At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead technical strategy and design robust solutions in a dynamic retail environment.
- Company: Join Marks & Spencer, a forward-thinking leader in the retail industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, and tailored training from day one.
- Other info: Be part of an inclusive team driving innovation in a digital era.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping technology that enhances customer experiences.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in system design and strong mentoring skills required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ 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 Payments and Infrastructure in Retail Domain and will partner closely with the Head of Engineering and the Solution Architect in the Store P&I sub‑domain. Being creative, curious, and confident, you will be an integral part of our empowered, self‑managing, multi‑disciplinary Engineering and Platform teams - designing, building, releasing, and maintaining solutions. Platform/DevOps background (Azure and Linux) would align best; however, it’s your passion for designing and delivering the best tech solutions to our customers and 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 Payments & Infrastructure employer: Marks & Spencer Plc
At Marks & Spencer, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and inclusive work culture that empowers our employees to thrive. As a Principal Software Engineer, you will not only lead technical innovation but also benefit from extensive professional development opportunities, competitive perks, and a strong commitment to employee wellbeing. Join us in shaping the future of retail while enjoying a supportive environment that values your contributions and fosters growth.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Software Engineer - Store Payments & Infrastructure
✨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 Marks & Spencer Plc 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 Marks & Spencer Plc.
✨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 Marks & Spencer Plc.
✨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 Marks & Spencer Plc 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 Principal Software Engineer - Store Payments & Infrastructure
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 Marks & Spencer Plc.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Marks & Spencer Plc 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 Marks & Spencer Plc
✨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 Marks & Spencer Plc 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.
