At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the engineering function, drive AI adoption, and manage a talented team.
- 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: Rare opportunity for genuine ownership and career-defining growth.
- Why this job: Own your role as Head of Engineering and shape the future of AI in tech.
- Qualifications: Proven AI fluency, team management experience, and hands-on engineering 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.
AI-first engineering culture - the most senior engineer in the building, reporting directly to the CEO. 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. A company where AI agents are used to build software, where fluency with AI tooling is a core engineering expectation, and where the Head of Engineering is expected to set the bar personally and hold the team to it. The stack is TypeScript across the board, AWS native serverless architecture, infrastructure as code via AWS CDK and CI and CD pipelines on AWS. The organisation is ISO 27001 certified, which means security and compliance are baked into everything.
Benefits
- Free food and drinks from an onsite café
- Subsidised gym membership
- Bike to work scheme
- Flexible working arrangements
- Condensed working patterns
If you have reached the point in your career where you want the title, the authority, and the accountability to match, and you want to earn it in an environment that will genuinely challenge you, this is worth your attention.
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. You will push back when needed and negotiate scope without damaging relationships. You will be the person the team looks to when the answer is not obvious.
For the right engineer, this is a defining career move. There are very few opportunities where you can step into a Head of Engineering role at a growing, ambitious company, with genuine ownership from day one and direct access to the leadership team. Most engineering leaders spend years navigating layers of management to get here. This role puts you there now.
The AI first mandate is also significant for your career trajectory. You will be driving AI adoption across the engineering function, using AI agents to build software, shaping how the team works at a moment when that expertise is becoming one of the most valuable things an engineering leader can bring. That experience compounds quickly.
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.
Head of Engineering in London 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.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Engineering 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 Ocho 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 Ocho.
✨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 Ocho.
✨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 Ocho 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 Head of Engineering 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 Ocho.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Ocho 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 Ocho
✨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 Ocho 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.
