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.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to inclusivity and professional growth.
- 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.
The predicted salary is between 95000 - 110000 £ 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: £110,000 - £130,000 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 £50/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
Yoto is an exceptional employer that prioritises flexibility and employee well-being, offering a hybrid working model and generous benefits such as private medical insurance and enhanced family leave. With a vibrant work culture that celebrates diversity and inclusion, Yoto fosters professional growth through continuous learning opportunities and a supportive environment, making it an ideal place for those passionate about creating meaningful audio experiences for children.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Engineering
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Yoto or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Yoto.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Yoto.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Yoto that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Engineering
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Yoto.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Yoto and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Yoto
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Yoto uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
