Director- Forward Deployed Engineering in Farnborough

Director- Forward Deployed Engineering in Farnborough

Farnborough Full-Time 72000 - 88000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Lenovo

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead a team to develop AI-powered solutions and drive business outcomes.
  • Company: Join Lenovo, a global tech powerhouse focused on smarter technology for all.
  • Benefits: Enjoy private medical cover, pension schemes, discounts, and flexible working options.
  • Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace with excellent career growth opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact by leading innovative AI projects in a dynamic environment.
  • Qualifications: 15+ years in software engineering and experience leading high-performing teams.

The predicted salary is between 72000 - 88000 £ per year.

We are Lenovo. We do what we say. We own what we do. We WOW our customers.

Lenovo is a US$83 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #153 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets.

Focused on a bold vision to deliver Smarter Technology for All, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company with a full-stack portfolio of AI-enabled, AI-ready, and AI-optimized devices (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets), infrastructure (server, storage, edge, high performance computing and software defined infrastructure), software, solutions, and services.

Lenovo’s continued investment in world-changing innovation is building a more equitable, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere.

This transformation together with Lenovo’s world-changing innovation is building a more inclusive, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere. To find out more visit and read about the latest news via our Story Hub.

At Lenovo Solutions Services Group, we are accelerating a company-wide AI transformation by embedding technical talent directly within business functions.

As a Forward Deployed Engineering Director, you will lead a team of Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) who partner with business leaders to identify high-value opportunities, rapidly build AI-powered solutions, and drive measurable business outcomes.

In this role, you will combine strong technical leadership, business partnership, and people development capabilities.

You will help define how the FDE organization operates, establish scalable delivery practices, and ensure teams consistently deliver solutions that create meaningful impact for users and stakeholders.

What You'll Do

  • Lead and develop a team of Forward Deployed Engineers embedded across business functions, supporting delivery, growth, and performance excellence.
  • Partner with Domain Leaders and subject matter experts to understand business challenges, map workflows, and identify high-value AI opportunities.
  • Guide teams in designing and delivering AI solutions using Microsoft AI and productivity platforms, including Copilot Studio, Azure Open AI, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) solutions, agent-based workflows, and automation technologies.
  • Establish repeatable delivery methodologies, engineering standards, playbooks, governance practices, and quality expectations for the FDE organization.
  • Enable rapid prototyping, short sprint execution, user testing, and continuous iteration while maintaining strong engineering discipline and solution quality.
  • Collaborate with business stakeholders, platform teams, and data organizations to remove delivery blockers and accelerate adoption.
  • Communicate progress, risks, adoption outcomes, and business impact to technical and non-technical executive audiences.
  • What You'll Need
  • 15+ years of experience in software engineering, solutions engineering, applied AI, or a closely related technical leadership discipline.
  • Experience leading and developing high-performing technical teams delivering AI, automation, or intelligent workflow solutions in enterprise environments.
  • Strong engineering judgment with the ability to review architectures, evaluate solution approaches, troubleshoot complex challenges, and guide technical decision-making.
  • Experience working with business stakeholders to translate operational challenges into scalable technology solutions.
  • Proven ability to define operating models, delivery frameworks, technical standards, and talent development practices for growing engineering organizations.
  • Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts in clear and practical language.
  • Professional-level English communication skills.
  • Diversity Inclusion

Lenovo is proud to be recognized as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

We welcome applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

What Lenovo Can Offer You

• United Kingdom employees may enjoy

  • Private medical cover
  • Attractive pension scheme
  • Life insurance and income protection
  • Holiday purchase options
  • Cycle to Work scheme
  • Learning and development opportunities
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Product discounts on Lenovo and Motorola devices
  • Lifestyle and wellbeing discounts
  • Referral bonus program
  • Positive work-life balance and flexible working options

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any federal, state, or local protected class.

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Director- Forward Deployed Engineering in Farnborough employer: Lenovo

As a leading employer in the technology sector, we offer a dynamic work environment that fosters innovation and collaboration. Our commitment to employee growth is reflected in our diverse training programs and performance-based rewards, ensuring that your contributions are recognised and celebrated. With a flexible hybrid work model and a focus on maintaining a positive workplace culture, we empower our teams to thrive while making a meaningful impact in the AI landscape across the UK.

Lenovo

Contact Details:

Lenovo Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Director- Forward Deployed Engineering in Farnborough

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 Lenovo 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 Lenovo.

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 Lenovo.

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 Lenovo 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- Forward Deployed Engineering in Farnborough

Technical Leadership
AI Solutions Development
Team Development
Business Partnership
Engineering Standards
Delivery Methodologies
Stakeholder Management

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 Lenovo.

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Lenovo 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 Lenovo

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 Lenovo 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.