At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to architect and build innovative software solutions for clients in the Insurtech space.
- Company: Fast-growing Insurtech scale-up with a collaborative and high-calibre engineering culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, private medical insurance, generous holiday, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with excellent career growth potential and a supportive team environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by delivering cutting-edge technology that transforms the insurance industry.
- Qualifications: Strong software engineering background with experience in client-facing roles and team leadership.
Are you a Lead Software Engineer who loves building incredible products and shipping them to market? Someone who thrives at the front end of client delivery, leading discovery, driving projects forward, and growing a team of engineers around you? If so, this Forward Deployed Software Engineer role is for you.
Morela is proud to be supporting our client, a fast-growing Insurtech building the next generation of technology for the specialty (re)insurance market. Their cloud-based platform brings algorithmic underwriting to commercial and specialty lines, ingesting broker submissions, structuring the data, triaging complex risks, building contracts and automating underwriting workflows, so insurers can accept, refer or decline business faster and more consistently. It's a collaborative, high-calibre engineering culture that values curiosity, ownership and genuinely nice people.
The client currently serves around a dozen customers, with more confirmed, and their engineering leadership has been clear that the pipeline through this year and into next means they could comfortably double the delivery team. You'll sit close to the client, get under the skin of their business, and personally architect, build and ship the software that solves their problems, owning the solution end to end from the first conversation to something live in production. It's real engineering with the customer in the room.
Alongside the build, you'll lead and grow a small team of engineers, setting the technical direction and helping the people around you develop. In short, the role calls for three things at once: strong hands-on software engineering, genuine client-facing ability, and the technical leadership to set direction and grow a team.
- Lead, mentor and develop a team of engineers, setting technical direction, giving feedback and growing talent into more senior roles.
- Architect and build robust technical solutions from client requirements, using the client's domain-specific, spreadsheet-like functional programming language (full training provided).
- Own the design, configuration and delivery of formal specifications for insurance products across multiple lines of business (for example marine, aviation and political violence).
- Collaborate with product, engineering and commercial teams to customise and configure the platform for client needs.
- Design, build and manage platform integrations, ensuring reliable delivery and ongoing technical support.
- Own proof-of-value and pilot projects that are pivotal to the client's growth strategy.
A strong, high-quality software engineering background, someone who architects, builds and ships real products, with enterprise SaaS experience and full software development lifecycle fluency. Comfort picking up functional languages and a different way of thinking. Existing Haskell or similar functional programming exposure is a real advantage, but not essential, full training is provided (a strong Java/JVM background is a positive signal). Experience in Insurtech, insurance or a related regulated industry (training is provided, so this is a leg-up rather than a requirement). Exposure to distributed or remote working environments.
The role owns solution and engineering direction at the client engagement level. Over the core product the influence is meaningful but collaborative: the client has separate product and engineering teams, and this role works with them rather than setting the platform's core engineering direction. That said, these engineers are at the coalface with clients, so their feedback shapes what product prioritises, and they own the proof-of-value and pilot projects that prove out and drive new product direction.
Location: City of London, hybrid, typically 2 days a week in the office or on client site.
Base salary: up to circa £100,000 to £130,000 depending on experience.
Benefits: private medical insurance, income protection, life insurance at 4x base salary, enhanced maternity and paternity pay, 28 days' holiday plus bank holidays, pension and nursery salary exchange, learning allowance and leave for conferences or exams, home office and equipment allowance plus a company laptop, on-site gym, financial wellbeing platform, employee assistance programme, and regular team socials.
Lead Software Development Engineer in London employer: Morela Solutions
Morela's client is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and collaborative work environment in the heart of the City of London. With a strong focus on employee growth, they provide comprehensive benefits including private medical insurance, generous holiday allowances, and opportunities for professional development, all while fostering a culture that values curiosity and ownership. This scale-up not only empowers its engineers to make a tangible impact through client-facing roles but also ensures a supportive atmosphere with regular team socials and a commitment to work-life balance.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Software Development Engineer in London
✨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 Morela Solutions 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 Morela Solutions.
✨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 Morela Solutions.
✨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 Morela Solutions 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 Lead Software Development Engineer in London
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 Morela Solutions.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Morela Solutions 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 Morela Solutions
✨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 Morela Solutions 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.
