At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team to create innovative digital products that make a real impact.
- Company: Join ustwo, an award-winning digital product studio with a global presence.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid work model, and a vibrant studio culture.
- Why this job: Shape the future of technology while inspiring a talented engineering team.
- Qualifications: 15+ years in tech leadership with strong project and people management skills.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of inclusivity and continuous learning.
The predicted salary is between 120000 - 150000 £ per year.
Join to apply for the Head of Tech role at ustwo.
About Us
We are an award-winning digital product studio with 120 people in 5 different studios across the globe (London, Malmö, New York, Lisbon and Tokyo). For over 20 years we have been helping our clients grow by creating innovative, engaging and beautiful digital products that evoke an emotional response. Humans are at the heart of everything we create and our processes and culture reflect this.
About The Role
We are seeking an experienced technology leader to join our team as Head of Technology, responsible for shaping, supporting, and growing the engineering team to deliver craft-focused, breakthrough products for our clients, aligned with our strategic vision. Reporting to the Executive Director of Technology, you will work directly with peers across Design, Product, and Delivery. You will lead a team of approximately 25 engineers (Full-stack, iOS, Android, and test), plus freelancers. This dynamic position requires a blend of team and project leadership, strategic planning, technical solution architecture, building team culture, representing ustwo externally (including new business and client interactions), and occasionally solving detailed technology problems.
Job Requirements
- A clear, confident communicator, comfortable conveying ideas to diverse stakeholders, working with senior leadership, and presenting to clients.
- An experienced project leader with 15+ years of industry experience, having led multiple software projects from scoping and architecture through to launch in a client services environment. You are adept at navigating delivery trade-offs while prioritising team well-being.
- An experienced people leader who can lead, coach, mentor, and inspire. You have experience leading and hiring technical teams and have a vision for a highly-functioning, cohesive team, including the opportunity to further establish a Principal Engineer capability.
- Current in your practice with solid software development fundamentals and a working understanding of modern, best-practice architecture, development practices, and AI-assisted tooling. You must be grounded in full-stack web/backend (heavy focus on JS/TS) or mobile (native, React Native, KMP), and related areas like CI/CD and cloud infrastructure.
- An engineering leader that has emerged organically. Technical credibility is crucial. A demonstrated track record of increasing responsibility from engineering up through tech leadership and management is necessary, drawing on a breadth of experience from varied client environments.
- Resilient and adaptable. You handle pressure, work in a fast-moving environment, embrace ambiguity, and can apply your practice across different industries and project types, working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams using Agile approaches.
- Human and recognise humanity in others, fostering shared learning and empathising with concerns.
- Visionary, energised by making great products that affect real people's lives at scale.
Primary Areas of Responsibility
- Project Leadership: You share responsibility across all studio projects, accountable for how they are scoped, architected, and executed by the technical team. You will ensure projects are staffed appropriately, balancing individual expertise and project needs/budgets. You must be comfortable with new business development, including scoping technical work, pitching to clients, and contractual details. You will create solution architecture and high-level design. While not expected to code daily, you will provide technical oversight as an informed and guiding voice, participating in major technical decisions alongside Principal and Lead engineers.
- Team Leadership: This role has a heavy focus on team leadership, direction, and thought leadership, driving the overall team/studio strategy. You will likely line manage 3-5 lead/principal engineers, setting the tone for line management, growth goals, and progression across the entire team. The Head of Technology is responsible for the engineering team's health, fostering community, shared learning, innovation, and collaboration. You act as the touchstone for engineering values, a point of escalation, and the team's representative internally and externally.
- Studio Leadership: You will be part of the studio team that shapes market positioning, hiring strategy, and skill growth. You will be a leading voice in how the tech team engages with the broader technology community. You will also lead new business development, influencing the types of work ustwo pursues and how we deliver to clients across our studios.
Job Benefits
Location: We are open to this role sitting in either our London or Malmö studios.
- London: We currently have a hybrid policy in which you are required to be in the studio for two days of the week; our universal day on Tuesdays and either Wednesday or Thursday and you are welcome to either work from the studio or from home for the rest of the week. We are keen for you to be involved in studio culture so the more you can get involved in opportunities for in-person social interaction; the better! Occasionally pitches will need to be on-site with the client but you will be informed of this as and when it crops up.
- Malmö: We have a wonderful studio in central Malmö, Sweden, which is very close to station Triangeln. We have two universal studio days a week but lots of the ustwobies work from the studio 3-4 times a week anyway. We would expect that you would live in a commutable distance to the studio and if you are based in Copenhagen then we also offer a competitive commuter bonus in addition to your salary to account for the difference in living costs.
Remuneration: Our salary bandings are dependent on experience and market aligned locally. London salary banding for the Head of Tech level: £120,000 - £150,000 per annum. Malmö salary banding for the Head of Tech level: 90,000 SEK - 115,000 SEK per month. Our full benefits package is available to all permanent employees.
Commitment to Inclusion: Interested but think your experience doesn't perfectly align with this job description? That's ok. Research shows underrepresented groups in particular are less inclined to apply for jobs where they don't meet 100% of the requirements listed. We'd still love to hear from you if you feel passionate about this role! We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for our colleagues, clients, community, and the users of our products. We don't have all the answers but we're on a journey, and we are learning together.
Head of Tech in London employer: Ustwo
Contact Detail:
Ustwo Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Tech in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the tech industry, especially those who might know someone at ustwo. A friendly chat can open doors that a CV just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching ustwo's projects and culture. Show us you understand our mission and values, and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with our goals.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! You’ll need to convey your vision for leading the tech team clearly and confidently. Think about how you can inspire and motivate others while showcasing your technical expertise.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Tech in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Be Yourself: When writing your application, let your personality shine through! We want to get to know the real you, so don’t be afraid to share your unique experiences and perspectives.
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application for the Head of Tech role. Highlight your relevant experience and skills that align with our job description, especially in tech leadership and team management.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share your successes! Use specific examples to demonstrate how you've led projects or teams to success, and how you’ve made a positive impact in your previous roles.
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’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ustwo
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
As a Head of Tech, you need to demonstrate your technical credibility. Brush up on full-stack web/backend technologies, especially JavaScript and TypeScript, as well as mobile development practices. Be ready to discuss your experience with CI/CD and cloud infrastructure, as these are crucial for the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
This position requires strong team leadership skills. Prepare examples of how you've led, coached, and inspired teams in the past. Think about specific situations where you fostered a positive team culture or navigated delivery trade-offs while prioritising team well-being.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
You’ll be interacting with diverse stakeholders, so practice conveying complex ideas in a simple way. Prepare to discuss how you’ve successfully communicated with senior leadership and clients in previous roles, highlighting your ability to adapt your communication style to different audiences.
✨Embrace the Company Culture
ustwo values humanity and collaboration. Familiarise yourself with their projects and culture, and think about how you can contribute to their mission of creating engaging digital products. Be ready to share your vision for building a cohesive team and how you can enhance their studio culture.