At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and delivery of innovative software solutions for millions of customers.
- Company: Join the iconic M&S brand during its exciting digital transformation.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, and tailored training from day one.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to innovation and positive change.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a collaborative environment with cutting-edge technologies.
- Qualifications: Strong software engineering skills and experience in mentoring teams.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
- Description
- Summary
As part of the M&S Software Engineering team, you’ll be joining a trusted and iconic brand at an exciting stage of its digital transformation.
You’ll help build and evolve solutions that serve millions of customers and thousands of colleagues, working within empowered, multidisciplinary engineering teams across a modern digital ecosystem.
We’re looking for a passionate Staff Software Engineer who combines deep technical expertise with strong leadership and mentoring skills.
You’ll play a pivotal role in solving complex technical challenges, shaping architectural decisions, guiding engineering best practices and helping to build a world-class engineering culture.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who thrives in a collaborative environment, enjoys influencing technical strategy and is passionate about delivering scalable, reliable software solutions using modern cloud-native technologies.
Due to high interest, this role may close earlier than advertised. We recommend applying as soon as possible.
What you'll do
Your key accountabilities will include
- Leading the design, development and delivery of complex software solutions, distributed systems and large-scale platform enhancements.
- Driving technical excellence through architecture leadership, code reviews, engineering standards and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Mentoring and coaching engineers at all levels, supporting capability growth and helping develop future engineering leaders.
- Collaborating closely with Product, Delivery and Engineering teams to solve complex business challenges and deliver customer-focused outcomes.
- Owning operational stability by promoting a production-first mindset, improving observability, maintaining service reliability and advancing engineering roadmaps.
Who you are
Your skills and experience will include
- Strong software engineering experience across multiple layers of the technology stack, including back-end systems, cloud platforms and modern engineering practices.
- Deep understanding of software development principles, including Test Driven Development (TDD), Behaviour Driven Development (BDD), code quality and non-functional testing.
- Experience operating within Dev Ops environments, with a strong focus on CI/CD, automation, scalability and system reliability.
- Proven technical leadership experience, including architecture design, technical decision-making, mentoring and coaching engineering teams.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence technical direction and work effectively across diverse teams.
- Our Tech Stack
- Java
- Kafka
- Graph QL
- Azure Cloud
- Kubernetes
- Git Hub Actions
- New Relic / Dynatrace
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.
As an in-person business, most of our teams have core collaboration days in our Support Centres each week.
Typically, this involves spending three days together to collaborate, innovate and deliver the best outcomes for our customers and colleagues.
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.
#LI-Hybrid #LI-DB2
Staff Software Engineer- Loyalty employer: Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer is an exceptional employer that prioritises inclusivity and employee growth, making it a fantastic place for those looking to thrive in the retail sector. With flexible working hours and a commitment to personal development, employees are encouraged to take ownership of their roles while contributing to a dynamic and supportive work culture. Join us in shaping a greener, more inspiring future in retail, where your contributions truly matter.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Staff Software Engineer- Loyalty
✨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 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.
✨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.
✨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 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 Staff Software Engineer- Loyalty
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.
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 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
✨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 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.
