Technical Manager in Luton

Location: Hybrid

Reports to: Senior Management Team

Salary range: £70,000 to £80,000 P/A plus benefits

To lead and develop QV Systems\’ development team whilst driving technical excellence and strategic growth across our platform. This role combines people management with hands-on technical leadership, ensuring high-quality software delivery through effective team development, architectural oversight, and operational excellence. Working collaboratively with senior leadership, you will shape our technical roadmap whilst building a high-performing development culture that supports both individual growth and business objectives.

Main Duties

Team Leadership & Management

• Manage and develop the development team, conducting regular 1-to-1 meetings with team members
• Execute Personal Development Plans (PDPs) to support career growth and skill development
• Handle HR-related matters within the development team, working with HR as required
• Provide mentorship, coaching, and technical training to team members
• Build and implement the development team strategy, including recruitment and team structure planning

Technical Leadership

• Lead architectural decisions across the platform, ensuring alignment and buy-in from the CEO
• Review code for quality, standards, and best practices implementation
• Oversee technical specification writing and provide expert technical input on projects
• Stay current with emerging technologies and evaluate their potential application to our platform
• Ensure technical excellence and maintainability across all development work
• Support with development activity if required

Project & Sprint Management

• Manage development work within each sprint cycle, ensuring accurate estimates and realistic planning
• Maintain development momentum whilst prioritising work according to business objectives
• Collaborate closely with the Head of Product on technical roadmap planning and execution
• Ensure project deliverables meet quality standards and are delivered on schedule

Operations & Infrastructure

• Oversee deployment processes, ensuring smooth and reliable releases
• Monitor system performance and implement improvements as needed
• Manage cloud infrastructure costs whilst maintaining optimal performance and reliability
• Ensure robust security practices are implemented and maintained across all systems
• Oversee technical support ticket management, ensuring development resources provide continuous support desk coverage

Contribute to growth strategy by

• Constantly challenging the Status Quo to do things better
• Encouraging and documenting process improvements
• Championing our products to provide excellent after-care to all customers
• Contribute to building and improving the QA standards at QV
• Enhance knowledge of QA processes through independent and supported learning at QV

Information Security

• Understanding and following the guidelines in the Information Security Policy and Company Handbook

Jobholder Requirements

Essential Qualities & Attributes

• Natural ability to inspire and develop talent, creating an environment where developers thrive and grow
• Passion for mentoring and unlocking potential in others, comfortable with hands-on coaching in a fast-paced environment
• Experience nurturing careers through meaningful feedback and development conversations
• Comfortable navigating people challenges with empathy and professionalism in a dynamic startup setting
• Clear, persuasive communicator who can rally teams around a shared vision
• Skilled at translating complex technical ideas into compelling narratives for founders and stakeholders
• Thrives in collaborative, cross-functional environments where agility and adaptability are key
• Natural relationship builder who bridges the gap between technical and product teams seamlessly

Technical Skills – Required

• Minimum 5-7 years of software development experience with demonstrated progression to senior roles
• Experienced in RBDMS theory and practice, including ERD, referential integrity, normaliastion and SQL. Expert in Oracle RDBMS minimum version 19c including modern SQL constructs, performance optimisation, PL/SQL and ORDS. Some understanding of Oracle APEX.
• Proven experience in managing and developing software development teams
• Strong background in system architecture and technical decision-making
• Experience with agile development methodologies and sprint management
• Demonstrable experience in cloud infrastructure management and deployment processes
• Proficiency in multiple programming languages and development frameworks
• Strong understanding of software architecture principles and design patterns
• Experience with code review processes and quality assurance practices
• Knowledge of DevOps practices and deployment automation
• Understanding of security best practices in software development
• Experience with performance monitoring and system optimisation

Technical Skills – Desirable

• Experience in a similar senior development management role within a growing technology company
• Knowledge of specific technologies used within our current tech stack
• Experience with budget management and cost optimisation
• Relevant degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field
• Professional development or management qualifications

Key Competencies

• Personable and approachable, with a positive outlook and an overall passion for excellence
• Analytical and inquisitive, asks appropriate questions and has enthusiasm to understand the QV products fully
• Ability to translate business goals into technical strategy and lead teams through rapid change
• Strong people leadership with the skills to cultivate talent, build high-performing teams, and shape development culture
• Knowledge to balance architectural decisions with delivery speed whilst maintaining quality standards
• Experience to develop quality software on time and optimise processes in fast-paced environments
• Confidence to drive alignment across the organisation and communicate effectively at all levels