Head of Engineering - Retail
Head of Engineering - Retail

Head of Engineering - Retail

Full-Time 72000 - 108000 ÂŁ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead engineering teams to modernise platforms and enhance customer journeys.
  • Company: Join Just Group, a fast-growing company focused on retirement finance.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, private medical cover, and career progression opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in the financial services sector with innovative engineering practices.
  • Qualifications: Strong leadership experience in engineering and knowledge of modern practices.
  • Other info: Diverse and inclusive culture with a focus on employee well-being.

The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 ÂŁ per year.

Just Group’s Retail division, which develops and delivers retirement‑finance products sold via financial advisers and intermediaries, is modernising its platforms and customer journeys. To support this, we need resilient, scalable, and innovative engineering capabilities, with AI‑first, agentic, and context‑driven practices at the centre of how we build and deliver.

The Head of Engineering for Retail will lead the Retail engineering organisation, set technical direction, and ensure high‑quality delivery. They will drive the adoption of modern engineering approaches to keep our technology secure, reliable, and future‑ready. Reporting to the Retail IT Director, they will manage Engineering Managers and foster a high‑performing culture focused on secure, efficient, and AI‑enabled delivery.

Key Accountabilities

  • Define and deliver the Retail engineering roadmap, aligned with Group technology strategy and modern engineering practices.
  • Champion AI‑first, agentic, and context‑driven approaches to improve resilience, scalability, and innovation.
  • Provide technical leadership on architecture, solution design, and management of technical debt.
  • Ensure high‑quality, secure, and scalable delivery of Retail platforms and applications.
  • Oversee delivery planning, execution, risks, and incident management (P1/P2), ensuring rapid and effective resolution.
  • Build engineering capability by leading and developing Engineering Managers and the wider engineering leadership team.
  • Promote strong engineering standards across automation, DevOps pipelines, observability, and cloud‑native development.
  • Act as a trusted partner to stakeholders, providing clear communication on delivery health, risks, and technical priorities.

Examples of Key Activities

  • Chair Retail engineering governance forums, ensuring adherence to standards and alignment with Group principles.
  • Maintain and regularly review the technical debt and end-of-life register, feeding prioritised items into roadmaps.
  • Review and challenge major technical design proposals to ensure scalability, security, and maintainability.
  • Act as incident escalation point for P1 and P2 events, coordinating resolution and leading post-incident reviews.
  • Partner with Engineering Managers to provide delivery updates, dependency tracking, and risk management.
  • Mentor and coach Engineering Managers, building a high-quality leadership capability.
  • Represent Retail Engineering in cross-business forums, ensuring Retail’s needs are clearly articulated and understood.

What We’re Looking For

  • Strong engineering leadership experience, managing multi‑team delivery at scale (50+ FTE including partners), within Financial Services.
  • Solid understanding of modern engineering practices, including software development, architecture, cloud, CI/CD, DevSecOps, observability, and security‑first design.
  • Knowledge of AI‑first, agentic, and context‑driven engineering approaches.
  • Experience delivering large‑scale technology change and modernising legacy platforms, ideally within the Microsoft ecosystem.
  • Proven ability to build engineering capability, drive adoption of standards, and shape a high‑performing engineering culture.
  • Skilled in managing hybrid delivery models involving vendors, partners, and in‑house teams.
  • Comfortable operating in regulated environments with strong focus on security, performance, and resilience.
  • Effective at influencing senior stakeholders and translating technical considerations into business‑focused outcomes.
  • Experience managing major incidents (P1/P2) and leading robust resolution and review processes.

Our behaviours

At Just you’ll have the opportunity to develop your career, whilst making a difference to the lives of those around you. You’ll be part of a company with a strong and distinctive culture - we’re ambitious, curious and collaborative – and every decision we make centres around being Just and delivering the best outcomes for our customers.

What’s in it for you

  • A competitive salary, pension scheme and life assurance.
  • 25 days annual leave plus an additional day on us for your birthday.
  • Private medical cover and income protection, just in case.
  • A generous and highly achievable bonus scheme.
  • Opportunities to progress your career in-role and within the company.
  • Free access to the Headspace app, 24/7 employee assistance helpline and trained physical and mental health first aiders.
  • A variety of employee funded benefits available via our online benefits portal.
  • Plus, several additional purchase options available for you and your loved ones.

Belonging at Just

Valuing diversity of thought and fostering a sense of belonging is critical to our business success, driving innovation and balanced decision making. Our work on inclusion aims to deliver a brilliant employee experience underpinned by a sense of belonging, where our people feel proud to work at Just.

We remain committed to our publicly disclosed HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter and Race at Work Charter targets and support a wide range of employee network and events, championing issues including intergenerational working, social mobility and neurodiversity.

Application details

Please submit your CV using the 'apply now’ button. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted regarding next steps which may include an initial phone interview and in-person assessment.

Be Bold. Be Brilliant. Be Just.

Head of Engineering - Retail employer: Just Group plc

Just Group is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in London where innovation and collaboration thrive. With a strong focus on employee growth, competitive benefits including private medical cover and generous leave, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion, Just Group empowers its team to make a meaningful impact in the retirement finance sector. Join us to be part of a purpose-driven company that values your contributions and supports your career development.
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Contact Detail:

Just Group plc Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of Engineering - Retail

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage on platforms like LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their products and services, especially in the retirement finance space. Tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their goals and values.

✨Tip Number 3

Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or use online resources to refine your answers. Focus on articulating your leadership experience and how you've driven engineering success in previous roles.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Just and contributing to our mission.

We think you need these skills to ace Head of Engineering - Retail

Engineering Leadership
Modern Engineering Practices
Software Development
Architecture
Cloud Computing
CI/CD
DevSecOps
Observability
Security-First Design
AI-First Approaches
Incident Management
Stakeholder Communication
Risk Management
Team Development
Hybrid Delivery Models

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the Head of Engineering role. Highlight your experience in leading engineering teams and modernising platforms, especially in financial services. We want to see how your skills align with our AI-first and context-driven approach!

Showcase Your Leadership Skills: We’re looking for someone who can build and lead high-performing teams. Use your application to demonstrate your leadership style and how you've successfully managed multi-team delivery at scale. Share specific examples that show your impact!

Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, clarity is key! Keep your language straightforward and avoid jargon where possible. We appreciate a well-structured application that makes it easy for us to see your qualifications and fit for the role.

Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to hit that 'apply now' button on our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us directly. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at Just, which we love to see!

How to prepare for a job interview at Just Group plc

✨Know Your Engineering Fundamentals

Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of modern engineering practices, especially around cloud, CI/CD, and DevSecOps. Be ready to discuss how you've applied these in past roles, particularly in a financial services context.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

As the Head of Engineering, you'll need to demonstrate strong leadership capabilities. Prepare examples of how you've built high-performing teams and fostered a culture of innovation and security in previous positions.

✨Understand the Company’s Vision

Familiarise yourself with Just Group's mission and values. Be prepared to articulate how your experience aligns with their goal of helping customers achieve a better later life, and how you can contribute to their growth journey.

✨Prepare for Technical Challenges

Expect to face technical scenarios during the interview. Think through potential architectural challenges or incident management situations you might encounter, and be ready to discuss your approach to resolving them effectively.

Head of Engineering - Retail
Just Group plc

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