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- Tasks: Lead engineering for salon operations, driving technical vision and strategy.
- Company: Phorest Salon Software powers over 11,000 salons globally, processing millions of appointments monthly.
- Benefits: Enjoy private healthcare, wellness days, flexible working, and extensive development opportunities.
- Why this job: Join a top brand in salon software and influence a product used by millions.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in software engineering, with leadership experience and strong technical expertise required.
- Other info: Remote work options available; we encourage diverse applicants to apply.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 120000 £ per year.
Head of Engineering, Salon Ops – Maternity Cover (12-18 months)
Join to apply for the Head of Engineering, Salon Ops – Maternity Cover (12-18 months) role at Phorest Salon Software
Head of Engineering, Salon Ops – Maternity Cover (12-18 months)
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Join to apply for the Head of Engineering, Salon Ops – Maternity Cover (12-18 months) role at Phorest Salon Software
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Would you like to create the future of a product used by thousands of businesses and millions of consumers? Phorest Salon Software powers over 11,000 hair and beauty salons in Ireland, UK, Germany, Australia, Finland, USA, Canada, UAE and Netherlands and the platform processes 7 million appointments a month for hair and beauty consumers. Phorest is the number 1 salon software brand for premium independent salons in those markets and our next goal is to become a platform upon which other companies can build applications for premium salons.
Our system touches every point of the salon experience. We have the in-salon software desktop application, Phorest Go (the native staff application), online bookings website for salons, and custom native apps per salon. In a typical month, Phorest processes 3 million appointments and we send over 3 million SMS and 4 million emails. We process 200k online bookings per month and over 150 custom built white label native apps.
About Phorest
Would you like to create the future of a product used by thousands of businesses and millions of consumers? Phorest Salon Software powers over 11,000 hair and beauty salons in Ireland, UK, Germany, Australia, Finland, USA, Canada, UAE and Netherlands and the platform processes 7 million appointments a month for hair and beauty consumers. Phorest is the number 1 salon software brand for premium independent salons in those markets and our next goal is to become a platform upon which other companies can build applications for premium salons.
Our system touches every point of the salon experience. We have the in-salon software desktop application, Phorest Go (the native staff application), online bookings website for salons, and custom native apps per salon. In a typical month, Phorest processes 3 million appointments and we send over 3 million SMS and 4 million emails. We process 200k online bookings per month and over 150 custom built white label native apps.
The Opportunity
The Head of Engineering for the Salon Operations Group at Phorest is a senior leadership role responsible for driving the technical vision and execution for a critical pillar of our product. This role serves as the technical representative for the Salon Operations group, ensuring our engineering strategy aligns closely with business goals and the needs of salon professionals worldwide.
Due to the level of seniority of this role, you will have an overlap with the current Head of Engineering for ~10-12 weeks initially and then at ~6-8 weeks when they return to ensure a smooth transition. In partnership with the current Head of Engineering, you will focus on creating a shared vision for the group with in those first few weeks. You will prioritise maintenance and continuity alongside taking action on any agreed transformations during the maternity leave period. The contract will be a minimum of 12 months with the flexibility to extend up to 18 months.
You will partner closely with the Head of Product for Salon Operations to shape product direction and ensure seamless cross-functional collaboration. With a broad technical scope covering mobile, web frontend, backend, and data engineering, this position offers the opportunity to influence every layer of our platform. As Head of Engineering, you will lead multiple teams and be instrumental in delivering scalable, high-quality software that powers thousands of salons daily, delivering a world-class experience.
What You\’ll Do
- Technical Leadership & Strategy: Act as the technical representative for the Salon Operations group, defining and communicating the technical strategy in alignment with business objectives and Phorest’s overall vision. Ensure that engineering initiatives support the company’s goals and client needs.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with the Head of Product for Salon Operations (and other stakeholders) to align product and engineering roadmaps. Drive collaboration between engineering, product, design, and other departments to ensure cohesive planning and execution of features and projects.
- Broad Technical Oversight: Oversee a wide engineering scope, including mobile app development (Phorest Go), web frontend (e.g., client-facing and salon management interfaces), backend services, and data engineering/reporting. Provide architectural guidance across these domains to ensure solutions are well-integrated, scalable, and secure.
- Team Management & Mentorship: Manage and mentor a diverse team of senior Individual Contributors (Staff Engineers) and Engineering Managers. Foster a high-performance culture by setting clear goals, providing regular feedback, and supporting professional growth. Build alignment across teams and ensure everyone is working effectively toward common objectives.
- Group Health: Ensuring teams are healthy and developing plans to scale based on the production and technical vision so that they can be executed upon sustainably.
- Cross-Team Alignment: Drive strong collaboration among the various teams within Salon Operations – of which there are 5 now. Break down silos and encourage knowledge sharing, unified architectures, and coordinated delivery of cross-team initiatives.
- Engineering Best Practices: Champion engineering excellence and best practices across the group. Advocate for clean, maintainable code, effective testing, and DevOps practices. Ensure systems and architectures are designed for scalability, reliability, and performance to support our growing user base. Lead by example in promoting a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and technical excellence.
