Lead Client Engineer

Help us use technology to make a big green dent in the universe! Kraken powers some of the most innovative global developments in energy. We’re a technology company focused on creating a smart, sustainable energy system. From optimising renewable generation, creating a more intelligent grid and enabling utilities to provide excellent customer experiences, our operating system for energy is transforming the industry around the world in a way that benefits everyone. It’s a really exciting time in energy. Help us make a real impact on shaping a better, more sustainable future.

Kraken Utilities Our tech platform ‘Kraken’ is already licensed to support 55 million customer accounts globally, and we aim to serve 100 million by 2027. Kraken is the most AI-driven, innovative, forward-thinking platform for energy management. From optimising resources to delivering cost-effective, exceptional customer experiences through advanced Customer Information Systems (CIS), billing, meter data management, CRM, and AI-driven communications. We’re now charging the Kraken platform to other utility industries (Water and Broadband) and have created a new team called - Kraken Utilities. Over the last 2 years we have built this team from scratch to re-architect, design, and develop our Kraken software platform to solve complex industry-wide problems within the water and broadband sectors (such as customer experience & water leak detection). The Kraken Utilities team is in a very exciting growth phase, and has already signed 4 clients; Severn Trent, Leep, Portsmouth Water, and Cuckoo. We are currently 90+ people (engineers, product, implementation, strategy) along with 1500+ people in the overall Kraken world.

Who are we looking for? Our Lead Client Engineer will lead a team of 3-4 Client Engineers to bring the best of Kraken to our clients ensuring we’re delivering transformative change to our clients. They will make things better for customers, build great products and bring people together to find solutions. Working at the intersection of our technology teams, Kraken operational teams and our client teams, you will need to understand how Kraken works in order to identify problems and refine optimal solutions to leverage existing and new capability from within Kraken. Your team will deal with all types of integration with Kraken (our CIS/CRM platform) and will guide our clients on best practices & solutions on how to enable business capabilities effectively. Potential integration points can include ERPs, CRMs, Enterprise Asset Management solutions, FSM etc. Working with technical and non-technical stakeholders (developers, QA, solution architects, product managers and business managers), you will deal with complexity across multiple customer journeys with a variety of customer types and end users.

What You'll Do

• Manage a team of 3-4 client engineers.
• Understand, read and design (potentially even write) reliable code & systems.
• Identify new ideas and technology to improve the product.
• Conduct root-cause analysis, alongside client and Kraken engineers.
• Support the engineering teams to deliver product features.
• Contribute to the software engineering culture here at Kraken.
• Collaborate regularly with colleagues with many different professional specialities to create innovative solutions that delight our customers and colleagues.
• Work as part of a high performing team of engineers, product managers and designers and regularly seek feedback and grow your skills as technical professionals.
• Experience in customer-facing roles - presenting and designing solutions.
• Domain experience in B2B SaaS area is preferred.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, presentation skills, and comfortable explaining complex concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proactively identify team or organisational needs, document it in depth, evaluate the criticality of the need, then propose strategies to implement the solution.

What You'll Need

• Strong technical background: We are looking for a logical thinker who has strong problem-solving skills within an agile working framework. Must quickly grasp the technical capabilities and constraints of the Kraken platform.
• An understanding of Python and SQL, and being comfortable to dig into platforms and databases.
• Technology-first: Is an advocate for the continuous deployment approach we take at Kraken and champions building tech iteratively, with experience in agile delivery.
• Experience working with technical stakeholders (developers, QA, solution architects).
• Curiosity and initiative: If you have an eye for detail, enjoy self-learning and aren’t afraid to "try and see" then this is the job for you. Supported by a fab team this is an independent role where success relies on you trusting your gut and taking initiative.
• Time Management: We need to get back to clients quickly. This is self-managed - you should feel confident following up on actions, responding to the client and chasing the supporting team for answers in a timely manner.
• Confident Communication: Confident to communicate the Kraken way of thinking and to provide updates on feature developments. Can lead meetings and drive forward the development strategy within your domain. Can build supporting slides, Gantt charts, flow diagrams to aid this.
• Experience client-hands: Experienced with clients and bring the perspective of the clients to the table for effective prioritisation, while being able to influence the methodologies/architecture practices within the clients.
• Patiently Eager: Large transformations take time to execute, but you need to be on your toes as things can change quickly and require you to problem-solve and sometimes challenge traditional ways of thinking.

Are you ready for a career with us? We want to ensure you have all the tools and environment you need to unleash your potential. Need any specific accommodations? Whether you require specific accommodations or have a unique preference, let us know, and we’ll do what we can to customise your interview process for comfort and maximum magic!

Studies have shown that some groups of people, like women, are less likely to apply to a role unless they meet 100% of the job requirements. Whoever you are, if you like one of our jobs, we encourage you to apply as you might just be the candidate we hire. Across Octopus, we’re looking for genuinely decent people who are honest and empathetic. Our people are our strongest asset and the unique skills and perspectives people bring to the team are the driving force of our success. As an equal opportunity employer, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute. Our commitment is to provide equal opportunities, an inclusive work environment, and fairness for everyone.

Seniority level Mid-Senior level

Employment type Full-time

Job function Information Technology Technology, Information and Internet