At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering teams to shape the future of investment technology.
- Company: Join Seccl, a B-Corp certified tech company transforming investments.
- Benefits: Generous salary, 27 days holiday, remote work options, and wellness initiatives.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-growing, innovative environment.
- Qualifications: Experience leading engineering squads in cloud-native settings.
- Other info: Inclusive culture that values diversity and encourages personal growth.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
This is a hybrid role requiring two days a week in our London office, and quarterly travel to Edinburgh or Bath.
About us
Seccl is the Octopus-owned embedded investment platform that is on a mission to help more people to invest - and invest well. We are B-Corp certified with an amazing product-market fit, impressive early traction and the potential to transform an outdated industry for the better. We have been growing fast and will scale even faster over the next few years. We are also proud to be part of Octopus, the £multi billion group that is on a mission to breathe new life into broken industries.
The role
- Lead the long-term technical strategy, organisational design and engineering excellence for the Accounts domain.
- Provide collaborative leadership across architecture, risk, delivery and team growth.
- Report directly to the CTO and partner closely with the Group Product Manager for Accounts.
- Guide the technical direction for 4-6 squads, ensuring scalable architecture, engineering quality and reliable delivery.
- Develop and enable Engineering Managers, embedding a culture of Ownership and shared accountability.
- Operate within a domain with deep regulatory responsibility, technical complexity and a broad product footprint.
In 12-18 months, you will have...
- Delivered a clear multi-year Accounts technical roadmap aligned to product and compliance priorities.
- Improved DORA and reliability metrics, reducing operational risk.
- Strengthened the Engineering Manager, Staff and Principal engineering bench with clear succession depth.
- Scaled organisational design to sustain flow, autonomy and effective delivery as Seccl grows.
On a typical day you will...
- Set and communicate the technical vision and strategy for the Accounts tribe.
- Guide architectural decisions that ensure scalability, resilience and compliance.
- Work with Staff and Principal Engineers to define and evolve architectural guardrails, patterns and platform capabilities.
- Partner with the Group Product Manager to align technical and product priorities for maximum customer impact.
- Lead and coach Engineering Managers, enabling their growth and technical leadership.
- Advocate best practices and frameworks across squads.
- Ensure operational excellence and reliability in delivery.
- Design, refine and evolve the organisational structure of the Accounts tribe.
- Build succession plans, strengthen leadership pipelines and uplift engineering management capability.
- Influence company-wide engineering standards, frameworks and technical strategy.
- Drive safe, measurable adoption of AI-assisted engineering.
- Promote continuous improvement in processes, tooling and engineering culture.
- Partner with Compliance, Risk, Security and Operations to embed robust engineering governance.
- Shape and manage cloud spend, operational cost-to-serve and vendor relationships.
This role's for you if...
- Have experience leading multiple engineering squads in a high-growth, cloud-native environment.
- Have experience leading 20-40+ engineers through managers, Staff engineers and senior individual contributors.
- Have owned multi-year technical and organisational strategies.
- Understand AWS/serverless architecture and modern engineering practices.
- Enjoy shaping operating models, delivery frameworks and engineering cultures.
- Can operate across horizons: from long-term architectural direction to diving into technical detail when needed.
- Build strong partnerships across product and engineering.
- Have a track record of improving delivery processes and driving operational efficiencies.
- Are comfortable navigating ambiguity and rapid growth.
This role isn’t for you if...
- You’ve never led engineering teams or scaled technical organisations.
- You lack experience in cloud-native architectures or modern engineering practices.
- You prefer highly prescriptive, top-down environments rather than autonomy.
- You find fast-changing or ambiguous environments challenging.
What’s in it for you...
- A salary dependant on experience + reviewed annually.
- 27 days holiday + bank holidays + day off on your birthday + three days per year for Dependant leave.
- Two volunteering days per year.
- Option to work abroad for up to six weeks a year.
- Secclbrate - our recognition programme that offers a mix of flexible rewards.
- Length of service award - one month paid sabbatical at eight years.
- 6% employer pension contribution, and life assurance.
- Private medical insurance with AXA Health.
- Enhanced Parental leave.
- MacBook and up to £500 home office set up budget.
- £750 per person learning budget.
- Health and wellbeing initiatives including free therapy.
- Strong financial wellbeing focus.
- Perkbox - Flexi-points giving you a range of discounts and perks.
- Access to initiatives like Cycle to Work and Octopus Electric Vehicle Leasing.
Our culture
We are proud to put people first, creating a culture where we truly listen to what matters most to them. Our transparent and inclusive environment encourages diversity of thought, challenge and experimentation.
Interview process
Interviewing is a two-way thing, and we want you to have the time and opportunity to get to know us, as much as we are getting to know you. Our interviews are conversational, so come with questions and be curious.
Our aim is to build a diverse and inclusive company of awesome people, with unique skills, passions and experiences. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, national origin, or veteran, neurodiversity or disability status. If this sounds like your kind of thing, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t tick every box.
Director of engineering employer: Seccl Technology Limited
Contact Detail:
Seccl Technology Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Director of engineering
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage with folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company, understand their products, and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their mission. Practise common interview questions and think about how you can showcase your leadership skills.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your passion for the role! During interviews, express why you're excited about the opportunity at Seccl and how you can contribute to their mission of transforming the investment industry. Authentic enthusiasm goes a long way!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up! After your interview, send a thank-you email to express your appreciation for the opportunity. It’s a great way to reinforce your interest in the position and keep you top of mind for the hiring team.
We think you need these skills to ace Director of engineering
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in leading engineering teams and your familiarity with cloud-native environments. We want to see how your skills align with our mission at Seccl!
Showcase Your Leadership Style: In your application, share examples of how you've fostered a culture of ownership and accountability within your teams. We’re all about collaborative leadership, so let us know how you’ve made an impact!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your key achievements and experiences shine through without unnecessary fluff.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity at Seccl!
How to prepare for a job interview at Seccl Technology Limited
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the technical aspects of the role. Brush up on AWS/serverless architecture and modern engineering practices, as these will likely come up during your chat. Being able to discuss specific projects or experiences where you've applied these skills will show you're not just familiar with the concepts but have real-world experience.
✨Show Your Leadership Style
As a Director of Engineering, your leadership approach is crucial. Be prepared to share examples of how you've led teams, fostered collaboration, and developed talent. Discuss your strategies for building a culture of ownership and accountability, especially in high-growth environments. This will demonstrate that you can guide multiple squads effectively.
✨Ask Thoughtful Questions
Interviews are a two-way street, so come armed with questions that show your interest in Seccl’s mission and culture. Ask about their approach to embedding engineering governance or how they envision the future of the Accounts domain. This not only shows your curiosity but also helps you gauge if the company aligns with your values.
✨Be Ready for Ambiguity
Given the fast-paced nature of the role, be prepared to discuss how you handle ambiguity and rapid growth. Share examples of how you've used data to guide decisions in uncertain situations. This will highlight your ability to navigate challenges and adapt to changing circumstances, which is key for success in this position.