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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a high-velocity engineering team and drive rapid product iterations.
- Company: Join a dynamic startup focused on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work environment, and opportunities for growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced, AI-driven tech landscape.
- Qualifications: Proven engineering leadership in startups and a passion for speed.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of iteration and teamwork while building in public.
The predicted salary is between 54000 - 84000 ÂŁ per year.
We’re seeking an exceptional Engineering Manager to join our small and growing team. This isn’t your typical EM role. We’re looking for a senior engineer who leads from the front and thrives in high-velocity, high-ownership environments. Your mission: build the fastest engineering team on the planet.
Who you are
- You’re a top-tier engineer with proven leadership experience in fast-moving startups or scaleups.
- You’re comfortable making imperfect decisions quickly, you’ve built products under pressure, and you know that momentum beats perfection.
- A seasoned engineer who has already stepped into an EM role at a venture-backed startup.
- An ex-founder who knows how to ship when the runway is short and the stakes are high.
- A startup tech lead who thrives on ownership and bold decisions.
- A pragmatic builder who values time-to-value over “the right way.”
What makes you perfect for this role
- Engineering leadership: You’ve coached and unblocked engineers in high-velocity, high-pressure environments.
- Deep technical expertise: You have strong architecture instincts and solid security knowledge, but you’ll cut through complexity to keep shipping.
- Startup DNA: You’ve shipped product in 0→1 or hyper-growth contexts where speed and ownership were survival skills.
- Velocity obsession: You believe iteration > perfection, and your instinct is always to get value in front of users as fast as possible.
- AI-first: You’re bullish on AI, vibe-coding daily, and always looking for ways to push velocity through AI-assisted workflows.
- DevX focus: You obsess over developer experience because you know great tooling = more speed.
- Execution focus: Monitoring, observability, and performance aren’t “nice to haves” — they’re how you ship fast without breaking trust.
What you’ll do
- Set the bar for engineering velocity — coaching, mentoring, and unblocking the team every day.
- Make architectural and security calls fast, balancing speed with long-term resilience.
- Build and own best-in-class developer experience — tooling and workflows that eliminate drag.
- Monitor and protect reliability and SLAs, while still moving at startup speed.
- Partner tightly with product and design to deliver rapid, end-to-end iterations.
- Establish a culture where iteration is celebrated and perfectionism is challenged.
How we work at Lightdash
- We build in public. Open source means moving fast with shared context.
- We challenge problems, not people. No blame, just solutions.
- We’re highly collaborative. Independent, but we win as a team (and with our community).
- We bias hard toward impact. We’d rather ship the wrong thing quickly and learn, than waste weeks polishing what nobody needs.
Primary: TypeScript, React, Node, SQL
We’re deliberately looking for ambitious leaders from startups and high-growth companies. If you want predictability, long roadmaps, and “the right way” over speed, this isn’t the role for you.
Research shows that women and underrepresented groups often don’t apply unless they meet 100% of the requirements. Even if you don’t tick every box, if you have startup experience and a hunger for velocity, we’d love to hear from you.
Head of Engineering employer: Lightdash
Contact Detail:
Lightdash Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Engineering
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, especially those who work at startups or scaleups. A personal referral can make all the difference when you're aiming for that Head of Engineering role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Prepare a portfolio or case studies that highlight your engineering projects and leadership experiences. When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, let your work speak for itself.
✨Tip Number 3
Be ready to discuss your decision-making process. In fast-paced environments, it's crucial to demonstrate how you make quick yet effective choices. Share examples where you've thrived under pressure and delivered results.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always on the lookout for ambitious leaders who can drive velocity and innovation. Your next big opportunity could be just a click away!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Engineering
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Engineering Passion: Let us see your love for engineering shine through! Share specific projects or experiences that highlight your technical skills and leadership. We want to know what makes you tick and how you've thrived in fast-paced environments.
Emphasise Your Startup Experience: We’re all about that startup DNA! Make sure to highlight any roles where you’ve had to ship products quickly or make bold decisions under pressure. This will show us you understand the unique challenges of a high-velocity environment.
Be Authentic and Bold: Don’t be afraid to show your personality! We value authenticity and boldness, so let us know how you’ve challenged the status quo or taken risks in your previous roles. Remember, momentum beats perfection!
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 don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, we love seeing applications come in through our own channels!
How to prepare for a job interview at Lightdash
✨Show Your Leadership Style
Be ready to discuss your leadership approach and how you've coached engineers in high-pressure environments. Share specific examples of how you’ve unblocked teams and fostered a culture of iteration over perfection.
✨Demonstrate Technical Expertise
Prepare to talk about your deep technical knowledge, especially in architecture and security. Highlight instances where you made quick decisions that balanced speed with long-term resilience, showcasing your ability to cut through complexity.
✨Emphasise Your Startup Experience
Make sure to convey your startup DNA. Discuss your experiences in 0→1 or hyper-growth contexts, focusing on how you shipped products quickly and effectively. This will resonate well with the company’s need for speed and ownership.
✨Align with Their Values
Familiarise yourself with the company's culture of building in public and collaboration. Be prepared to share how you challenge problems without blaming people and how you prioritise impact over perfection. This alignment will show you’re a great fit.
