At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead technical strategy and mentor teams to deliver innovative solutions.
- Company: Join M&S, a forward-thinking retail leader with a strong purpose.
- Benefits: Enjoy discounts, competitive holidays, bonuses, and 24/7 wellbeing support.
- Other info: Be part of an inclusive team that values diversity and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment while shaping the future of retail.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in system design and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 € per year.
The Principal Engineer is the most senior engineer in the company and plays a crucial role in delivering our business goals. They are technical leaders responsible for setting technical direction, driving engineering excellence, and aligning technology with business strategy. This role combines deep technical expertise with strong leadership, mentorship, and cross-functional influence to deliver robust, scalable solutions and foster a high-performing engineering culture.
This role is aligned with Store Operations in Retail Domain and will partner closely with the Head of Engineering and the Solution Architect in the Store Ops sub-domain. Being creative, curious, and confident, you will be an integral part of our empowered, self-managing, multi-disciplinary Engineering teams - designing, building, releasing, and maintaining products. Full Stack and/or Native Mobile application background would align best; however, it’s your passion for designing and delivering the best tech solutions to our colleagues in stores that counts the most!
What You'll Do
- Technical leadership & strategy
- Lead system design and solution architecture across multiple teams and domains.
- Own and drive the technical strategy and roadmap for the area of responsibility.
- Make and communicate architectural decisions, ensuring alignment with business goals.
- Define and uphold technical standards, quality, and best practices.
- Mentorship & team development
- Mentor and coach engineering managers, staff, and key engineers to develop technical and leadership skills.
- Provide actionable feedback and foster continuous improvement across teams.
- Uphold high hiring standards and contribute to talent development.
- Business alignment & representation
- Act as a bridge between business and engineering, ensuring objectives are aligned.
- Influence product and business strategy by articulating technical trade-offs.
- Represent engineering in strategic discussions, planning, and external forums.
- Operational excellence
- Ensure quality, reliability, and security are embedded in all engineering processes.
- Lead incident response and provide expert support for critical issues.
- Identify and address productivity bottlenecks; drive tooling improvements.
Who You Are
- Extensive experience in system design, architecture, and technical leadership across complex domains.
- Proven ability to set and deliver technical strategy and roadmaps.
- Strong mentoring and coaching skills.
- Experience aligning technology with business objectives and influencing strategy, ideally on the enterprise level or in large organisations.
- Deep understanding of engineering best practices, quality, and operational excellence.
What's In It For You
Working at M&S means being part of something bigger - helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We’re inclusive, fast-moving and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing. Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding:
- 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third-party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you’ve completed your probation.
- Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more.
- Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours.
- Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future.
- Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one.
- Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal.
- Market-leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave.
- 24/7 wellbeing support, including virtual GP access and mental health services.
- One paid volunteer day a year to support a cause that matters to you.
Everyone's Welcome
We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.
We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together. If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.
Principal Software Engineer - Store Operations employer: Marks & Spencer Plc
At Marks & Spencer, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and inclusive work environment that fosters innovation and collaboration. As a Principal Software Engineer in Store Operations, you will not only lead technical strategy but also have access to extensive professional development opportunities, competitive benefits, and a strong commitment to employee wellbeing. Join us in shaping the future of retail while enjoying a rewarding career that values your contributions and supports your growth.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Software Engineer - Store Operations
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at M&S on LinkedIn or through mutual connections. A friendly chat can give you insider info and might even lead to a referral, which is always a bonus!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Prepare a portfolio or a presentation that highlights your past projects and achievements. When you get the chance to chat with hiring managers, this will help you stand out and demonstrate your technical expertise.
✨Tip Number 3
Be ready for technical interviews! Brush up on system design and architecture principles, as well as coding challenges. Practising common interview questions can help you feel more confident and prepared when it’s your turn to shine.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining the M&S team and being part of something bigger.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Software Engineer - Store Operations
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Technical Leadership:When writing your application, make sure to highlight your experience in technical leadership and system design. We want to see how you've set technical direction and driven engineering excellence in your previous roles.
Emphasise Mentorship Skills:Don’t forget to mention your mentoring and coaching experience! We value leaders who can develop others, so share examples of how you've helped engineers grow their skills and fostered a high-performing culture.
Align with Business Goals:Make it clear how your technical expertise aligns with business objectives. We’re looking for someone who can bridge the gap between engineering and business strategy, so include any relevant experiences that showcase this ability.
Apply Through Our Website:Finally, remember to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. We can’t wait to see what you bring to the table!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks & Spencer Plc
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
As a Principal Software Engineer, you need to demonstrate deep technical expertise. Brush up on system design and architecture principles relevant to Store Operations. Be ready to discuss your past projects and how they align with the company's goals.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role requires strong leadership and mentorship abilities. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams or mentored others in the past. Highlight your approach to fostering a high-performing engineering culture.
✨Align Technology with Business Strategy
Be prepared to discuss how you've influenced business strategy through technology. Think of specific instances where your technical decisions have had a positive impact on business outcomes. This will show your understanding of the bigger picture.
✨Prepare for Cross-Functional Collaboration
Since this role involves working closely with various teams, think about how you've effectively collaborated across different functions. Be ready to share experiences that demonstrate your ability to bridge the gap between engineering and business objectives.
