At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering squads to deliver innovative data-centric products and drive technology strategy.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking company focused on sustainability and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, hybrid work options, and generous leave policies.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in tech while shaping the future of data engineering.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in data engineering with leadership experience and Azure expertise.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
The Head of Engineering leads multiple product engineering squads, leveraging both UK engineering resources and RecoTek (Reconomy’s near‑shore technology scaling hub based in Bucharest), focused on delivering innovative data‑centric products for Valpak and the wider Reconomy business. Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer (Comply) and being an active member of the Comply Technology Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the Head of Engineering is responsible for all Valpak engineering operations and for the establishment of common engineering standards, modern and secure development practices, and platform capabilities across the Comply division and the wider Reconomy organisation.
This senior leadership role will be responsible for defining and driving the delivery of a modern data platform for Valpak and Comply, contributing to and aligning with the wider Reconomy Data Strategy; using Azure Cloud technologies, overseeing the development of data infrastructure, data pipelines, and data products with a strong emphasis on security, scalability, governance, and business impact.
The Head of Engineering will be a Technology Business Partner for Valpak, accountable not only for the data platform but also for multiple line of business software applications, operational systems including Dynamics 365 CRM, and upgrade projects to migrate legacy applications to modern Azure PaaS infrastructure.
Key Responsibilities- Engineering Leadership: Lead and own all software engineering delivery for Valpak, reporting to the CTO (Comply). Act as Valpak’s senior software engineering leader, supporting strategic initiatives and bids. Lead, mentor and develop Tech Leads and product engineering squads. Build a high‑performance engineering culture aligned to Reconomy standards. Drive recruitment, retention and development of engineering talent, leveraging near‑shore capability.
- Engineering Strategy: Define and deliver Valpak’s engineering strategy aligned to Comply and Reconomy objectives. Own and maintain a multi‑year technology roadmap. Ensure technology investments enable scalability, efficiency and innovation. Continuously evolve strategy in line with market and technology trends.
- Engineering Excellence: Establish and uphold engineering, architectural and coding standards. Embed modern development practices including DevOps, CI/CD and automation. Improve delivery speed, quality and productivity through standardised tooling and AI. Ensure consistency and maintainability across all software products.
- Data Strategy: Define and deliver a multi‑year data strategy aligned to Reconomy’s Data Strategy. Support enterprise data architecture, governance, security and quality standards. Implement a Data as a Product approach, enabling reuse and potential monetisation of data assets.
- Data Engineering & Platforms: Set data engineering standards and governance across Valpak. Enable trusted self‑service analytics via Reconomy’s Datastream platform. Oversee the design, optimisation and scalability of Azure‑based data platforms.
- Quality Assurance: Implement Reconomy’s engineering quality strategy, standards and testing frameworks. Enforce quality gates across the full development lifecycle. Champion a culture of shared ownership for quality and continuous improvement. Provide assurance on product quality, release readiness and risk.
- Cloud Engineering & Platform Operations: Implement Reconomy’s cloud strategy across Valpak systems. Embed modern DevSecFinOps and shift‑left ownership within engineering teams. Ensure cloud platforms are secure, resilient, scalable and cost‑optimised. Drive automation and infrastructure‑as‑code adoption.
- Delivery Enablement, AI Agentic Coding & Productivity: Drive adoption of agentic AI across the software development lifecycle. Ensure AI‑assisted development is safe, secure and aligned to engineering standards. Track and improve engineering performance metrics and delivery predictability.
- Valpak Technology Business Partner: Act as the Technology Business Partner for Valpak senior leadership. Align engineering delivery with business priorities and growth objectives. Communicate strategy, progress and outcomes to technical and non‑technical stakeholders. Lead resourcing, prioritisation and delivery of high‑impact initiatives.
- Risk, Security & Resilience: Ensure compliance with enterprise security, resilience and ISO27001 requirements. Embed secure‑by‑design principles into engineering practices. Support operational resilience through robust system and reliability engineering. Partner with security and infrastructure teams to manage and mitigate risk.
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science or a related field.
- 10+ years of experience in data engineering, with at least 4–5 years in a leadership or managerial role and experience of managing multiple teams.
- Expertise in building and scaling data platforms, with a strong focus on Azure Cloud technologies (e.g., Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse, Azure Data Lake, Azure SQL Database, Databricks, Apache Spark).
- Proven experience leading the implementation of data platform strategies and managing large‑scale data infrastructure initiatives using Azure.
- Demonstrated experience implementing modern engineering practices such as DevOps, CI/CD, automated testing, and platform engineering.
- Experience building and scaling cloud‑native platforms in large enterprises.
- Strong background in enterprise architecture, integration patterns, and API‑driven architectures.
- Experience operating within complex organisational structures, balancing centralised technology governance with business unit autonomy.
- Experience leading distributed engineering teams, including offshore or near‑shore development centres.
- Experience managing major technology transformation or modernisation initiatives.
- Dual Location / Hybrid worker Status
- Participation in our annual Incentive Plan (VIP) - up to 15% bonus
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, volunteering day and your birthday off!
- Option to buy and sell up to 9 days annual leave
- Access to voluntary benefits including private medical insurance, cycle to work scheme, and subsidised gym membership
- Automatic inclusion in Life Assurance, Critical Illness and Disability Income protection schemes
- Pension scheme up to 8% employer contribution
- Access to reward & discount platform
- Wellbeing initiatives
Head of Engineering in Stratford-upon-Avon employer: Valpak
At Reconomy, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, particularly for the Head of Engineering role based in the UK. Our vibrant work culture fosters innovation and collaboration, while our commitment to employee growth is evident through mentorship opportunities and a focus on modern engineering practices. With competitive benefits including a generous annual leave policy, participation in our annual incentive plan, and access to wellbeing initiatives, we ensure that our team members are supported both professionally and personally.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Engineering in Stratford-upon-Avon
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend meetups, webinars, or even just grab a coffee with someone who works at Reconomy. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio or any projects that highlight your engineering prowess, make sure to share them during interviews. This is your chance to demonstrate how you can lead teams and drive innovation in data-centric products.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those tricky interview questions! Research common questions for senior engineering roles and practice your responses. Think about how your experience aligns with Valpak’s goals and be ready to discuss how you’d tackle their engineering challenges.
✨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 the Reconomy team and contributing to their mission.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Engineering in Stratford-upon-Avon
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of Engineering role. Highlight your experience with Azure Cloud technologies and leadership in data engineering. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about leading engineering teams and how you can contribute to our innovative data-centric products. Keep it engaging and relevant to the job description.
Showcase Your Leadership Experience:Since this is a senior role, we’re keen to see examples of your leadership style. Share specific instances where you've mentored teams or driven successful projects. We love hearing about your impact on engineering culture!
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to apply 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 you’re serious about joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Valpak
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in Azure Cloud technologies and data engineering principles. Brush up on your knowledge of Azure Data Factory, Synapse, and other relevant tools. Being able to discuss these confidently will show that you’re the right fit for leading engineering operations.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led teams and driven engineering excellence in previous roles. Highlight your experience in mentoring tech leads and building high-performance cultures. This is crucial as the role involves leading multiple product engineering squads.
✨Align with Business Objectives
Understand the business goals of Valpak and Reconomy. Be ready to discuss how your engineering strategies can align with their objectives. This shows that you’re not just a techie but also a strategic thinker who can bridge the gap between technology and business.
✨Emphasise Quality and Security
Be prepared to talk about your approach to quality assurance and security in engineering practices. Discuss how you’ve implemented secure-by-design principles and quality gates in past projects. This will demonstrate your commitment to delivering safe and reliable products.
