At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead cross-functional engineering teams to drive technical excellence and enhance user experience.
- Company: Join Yoto, a fast-growing tech company creating innovative audio experiences for kids.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, generous holiday, share options, and health perks.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on childhood through technology and inspire creativity in families.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in engineering with full-stack expertise and a user-first mindset.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to inclusivity and professional growth.
The predicted salary is between 95000 - 110000 ÂŁ per year.
We’re looking for a Head of Engineering to lead one of our cross-functional engineering clusters, driving technical excellence and helping to build the platform that powers Yoto's mission to be the soundtrack of childhood.
About Yoto
Yoto is a screen-free interactive audio platform for kids. We make carefully connected audio players that kids control, with no microphones, cameras or ads. We have a catalogue of audio that inspires creative play and learning with 1,000+ titles in our card store from top creators, publishers and labels - think Disney, Marvel, Roald Dahl and Universal Music. We also create Yoto Originals.
We’re on a mission to be the soundtrack of childhood, and help families on their own unique adventures. By creating products that inspire independent play, we help families discover and grow with an inspiring world of audio - and we would like you to help us achieve it!
Yoto’s Engineering Team
At Yoto, our Engineering organisation is structured into mission-driven clusters, each made up of cross-functional teams that include engineering, product, design, and other key disciplines. These clusters focus on different areas of our platform and products to help us move faster, stay aligned, and build with purpose. This role reports directly to the VP of Engineering and is part of the senior engineering leadership team alongside the other Heads of Engineering, CTO and senior IC leads.
What you’ll be doing:
- Lead multiple cross-functional engineering teams within the Family Experience cluster consisting of ~20 engineers (FE, BE, mobile, QA) and managers.
- Partner with Product, Design, and Commercial teams to continuously improve the user experience, performance, conversion and retention of our global store.
- Champion engineering excellence across the cluster—from clean architecture and automated testing to observability, security, accessibility, etc.
- Foster an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing engineering culture.
- Coach your manager-level reports to strengthen their leadership and help them unlock the full potential of their teams.
- Mentor and support individuals across the Family Experience cluster to help them grow and succeed in their roles.
- Promote Yoto Engineering within the tech community and grow the team by continuing to hire top talent.
- Manage relationships and negotiate with key external partners and vendors.
- Oversee alignment on the technical direction of our eCommerce architecture set by lead engineers.
- Champion opportunities and guide through challenges of entering the era of AI-powered coding.
What you’ll bring:
- Proven ability to lead teams of managers and senior engineers across different specialisms.
- Deep technical full-stack expertise in web and mobile platforms (headless architecture, CMS, checkout systems like Shopify or similar).
- Strong understanding of systems design, scaling strategies, and performance optimisation.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills and a collaborative approach to problem solving.
- A user-first mindset and passion for building smooth digital experiences.
- Excellent understanding of programming and software development paradigms and best practices; up-to-date with latest technologies and frameworks.
Nice to have:
- Experience with international eCommerce, subscription models, or digital merchandising tools.
Salary: ÂŁ110,000 - ÂŁ130,000 based on experience
What you can expect from Yoto:
- Flexibility: Hybrid working — expectation of 1 day a week on average, but you are welcome to come in more. Take advantage of our “work from anywhere” policy to work from a different location for up to 6 weeks every year. Summer Hours policy applies June–August.
- Financial: Generous share option programme; Income Protection (long-term sickness for up to 2 years) and company sick pay; Life Assurance from day one; Workplace Pension up to 3% employer contributions (following probation); generous employee referral bonus scheme.
- Health: 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme; unlimited dental guidance via Toothfairy; Bike to work scheme.
- Time Off: 25 days holiday per year plus bank holidays; birthday off; 1 extra day per year after 2 years up to 5 extra days; sabbatical eligibility after 4 years (up to 3 months unpaid).
- Helping Families: Family-friendly leave including enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, fertility, pregnancy loss and carers leave; nursery savings scheme.
- People Book Allowance up to ÂŁ50/year for professional development.
- Fun Perks: Personal Yoto player and starter pack; regular socials and YotoFest.
Equity and Diversity
We’re committed to fostering a safe, diverse, and inclusive environment where all individuals feel valued and supported. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group holds bi-monthly forums to elevate diverse voices and perspectives, ensuring everyone at Yoto feels heard and respected. We celebrate differences and share audio content from a diverse community of creators. We invite candidates from all walks of life to explore opportunities with us and join a company that champions flexibility, equity, and inclusion.
Please only apply or engage with Yoto jobs posted on our careers page. All correspondence from our Talent team will come through Teamtailor, our application tracking system.
Head of Engineering employer: Yoto
Contact Detail:
Yoto Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Engineering
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Yoto on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into Yoto's products and mission. Show us how your experience aligns with our goals, especially in creating smooth digital experiences for kids. We love candidates who are genuinely passionate about what we do!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your leadership stories! As a Head of Engineering, you'll need to demonstrate how you've led teams and tackled challenges. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and make them memorable.
✨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 us you're serious about joining the Yoto family!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Engineering
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for Yoto and our mission shine through. We want to see how your values align with ours and how you can contribute to making childhood magical!
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of Engineering role. Highlight your leadership experience and technical expertise in web and mobile platforms. We love seeing how your background fits into our vision!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application clear and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to read. We appreciate a well-structured application that gets straight to the good stuff!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our careers page! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Yoto
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
As a Head of Engineering, you’ll need to demonstrate deep technical expertise. Brush up on full-stack development, headless architecture, and eCommerce systems like Shopify. Be ready to discuss how you’ve applied these in past roles.
✨Showcase Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your experience leading cross-functional teams. Think about how you've fostered collaboration and inclusivity in your previous roles. Yoto values a high-performing culture, so be ready to share how you’ve built and mentored teams.
✨Understand Yoto's Mission
Familiarise yourself with Yoto’s products and their impact on childhood experiences. Be prepared to discuss how your vision aligns with their mission to inspire independent play through audio. This shows you’re not just looking for a job, but are genuinely interested in their goals.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Management Questions
Expect questions about managing relationships with external partners and internal stakeholders. Think of specific instances where you successfully navigated challenges or negotiated outcomes. This will demonstrate your collaborative approach to problem-solving.