At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead technical strategy and mentor teams to deliver innovative software solutions.
- Company: Join Marks & Spencer, a leader in retail innovation and inclusivity.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, and 24/7 wellbeing support.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to making change happen.
- 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
At Marks & Spencer, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, particularly for the Principal Software Engineer role within Store Operations. Our inclusive and dynamic work culture fosters innovation and collaboration, while our commitment to employee development ensures that you will have ample opportunities for growth and mentorship. With competitive benefits, a strong focus on wellbeing, and a sense of purpose in delivering quality service to millions, joining our team means being part of a forward-thinking organisation that values your contributions and supports your career journey.
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 through LinkedIn or other platforms. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for landing the Principal Software Engineer role. Personal connections can make a huge difference!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by brushing up on your technical skills and leadership examples. Think of specific projects where you’ve made architectural decisions or mentored others. We want to see how you align tech with business goals, so be ready to share!
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your passion for engineering excellence! During interviews, discuss how you’ve driven quality and operational improvements in past roles. Highlight your experience with system design and how it aligns with M&S’s mission to innovate in retail.
✨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 being part of the M&S team. Let’s get you that interview!
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.
Be Creative and Curious:Don’t shy away from showcasing your creativity and curiosity in your application. We love candidates who think outside the box and are passionate about delivering innovative tech solutions that align with business goals.
Mentorship Matters:If you have experience mentoring and coaching others, be sure to include that in your application. We value strong leaders who can develop talent and foster a high-performing engineering culture.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and get you on the path to joining our amazing team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks & Spencer
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
As a Principal Software Engineer, you’ll 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 mentorship and team development abilities. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams or mentored engineers in the past. Highlight your approach to fostering a high-performing engineering culture.
✨Align Technology with Business Strategy
Be prepared to discuss how you can bridge the gap between engineering and business objectives. Think of specific instances where you influenced product strategy through technical insights. This will show your understanding of the bigger picture.
✨Emphasise Operational Excellence
Operational excellence is key in this role. Be ready to talk about how you've ensured quality, reliability, and security in your previous projects. Discuss any experience you have with incident response and tooling improvements to showcase your proactive approach.
