Shape the future of digital assessment at scale
At Pearson, we’re transforming how qualifications are delivered globally, combining deep educational expertise with cutting-edge technology. We’re now looking for a Senior Software Engineering Manager to lead the engineering and operations teams behind our critical assessment services.
This is a high-impact leadership role at the heart of our transformation, ensuring millions of learners experience secure, reliable, and high-quality qualification delivery.
About the role
You’ll lead globally distributed engineering, DevOps, and service teams responsible for the technology that underpins Pearson’s regulated and non-regulated qualifications.
Working as part of the PQ Technology Senior Leadership Team, you’ll shape and deliver a product-led technology strategy, balancing innovation, operational excellence, and regulatory compliance. You’ll also play a key role in the PQ Transformation Programme, helping build a more agile, collaborative, and future-ready organisation.
This is a role with real breadth and influence, spanning delivery, stakeholder leadership, and strategic planning.
What you’ll be doing
- Own delivery of Pearson’s qualifications technology portfolio, ensuring exam series are delivered on time, to quality, and at scale
- Lead global engineering and DevOps teams, translating business priorities into effective technical execution
- Drive operational excellence, including incident management, service performance, and resilience during critical exam periods
- Partner with regulators and senior stakeholders, acting as a trusted technology leader across internal and external audiences
- Enable innovation, overseeing delivery of new features, platform improvements, and agentic deployment approach
- Champion modern engineering practices, including agile, DevSecOps, and secure cloud-based delivery
- Collaborate cross-functionally across Product, Operations, Assessment, and Regulatory teams to align delivery to business goals
- Manage third-party and internal partnerships to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery across multiple locations
- Own budget and investment planning, contributing to business cases and long-term strategy
- Ensure compliance and security standards are met, in line with both internal policies and regulatory requirements
What we’re looking for
You’ll bring a strong blend of technical depth, delivery leadership, and stakeholder influence, with experience operating in complex, regulated environments.
Key skills and experience
- Proven experience leading large-scale engineering and DevOps organisations
- Strong background delivering complex digital products or platforms at scale
- Experience working in regulated environments (for example education, finance, or healthcare)
- Deep understanding of cloud, DevSecOps, APIs, and secure system design
- Experience driving agile transformation and modern engineering practices
- Strong stakeholder management, including senior leadership and external or regulatory bodies
- Experience building and scaling global, distributed teams
- Commercial awareness, including budget ownership and supplier management
Leadership capabilities
- Inspirational and inclusive leadership style
- Strong communicator who can engage at all levels
- Collaborative and outcome-focused
- Adaptable, resilient, and comfortable operating in complexity
- Passionate about solving problems that have real-world impact
Why join Pearson
At Pearson, we believe learning never stops, not for the people we serve, and not for the people who work here.
Joining us means
- Working on technology that impacts millions of learners worldwide
- Being part of a major transformation programme, shaping the future of assessment
- Collaborating with talented, globally distributed teams
- Having real influence over strategy, delivery, and innovation
- Continuing your own journey of learning, growth, and impact
