At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and mentor a team of software engineers while driving engineering excellence.
- Company: Established UK SaaS business with a focus on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, private healthcare, hybrid working, and generous pension contributions.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for career growth and impact on engineering culture.
- Why this job: Shape the future of engineering in a growing tech company and influence strategic initiatives.
- Qualifications: Experience leading software teams and strong knowledge of modern web development.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
Lead Software Engineer Location
Milton Keynes (4 days per week in the office)
Salary
£70,000–£90,000 + excellent benefits
Type
Permanent or Contract We're working with an established and growing UK Saa S business looking to appoint an experienced
Tech Lead to lead their software engineering function.
This is a leadership-focused role where you'll oversee a team of around 10 software engineers, driving engineering excellence, improving delivery processes, and shaping the technical direction of a modern cloud-based software platform.
You'll work closely with senior leadership to deliver strategic initiatives while building a high-performing engineering culture.
This is not a hands-on coding role, but you'll need the technical credibility to support, challenge and mentor the development team.
The Role You'll take ownership of the engineering function, focusing on people, processes, and technical strategy.
Key priorities include strengthening software development and QA practices, leading a cloud migration programme, and supporting the adoption of AI-powered development tools.
Responsibilities
- Lead, mentor and develop a team of approximately 10 software engineers.
- Manage performance, career development, recruitment and team growth.
- Improve and embed engineering best practices across SDLC, testing, code reviews, documentation and release management.
- Own engineering governance around security, compliance and data protection.
- Lead the migration of infrastructure to a public cloud platform (AWS, Azure or GCP).
- Partner with senior stakeholders to translate product strategy into engineering delivery.
- Drive adoption of modern AI-assisted and agentic software development practices.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration and technical excellence.
About You
You’ll have previous experience managing software engineering teams and enjoy leading people as much as improving technical delivery.
Essential
- Experience leading software engineering teams (ideally 5+ developers).
- Strong understanding of PHP (OR Node JS/Python), My SQL and modern web application development.
- Experience implementing scalable engineering processes and delivery standards.
- Proven experience with cloud infrastructure and cloud migration projects (AWS, Azure or GCP).
- Knowledge of software security, GDPR and compliance requirements.
- Comfortable working closely with executive leadership and influencing technical strategy.
- Interest in AI-driven software development and emerging engineering practices.
- Able to work from the Milton Keynes office at least four days per week.
Desirable
- Background within a Saa S environment.
- Experience delivering AI-enabled product features.
- Exposure to tools such as Cursor, Claude Code or Git Hub Copilot.
- What's on Offer
- Salary of
- £70,000–£90,000
- 8% employer pension contribution
- Private healthcare
- Enhanced maternity and paternity package
- Hybrid working
- The opportunity to shape the engineering direction of a growing software business
- A collaborative environment where you'll have genuine influence over technology, people and strategy
- If you're an experienced
Tech Lead looking for a role where you can make a significant impact on engineering culture, technical strategy and team leadership, we'd love to hear from you.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Lead Software Engineer employer: SoCode Recruitment
At SoCode Recruitment, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer by fostering a collaborative and innovative work culture that empowers our employees to excel in their roles. Located in the vibrant tech hub of Cambridgeshire, we offer competitive benefits such as 25 days of holiday and a travel allowance, alongside significant opportunities for professional growth in the rapidly evolving field of security solutions. Join us to be part of a team that values your expertise in C++ and Rust while supporting your career development in a hybrid working environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Software Engineer
✨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 SoCode Recruitment 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 SoCode Recruitment.
✨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 SoCode Recruitment.
✨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 SoCode Recruitment 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 Lead Software Engineer
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 SoCode Recruitment.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at SoCode Recruitment 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 SoCode Recruitment
✨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 SoCode Recruitment 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.
