At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop scalable backend services in Ruby for real-money systems.
- Company: Tembo is a mission-driven mortgage broker revolutionising home ownership for a new generation.
- Benefits: Enjoy remote work, enhanced parental benefits, health insurance, and a birthday day off.
- Other info: Join a diverse team committed to changing the technology landscape.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on people's lives while working in a supportive, innovative environment.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in software development with a focus on Ruby on Rails and payment processing.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
About the company
Tembo is making the dream of ownership possible for a new generation of home buyers. We are a disruptive, award-winning mortgage broker powered by a proprietary technology platform which aggregates every mainstream and niche lender in the UK.
We recently acquired savings company Nude Finance – now Tembo Lifetime ISA – to help us capture customers earlier in their home buying journey, nurture them through saving for a deposit and ultimately to match them with the best mortgage product to get them onto the ladder more quickly.
We’re a mission-centric organization that holds our values close:
- Find a way - representing our desire to innovate and also leave no stone unturned to help find a customer a way to get on the ladder
- It’s all about the people - customers, colleagues, partners - we’re all human and without them we are nothing
- If you don’t like it change it - as a startup we’re constantly listening to every source of data and evolving, every opinion counts
We are rated 4.9* on Trustpilot with every single customer review celebrated.
We are well funded by Goodwater Capital, Aviva, McPike Family Global Office, Ascension, Love Ventures as well as a suite of ethical backers such as Fair by Design, Barrow Cadbury, Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Big Society Capital.
You can read more about us and our mission on our website.
About the job
Tembo is on the lookout for a passionate Senior Ruby Engineer to join the savings team. We recently launched a Cash ISA proposition to the market, powered by our proprietary savings technology and things have taken off in a big way. We have seen explosive growth and we are looking to bolster the team.
You’ll be working to launch new savings products to our growing number of customers, support continued scale and build tools to allow operations teams to self-serve on all of their needs.
Key Responsibilities:
- Service Creation: Design and develop resilient, scalable backend services in Ruby that power critical real-money systems, ensuring reliability and consistency in high-stakes environments.
- Feature Development: Lead and contribute to the full lifecycle of product features—from ideation to deployment and maintenance—with a strong emphasis on data accuracy, security, and transactional integrity.
- Maintenance and Optimization: Continuously monitor and improve system performance, scalability, and reliability. Take ownership of system uptime and proactively mitigate bottlenecks or failures in cash reconciliation flows.
- Bug Identification and Resolution: Diagnose and resolve complex production issues in high-volume transactional environments. Implement effective monitoring and alerting to catch anomalies before they impact users.
- Code Reviews and Best Practices: Champion clean, maintainable, and well-tested Ruby code. Conduct detailed code reviews, mentor junior engineers, and foster a strong engineering culture built on quality and accountability.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with product managers, QA, and design teams to align on priorities, define clear acceptance criteria, and deliver consistent value to the business with each release.
- Technical Investigations: Lead technical deep-dives and spike solutions to evaluate technologies, libraries, and approaches for improving system reliability, auditing, and financial reconciliation accuracy.
- Open Standards: Support our commitment to observability and open standards. Contribute to initiatives around OpenTelemetry, OpenAPI, and other tools that improve transparency and traceability across services.
About you
- At least 5 years of professional experience in software development, with a strong focus on Ruby on Rails.
- Must have experience with payment processing systems and real money transactions. Experience of ledgers, holdings, valuations is highly desirable.
- Communication: Excellent communication and collaboration skills, capable of working effectively in remote, cross-functional teams.
- Flexibility and adaptability: We punch above our weight, move quickly and ship often. If you thrive in a startup and want to help get us to scale-up.
- Acceptance of tech debt: know when to incur technical debt to deliver business value... and when to pay it off.
Why Join Tembo?
At Tembo you will do impactful work that changes people's lives. You’ll work alongside people who are motivated by the mission and desire to make home happen for an entire generation of people.
Our values flow through everything we do. You'll have the chance to make a real difference to people's lives.
We offer a supportive, remote-first work environment where innovation and initiative are celebrated. We’ve just relaunched our benefits package which includes enhanced parental benefits, health insurance, a day off for your birthday, an abroad away day to name just a few.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion, providing equal opportunities for all team members. Join us in our mission to deliver exceptional digital experiences and make a real difference in the technology landscape.
Senior Ruby Engineer in Manchester employer: Tembo
At Tembo, we are not just a mortgage broker; we are a mission-driven organisation dedicated to making home ownership accessible for everyone. Our remote-first work culture fosters innovation and collaboration, allowing you to make a meaningful impact while enjoying a comprehensive benefits package that includes enhanced parental leave, health insurance, and unique team-building experiences. Join us in our journey to transform the home buying experience and be part of a supportive team that values your contributions and growth.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Ruby Engineer in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Tembo's mission and values. Understanding their focus on innovation and customer-centricity will help you align your conversations during interviews, showcasing how your personal values resonate with theirs.
✨Tip Number 2
Highlight your experience with payment processing systems and real money transactions. Be prepared to discuss specific challenges you've faced in these areas and how you overcame them, as this is crucial for the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Demonstrate your ability to work in a fast-paced startup environment. Share examples of how you've adapted to change and contributed to rapid product development cycles, which is essential for Tembo's growth.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your approach to code quality and best practices. Be ready to explain how you conduct code reviews and mentor junior engineers, as fostering a strong engineering culture is a key responsibility in this role.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Ruby Engineer in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV highlights your experience with Ruby on Rails and payment processing systems. Emphasise any relevant projects or roles that demonstrate your ability to design and develop scalable backend services.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:In your cover letter, express your passion for Tembo's mission and how your skills align with their values. Mention specific examples of how you've contributed to similar projects in the past, particularly in high-stakes environments.
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Include a section in your application that details your technical expertise, especially in Ruby, system performance optimisation, and bug resolution. Highlight any experience you have with observability tools like OpenTelemetry.
Prepare for Collaboration:Since the role involves cross-functional collaboration, mention your experience working in remote teams and how you effectively communicate with product managers and designers. This will show that you're a good fit for their team-oriented culture.
How to prepare for a job interview at Tembo
✨Showcase Your Ruby Expertise
Make sure to highlight your experience with Ruby on Rails, especially in the context of payment processing systems. Be prepared to discuss specific projects where you've developed resilient and scalable backend services.
✨Demonstrate Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare examples of how you've diagnosed and resolved complex production issues in high-volume environments. Discuss your approach to monitoring and alerting to prevent user impact.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
Since Tembo values cross-functional teamwork, be ready to share experiences where you've successfully collaborated with product managers, QA, and design teams. Highlight how you align priorities and deliver consistent value.
✨Align with Company Values
Familiarise yourself with Tembo's mission and values. During the interview, express how your personal values align with theirs, particularly around innovation, customer focus, and adaptability in a startup environment.
