At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the engineering team, drive AI adoption, and own the engineering function.
- Company: Fast-growing tech company with an AI-first culture and direct CEO access.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, performance bonus, free food, gym membership, and flexible working.
- Other info: Unique opportunity for career growth in a dynamic, mission-critical environment.
- Why this job: Step into a genuine Head of Engineering role with real ownership and impact.
- Qualifications: Proven AI fluency, engineering management experience, and hands-on technical background.
The predicted salary is between 76500 - 93500 £ per year.
Head of Engineering opportunity at a fast-growing technology company in a mission-critical, regulated domain with an AI-first engineering culture.
Hybrid working from Derry/Londonderry - minimum three days per week in office. Salary up to £85,000 plus performance bonus.
Why This Organisation
This is not a Head of Engineering role where you will be managing a roadmap handed down from above and fighting for budget in quarterly planning. Our client is a fast-growing technology company that has successfully delivered across multiple high-profile, mission-critical campaigns in a regulated domain. Their client base is forecast to expand significantly over the next twelve to eighteen months, and they are now hiring the engineering leader who will take them through that growth. You would report directly to the CEO, own the engineering function end to end, and be the most senior technical voice in the organisation. The culture is AI first in the truest sense, where AI agents are used to build software, and fluency with AI tooling is a core engineering expectation.
The Role and What It Can Do For Your Career
You will own the engineering function, the team, the processes, the tooling, the AWS spend, and the cultural tone. You will hire, develop, and performance manage engineers. You will translate between engineering reality and business intent at CEO level, push back when needed, and negotiate scope without damaging relationships. For the right engineer, this is a defining career move.
What you will need:
- Demonstrable AI fluency in your own engineering work, with evidence of driving AI adoption across at least one team.
- A track record of managing engineers directly with examples of hiring, performance management, and team development.
- Experience reporting to or working closely with non-technical executive leadership.
- Hands-on engineering background with recent and credible experience in a modern web and cloud stack.
- Comfortable operating as the sole senior engineering leader in a small, fast-moving environment.
- Composure and integrity under pressure - direct feedback, willingness to admit mistakes, and calm under stress.
Why You Should Apply Now
Genuine Head of Engineering opportunities at this level, with real ownership, CEO access, an AI first mandate, and a company at an inflexion point in its growth are rare. If you are ready to own an engineering function and prove what you can do with real authority and real accountability, please reach out to Nick Napier directly on LinkedIn or submit your CV via the link below.
Benefits: Work From Home
Head of Engineering employer: Ocho
Join a dynamic and innovative digital consultancy that champions a remote-first work culture, offering exceptional benefits such as a competitive salary, generous annual leave, and a commitment to professional development. With a focus on quality and collaboration, you'll thrive in an environment that values your expertise and provides the autonomy to shape QA processes while working on complex, multi-component systems alongside a talented team in Northern Ireland.
