At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering teams to innovate AI-powered field service software and drive technical strategy.
- Company: Join BigChange, a pioneering tech company transforming field service operations globally.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous leave, private health insurance, and a relaxed office environment.
- Other info: Dynamic culture with opportunities for career growth and diverse training.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI in engineering and make a real impact on the industry.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in engineering, strategic depth, and a passion for AI integration.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 120000 £ per year.
BigChange is at an inflection point. As a pioneer of AI-powered field service software now serving over 250,000 users worldwide, we're not done making big change. We've just launched BigChange Lightning — an AI intelligence layer that deploys autonomous agents across field service operations — and we need a Senior Director of Engineering to lead the teams building what comes next.
Headquartered in Leeds and part of the global Simpro Group — one of the largest field service software networks in the world — BigChange has been transforming how trades and field service businesses operate since 2013. Our platform connects jobs, people, and performance across plumbing, HVAC, fire & security, facilities management, electrical contracting, and more.
Trusted by over 2,200 high-growth businesses, we've processed billions in invoiced work and scheduled tens of millions of jobs. We've featured multiple times on the Sunday Times Tech Track 100, and we're just getting started with AI.
BigChange Lightning represents the next chapter: AI agents that act as virtual business partners, trainers, documentation specialists, and customer success functions — delivering the headcount the economics never previously supported.
The Role
This is a senior in-person leadership position based at our Leeds HQ. You'll lead the engineering organisation responsible for BigChange's full product suite — from the legacy monolith to our rapidly evolving microservices platform and mobile applications — while embedding an AI-First engineering culture that makes every engineer more capable, every delivery faster, and every customer outcome stronger.
You will report to executive leadership and be a key voice in shaping the technical future of one of the UK's most recognised field service technology businesses. Location: Leeds (LS15), on-site.
What You’ll Do
- Team Leadership: Build, mentor, and inspire high-performing engineering teams. Drive a culture of ownership, craft, and continuous improvement from squad level to organisational level. Develop engineering managers and create clear career pathways for individual contributors and leaders alike.
- AI-First Culture: Champion the integration of AI into every layer of how we build — from developer tooling and CI/CD intelligence to the AI agents at the heart of BigChange Lightning. This isn't about adopting tools; it's about fundamentally changing how engineers work and what they can achieve.
- Engineering Strategy: Partner with Product and the C-suite to shape the technical roadmap. Balance velocity on new capabilities with architectural health across a hybrid legacy and modern stack. Translate business goals into clear engineering priorities.
- Platform Evolution: Oversee the continued migration from AWS EC2 monolith toward AWS EKS microservices. Make the architectural decisions that protect reliability and security while enabling rapid innovation and scale.
- Delivery Excellence: Own engineering velocity, quality, and predictability. Build the processes and metrics that let teams move fast without creating tomorrow's technical debt. Hold the bar on engineering standards without becoming a bottleneck.
- Hiring & Talent: Attract and retain exceptional engineering talent in Leeds and beyond. Make BigChange the kind of engineering organisation that people choose over the obvious alternatives. Be the reason great engineers want to stay.
What You’ll Bring
- Proven track record leading high-performing engineering teams at scale — you've built, grown, and developed engineering organisations, not just managed them.
- Genuine conviction about AI in engineering — you've moved teams beyond AI as a curiosity to AI as a core capability multiplier.
- Strategic technical depth - you can engage credibly with senior engineers on architecture without needing to be the smartest technologist in the room.
- Experience with SaaS product companies you understand how engineering decisions compound into product and commercial outcomes.
- Comfort with complexity — you've navigated hybrid environments combining legacy systems and modern platforms, and you've made that transition well.
- Strong presence and communication — you lead in person, you build trust quickly, and you make hard decisions with clarity.
- Collaborative by default — you partner well with Product, Commercial, and the wider leadership team to create alignment, not just agreements.
- Located in or able to commute to Leeds — this is an on-site leadership role.
What We Can Offer You
- A generous annual leave entitlement plus a personal leave entitlement.
- Private Health Insurance.
- Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 confidential support on relationships, bereavement, finances).
- Life Insurance.
- Company pension scheme, with an uncapped 5% employer contribution.
- Generous Parental Leave Program.
- Paid Volunteer Leave Days.
- Public Holiday Exchange Scheme.
- Talent Referral Programme – get rewarded for referring a friend to join our team!
- Cyclescheme, a salary sacrifice to treat yourself to a bike & equipment.
- Home & Tech Scheme, a salary sacrifice to treat yourself to some new tech.
- A discounts and cash back scheme.
- Casual dress and relaxed office environment.
- Opportunities for career progression and development.
- Diverse training & internal networking opportunities across all of our product lines.
- Service recognition awards.
Our Core Values
- We Are One Team.
- We Are Customer Centric.
- We Are Growth Minded.
- We Are Accountable.
- We Celebrate Success.
Simpro, AroFlo, BigChange & ClockShark are equal opportunity employers with a best-of-class onboarding program and supportive team environments. This means that we want everyone to feel welcome and offer equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, or any other non-performance factor.
If you'd like to join a fun and progressive organisation, where there are opportunities to develop your career, please apply now with your CV/Resume.
Please note: no agencies will be accepted in the recruitment of this role. Any CVs provided to Simpro Software by agencies will be treated as a gift.
Senior Director of Engineering in Leeds employer: Simpro Group
BigChange is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Leeds where innovation meets collaboration. With a strong focus on employee growth, we provide generous benefits including private health insurance, a robust pension scheme, and opportunities for career progression within a supportive team culture. Join us to lead the future of AI-powered field service technology and be part of a company that values diversity, accountability, and celebrates success.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Director of Engineering in Leeds
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Simpro Group or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Simpro Group.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Simpro Group.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Simpro Group that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Director of Engineering in Leeds
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Simpro Group.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Simpro Group and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Simpro Group
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Simpro Group uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
