At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team to build foundational infrastructure and define core domain models.
- Company: Join Swap, the innovative platform transforming global commerce with AI-driven solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work environment, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of clarity, creativity, and shared ownership at Swap.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced, high-growth tech environment while leading a talented team.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in backend or full-stack engineering with strong leadership and communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
Swap is the infrastructure behind modern agentic commerce. The only AI-native platform connecting backend operations with a forward-thinking storefront experience. Built for brands that want to sell anything — anywhere, Swap centralises global operations, powers intelligent workflows, and unlocks margin-protecting decisions with real-time data and capability. Our products span cross-border, tax, returns, demand planning, and our next-generation agentic storefront, giving merchants full transparency and the ability to act with confidence.
At Swap, we're building a culture that values clarity, creativity, and shared ownership as we redefine how global commerce works.
We are looking for a Team Lead to found and lead the newly formed Unified Domain Team within our Enablement Group. This is a greenfield, high-leverage role: you will define and drive adoption of Swap's canonical domain entities and API contracts across the entire engineering organisation. This team exists to solve a real and growing problem — every new partner or market integration today requires bespoke, duplicated engineering effort. You will eliminate that tax by establishing shared, stable, and versioned domain structures that product teams can build on with confidence. The ideal candidate is both a technical leader and a systems thinker who thrives in ambiguous, cross-cutting work and knows how to ship pragmatically without sacrificing long-term integrity. This is a hands-on role (~50% coding initially) with people leadership responsibilities.
Responsibilities
- Lead a small, focused team with the autonomy and clarity to build foundational infrastructure.
- Define, publish, and version canonical domain models for Swap's core entities.
- Own the delivery of schemas and OpenAPI definitions.
- Establish and maintain a lightweight governance pipeline: review process, ownership model, versioning policy, and deprecation strategy.
- Translating software requirements into working, high-performance software.
- Playing a key role in architectural and design decisions, building toward efficient architecture.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams; work closely with product managers, and other engineers and team leads to gather requirements and translate them into technical specifications.
- Hire, mentor, and grow the team as scope expands.
Requirements
- Proven experience leading or tech-leading an engineering team, including cross-functional collaboration and ownership of architectural decisions.
- 5+ years of backend or full-stack engineering experience, with strong TypeScript/JavaScript and Node.js skills.
- Experience designing versioned APIs (REST/OpenAPI and/or GraphQL with schema governance).
- Experience working in platform or infrastructure engineering roles — comfortable with work whose primary customer is other engineers.
- Ability to navigate ambiguity: you can ship a pragmatic V0, articulate why it's the right trade-off, and iterate toward a stronger long-term model.
- Excellent communication skills — you can translate complex technical standards into clear guidance for product engineers.
- Experience with eCommerce systems, partner integrations, or multi-tenant platforms is a strong plus.
- Passion for systems that outlast individuals — documentation, ownership, and tooling are first-class concerns for you.
- A BSc in Computer Science or Mathematics (or equivalent experience).
- Enjoy working in a fast paced, high-growth environment.
Engineering Team Lead employer: Swap
At Swap, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of clarity, creativity, and shared ownership. Our dynamic work environment encourages innovation and collaboration, providing ample opportunities for professional growth and development within the rapidly evolving field of agentic commerce. With a focus on building foundational infrastructure and empowering our teams, we offer a unique chance to make a significant impact while enjoying the benefits of a supportive and forward-thinking workplace.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Engineering Team Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage with professionals on platforms like LinkedIn. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to engineering leadership. We recommend doing mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to get comfortable with articulating your experience and vision.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your skills through personal projects or contributions to open-source. This is a great way to demonstrate your technical abilities and passion for engineering. Plus, it gives us something tangible to discuss during interviews!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply directly through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to connect with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Engineering Team Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Engineering Team Lead role. Highlight your leadership experience and technical expertise, especially in backend engineering and API design.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you're passionate about the role and how your background makes you a great fit. Be sure to mention your experience with cross-functional collaboration and your approach to navigating ambiguity.
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Don’t shy away from detailing your technical skills, especially in TypeScript, JavaScript, and Node.js. We want to see how you've applied these in real-world scenarios, particularly in platform or infrastructure engineering.
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 the role. Plus, it shows your enthusiasm for joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Swap
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your TypeScript, JavaScript, and Node.js skills. Be ready to discuss your past experiences leading engineering teams and how you've tackled architectural decisions. Swap values technical leadership, so showcasing your expertise will definitely give you an edge.
✨Understand the Role
Dive deep into what it means to be a Team Lead at Swap. Familiarise yourself with the concept of canonical domain models and API contracts. Being able to articulate how you would approach building foundational infrastructure will show that you're not just interested in the role, but that you understand its significance.
✨Show Your Collaborative Spirit
Since this role involves working closely with product managers and other engineers, prepare examples of how you've successfully collaborated in the past. Highlight your communication skills and how you've translated complex technical standards into clear guidance for others.
✨Embrace Ambiguity
Swap is looking for someone who can navigate uncertainty and make pragmatic decisions. Be ready to discuss times when you've shipped a V0 product and how you iterated towards a stronger model. This will demonstrate your ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