Who You Are
- Education & Background: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
- Proven Engineering Leadership: 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years in an engineering leadership role. Demonstrated success in managing managers and senior engineers, ideally as a Head of Engineering, Director of Engineering, or similar for a multi-team organisation.
- Broad Technical Expertise: Strong technical background across modern tech stacks – experience with mobile, web frontend, backend development (APIs, microservices, databases), and data engineering/analytics. Ability to make high-level architectural decisions and review detailed design when needed.
- Strategic Thinker: Experience developing and executing technical strategies that align with business goals. Able to balance short-term delivery with long-term platform evolution. Familiar with agile methodologies and product development lifecycles.
- Collaboration & Communication: Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills. Proven ability to partner with product managers and other departments to deliver complex projects. Exceptional communication skills, capable of articulating technical concepts and strategy to both technical teams and executive leadership.
- People Development: A track record of building and nurturing high-performing teams. Skilled in mentoring senior engineers and managers, providing career development, and fostering an inclusive, innovative team culture.
- Quality and Best Practices: Deep understanding of engineering best practices (code quality, testing, CI/CD, observability). Committed to upholding high standards and instilling those values in teams. Experience driving initiatives for improving engineering processes and systems at scale.
Benefits
Your wellbeing is important to us – we provide private healthcare, 2 Wellness Days, an employee assistance program and a free online GP service.
As part of our Financial Wellbeing, we provide competitive Compensation, an Employee Share Purchase Scheme, Pension, Life Assurance, and Income Protection.
We help you travel by providing a bike to work scheme as well as tax saver transport tickets.
️We support the women who work in Phorest by offering 2 weeks leave for Fertility Treatment, Pregnancy Loss and Menopause.
We grow our own timber! We provide a great learning environment and extensive development opportunities. We run development programs and provide access to many online resources including LinkedIn learning.
Moving house? Phorest employees get 3 moving days.
Want to learn more about Phorest? Check out nothingventured.rocks for our blog and Insights on building an evergreen company from the team here at Phorest.
Phorest is an equal opportunity employer. For this position, flexi-time and working from home is possible. We are also open to remote work. Get in touch to ask for more information or to chat about your future with Phorest!
Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalised folks tend to only apply when they check every box. So if you think you have what it takes, but don\’t necessarily meet every single point on the job description, please still get in touch. We\’d love to have a chat and see if you could be a great fit.
Seniority level
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Seniority level
Not Applicable
Employment type
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Employment type
Other
Job function
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Job function
Engineering and Information Technology
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Industries
Software Development
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Head of Engineering, Salon Ops - Maternity Cover (12-18 months) employer: Phorest Salon Software
Contact Detail:
Phorest Salon Software Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Engineering, Salon Ops - Maternity Cover (12-18 months)
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Phorest's products and services. Understanding the technical aspects of their salon software, including mobile and web applications, will help you articulate how your experience aligns with their needs during discussions.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of Phorest to gain insights into the company culture and expectations for the Head of Engineering role. This can provide you with valuable information that can set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your leadership style and how you've successfully managed diverse engineering teams in the past. Highlight specific examples of how you've fostered collaboration and innovation, as these are key aspects of the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Stay updated on industry trends and best practices in software engineering, particularly in the salon and beauty sector. Being able to speak knowledgeably about emerging technologies and methodologies will demonstrate your commitment to driving Phorest's technical vision.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Engineering, Salon Ops - Maternity Cover (12-18 months)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in engineering leadership, particularly in software development and team management. Emphasise your technical expertise across mobile, web, and backend development, as well as any experience with agile methodologies.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for the salon industry and how your background aligns with Phorest's mission. Discuss your vision for the role and how you plan to drive technical strategy and cross-functional collaboration.
Showcase Leadership Experience: Provide specific examples of your leadership experience, particularly in managing diverse teams and mentoring senior engineers. Highlight any successful projects you've led that demonstrate your ability to deliver high-quality software solutions.
Research Phorest: Familiarise yourself with Phorest Salon Software, its products, and its market position. Mention any insights or ideas you have about their current offerings and how you could contribute to their future growth in your application.
How to prepare for a job interview at Phorest Salon Software
✨Understand the Company and Its Products
Before your interview, take the time to research Phorest Salon Software thoroughly. Familiarise yourself with their products, especially the Phorest Go app and how it integrates into salon operations. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your genuine interest in the company and its mission.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Experience
As a candidate for the Head of Engineering role, it's crucial to highlight your previous leadership experiences. Prepare specific examples of how you've managed teams, mentored engineers, and driven technical strategies that align with business goals. This will showcase your ability to lead effectively in a senior role.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect to face technical questions that assess your expertise across various domains such as mobile, web frontend, backend development, and data engineering. Brush up on your knowledge of modern tech stacks and be ready to discuss architectural decisions you've made in past projects.
✨Emphasise Cross-Functional Collaboration
Phorest values collaboration between engineering, product, and design teams. Be prepared to discuss how you've successfully worked with cross-functional teams in the past. Highlight any experiences where you facilitated communication and alignment between different departments to achieve project goals.
