engineering excellence. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to join a team that values innovation and quality.

We think you need these skills to ace Director of Engineering Excellence & Governance in London

Engineering Standards Definition
Architecture Governance
Cloud Platforms
APIs
Microservices
Distributed Systems
CI/CD

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific skills and experiences that align with the Director of Engineering Excellence & Governance role. Highlight your experience in defining and operationalising engineering standards, as this is key for us.

Showcase Your Leadership Skills:We want to see how you've influenced teams and driven adoption of engineering standards in your previous roles. Share examples that demonstrate your ability to lead through influence and build trust with senior stakeholders.

Be Practical and Pragmatic:Remember, we’re looking for someone who can create standards that teams will actually use. In your application, emphasise your practical approach to engineering governance and how you’ve successfully implemented standards in complex environments.

Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensure you’re considered for this exciting opportunity.

How to prepare for a job interview at Intelix.AI

Know Your Standards Inside Out

Make sure you have a solid grasp of the engineering standards relevant to the role. Familiarise yourself with modern practices like CI/CD, microservices, and cloud platforms. Be ready to discuss how you've applied these standards in previous roles.

Showcase Your Leadership Skills

Prepare examples that highlight your experience in leading diverse engineering teams. Talk about how you've influenced stakeholders and driven the adoption of engineering standards without creating unnecessary bureaucracy. This will demonstrate your ability to lead through influence.

Be Pragmatic and Practical

Remember, this role is about creating standards that teams will actually use. Be prepared to discuss how you've translated theoretical frameworks into practical applications. Share specific instances where your standards improved delivery or quality.

Engage with Business Priorities

Understand the business context of the role. Be ready to discuss how you would align engineering standards with regulatory expectations and enterprise technology strategy. Showing that you can bridge the gap between technical and business needs will set you apart.