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- Tasks: Lead engineering execution and shape the technical direction of Picnic.
- Company: Join a fast-growing startup focused on improving digital advertising.
- Benefits: Flexible working, 33 days holiday, private medical insurance, and great team culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by building a platform that drives better advertising outcomes.
- Qualifications: Experience in engineering leadership within startups and strong cloud architecture skills.
- Other info: Be part of a pivotal moment in a company recognised for its flexible work culture.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Who are Picnic & what do we do? Picnic’s mission is to drive a higher quality ad-funded internet. Today, a large proportion of digital advertising is ineffective, intrusive and poorly optimised. Picnic builds technology that helps brands make better decisions about where and how their advertising is shown, improving outcomes for users, advertisers, and publishers alike. We’re a fast growing, founder-led startup. Over the last couple of years, we’ve built a strong platform foundation and developed clear conviction around our product direction. We’re now entering a new stage where execution, reliability and scale matter as much as innovation.
What will you be doing as Head of Engineering? As Head of Engineering, you’ll report to the Chief Product & Technology Officer and take end-to-end ownership of engineering execution, playing a central role in how Picnic scales technically and organisationally. You will:
- Own delivery of the engineering roadmap, taking complex decisioning and optimisation capabilities from prototype through to reliable, scalable production systems
- Provide technical leadership across platform infrastructure, data pipelines, applied modelling, real-time services, and external APIs
- Act as architectural steward of the platform, ensuring consistency, scalability, reliability, and cost efficiency as complexity increases
- Build and evolve engineering practices around system design, DevOps, observability, automation, and operating production systems at scale
- Lead, coach, and develop the engineering team, establishing clear standards, progression paths, and a strong engineering culture
- Lead the platform’s evolution to serve external customers and partners, with clear guarantees around reliability, data freshness, versioning, and service expectations
This is a hands-on leadership role. You’ll be close to the systems and technical decisions, while also setting direction and enabling the team to move faster and more safely.
Who are we looking for? We’re looking for an experienced, pragmatic engineering leader who has operated at a senior level in a startup or scale-up environment and is excited by the opportunity to take broad ownership of engineering execution and scale a team and platform end to end. You will:
- Have led or managed engineers in a start-up or scale-up environment
- Have strong hands-on experience with cloud architecture, within AWS
- Have experience working across product engineering, data systems, and platform infrastructure
- Have built and operated production systems with high requirements around reliability, performance, and cost control
- Be able to balance short-term delivery pressure with long-term architectural health
- Be comfortable operating in an experiment-driven, discovery-focused environment, and know how to transition from exploration to production
- Be an effective people leader, or actively looking to grow into a broader leadership role
- Be familiar with machine learning concepts and the infrastructure required to deploy and operate models in production
- Communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
- Be excited by the opportunity to shape Picnic’s engineering function and platform from the ground up
Experience in advertising technology is a bonus, but not required.
Why work at Picnic? You’ll be joining Picnic at a pivotal moment, where strong engineering leadership can materially shape the trajectory and value of the business. At Picnic:
- You’ll have real ownership and influence over the engineering function and technical direction
- You’ll work closely with the founder and leadership team to translate strategy into execution
- Ideas move quickly from concept to production — we value momentum, learning, and impact
- You’ll help build a platform used by external teams and systems to make high-value decisions at scale
What can Picnic offer you? We’re proud to have been recognised by Culture100 and Flexa as one of the best and most flexible small businesses to work for. We offer:
- A flexible, hybrid working setup (with regular time together in our London Bridge office)
- 33 days holiday (inclusive of Bank Holidays), plus additional Christmas shutdown
- Private Medical Insurance through Vitality
- Picnic pension contribution
- Inclusive parental leave policy
- A great co-working space, regular socials and offsites, Picnic Thursdays, Summer Fridays and ‘Work from Roam’ opportunities
Head of Engineering in London employer: Picnic Media Limited
Contact Detail:
Picnic Media Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Engineering in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry, especially those at Picnic or similar companies. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that might just land you an interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio or projects that demonstrate your engineering prowess, make sure to share them. It’s a great way to showcase what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by understanding Picnic’s mission and values. Tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you stand out as a candidate who truly gets what they’re about.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Picnic team.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Engineering in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Head of Engineering role. Highlight your leadership experience, technical expertise, and any relevant projects you've worked on in startups or scale-ups.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're excited about joining Picnic. Share your vision for engineering leadership and how you can contribute to our mission of driving a higher quality ad-funded internet.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t shy away from detailing your hands-on experience with cloud architecture, particularly AWS. We want to see how you've built and operated production systems that meet high reliability and performance standards.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity at Picnic!
How to prepare for a job interview at Picnic Media Limited
✨Know the Company Inside Out
Before your interview, make sure you understand Picnic's mission and how they aim to improve digital advertising. Familiarise yourself with their technology and recent developments in the industry. This will not only show your genuine interest but also help you align your experience with their goals.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
As a potential Head of Engineering, it's crucial to demonstrate your leadership approach. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in a startup or scale-up environment. Discuss how you foster a strong engineering culture and how you balance short-term delivery with long-term architectural health.
✨Be Ready for Technical Discussions
Expect to dive deep into technical topics during your interview. Brush up on your knowledge of cloud architecture, particularly AWS, and be prepared to discuss your hands-on experience with production systems. Highlight your familiarity with machine learning concepts and how they can be applied in real-world scenarios.
✨Communicate Clearly and Effectively
Since you'll be interacting with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, practice articulating complex ideas in simple terms. Use clear examples from your past experiences to illustrate your points. This will demonstrate your ability to bridge the gap between different teams and ensure everyone is on the same page.
