At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering teams to innovate and enhance our insurance technology.
- Company: Join Zego, a trailblazer in transforming motor insurance for good drivers.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, private medical insurance, share options, and generous holidays.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-growing company that values your contributions.
- Qualifications: Strong background in engineering leadership and technical expertise in backend systems.
- Other info: Flexible hybrid working model with opportunities for personal development.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
At Zego, we know that traditional motor insurance holds good drivers back. It’s too complicated, too expensive, and it doesn’t take into account how well you actually drive. That’s why, since 2016, we’ve been on a mission to change all of that. Our mission at Zego is to offer the lowest priced insurance for good drivers. From van drivers and gig workers to everyday car drivers, our customers are our driving force - they’re at the heart of everything we do. We’ve sold tens of millions of policies so far, and raised over $200 million in funding. And we’re only just getting started.
We’re looking for a Senior Engineering Manager to lead multiple teams across Zego’s core technology areas. In this role, you’ll support Engineering Managers, Tech Leads, and Staff+ Engineers, overseeing an org of 20-25 people with room to scale as we grow. You’ll lead across three high-impact areas:
- Insurance Platform – The foundation powering all our insurance products.
- Telematics Engineering – Our ML platform assessing driving behaviour to reward safer drivers.
- Mobile Engineering – The app team delivering user experience and integrating driving measurement technology.
This role sits at the heart of our product portfolio, giving you the opportunity to expand Zego’s competitive advantage in building insurance products that reward great driving, powered by machine learning. While this is not a hands-on coding role, you’ll bring strong technical experience and a background as a senior engineer - especially supporting backend teams, with bonus points for mobile or ML exposure.
What you will be doing:
- Lead multiple cross-functional engineering teams in a high-growth environment.
- Set a high bar for engineering and operational excellence, ensuring system quality, performance, and maintainability.
- Drive architectural decisions and technical direction, partnering closely with Tech Leads and Staff Engineers.
- Own delivery outcomes, collaborating with Product, Data, Marketing, and Strategy to set product vision and execute.
- Operate as a business leader - your role goes beyond engineering delivery. Expect direct engagement with senior leadership and C-level to shape company strategy.
- Provide exceptional people leadership - coaching, developing, and growing Engineering Managers and Tech Leads.
- Continually improve product team maturity, ways of working, and decision-making frameworks.
About you:
- Impact-Driven: You focus on outcomes, not just output. You prioritise initiatives that move the business needle and create user value, helping teams iterate and achieve measurable goals.
- Technical Depth: Strong background as a senior engineer in distributed systems and backend development (dynamic and statically typed languages). Comfortable supporting mobile teams; exposure to ML engineering is a plus.
- Product Focus: You bring a strong product mindset, working closely with Product to shape strategy and maximise impact for users and the business.
- Accountable for Delivery: You own execution and delivery. You know when to escalate, how to unblock your teams, and how to balance speed with quality.
- Engineering Excellence Champion: You’re accountable for technical outcomes and individual engineer growth. You challenge, review, and guide technical decisions—especially at Staff+ levels.
- Experienced People Leader: You’ve managed 2-3+ Engineering Managers or Tech Leads and led orgs of 20-40 engineers. You develop talent through coaching, 1:1s, and feedback.
- Exceptional Communicator: You simplify complex technical topics for non-technical stakeholders. You help others weigh trade-offs and make sound decisions quickly.
- Strong Stakeholder Partner: You build trusted relationships across Product, Data, and Strategy. You help improve collaboration and organisational alignment.
- Organisational Impact: You contribute to company-wide best practices, influencing both managerial and technical standards.
- AI: You will be someone who’s actively curious about how AI can enhance your work - keen to experiment, learn quickly, and apply tools that improve productivity, streamline tasks, or unlock new ways of thinking.
What’s it like to work at Zego?
Joining Zego is a career-defining move. People go further here, reaching their full potential to achieve extraordinary things. We’re spread throughout the UK and Europe, and united by our drive to get things done. We’re proud of our company and our culture – a friendly and inclusive space where we can lift each other up and celebrate our wins every day. Together, we’re setting the bar higher, delivering exceptional work that makes a difference. Our people are the most important part of our story, and everyone here plays a role. There’s loads of room to learn and grow, and you’ll get the freedom to steer your career wherever you want. You’ll work alongside a talented group who embrace each other’s differences and aren’t afraid of a challenge. We recognise our achievements, learn from our mistakes, and help each other to be the best we can be. Together, we’re making insurance matter.
How we work:
We believe that teams work better when they have time to collaborate and space to get things done. We call it Zego Hybrid. We ask you to spend at least one day a week in our central London office. We think it’s a good mix of collaborative face time and flexible home-working, setting us up to achieve the right balance between work and life.
Our approach to AI:
We believe in the power of AI to meaningfully improve how we work - helping us move faster, think differently, and focus on what matters most. At Zego, we encourage people to stay curious and intentional about how AI is leveraged in their work and teams to drive practical impact every day. This is your chance to do the most meaningful work of your career - and we’ll provide you with the tools, support, and freedom to do it well.
Benefits:
We reward our people well. Join us and you’ll get a market-competitive salary, private medical insurance, company share options, generous holiday allowance, and a whole lot of wellbeing benefits. We also offer an annual flexible hybrid working contribution, which you can use to support with your travel to the office or towards your own personal development. And that’s just for starters!
We’re an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status.
Senior Engineering Manager in London employer: Zego
Contact Detail:
Zego Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Engineering Manager in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Zego 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 Zego’s mission and values. Show us how your experience aligns with our goal of rewarding good drivers and improving insurance. We love candidates who are genuinely passionate about what we do!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share specific examples of how you've led teams, tackled challenges, and driven results. We want to hear about your impact, so make it memorable!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to ask questions during your interview! Show us that you’re curious about our tech stack, team dynamics, and future projects. It’s a great way to demonstrate your interest and get a feel for our culture.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Engineering Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Impact-Driven Mindset: When writing your application, make sure to highlight how you've focused on outcomes in your previous roles. We want to see examples of how you've prioritised initiatives that create real user value and moved the business forward.
Demonstrate Your Technical Depth: Don’t shy away from showcasing your technical background! Mention your experience with distributed systems, backend development, and any exposure to mobile or ML engineering. We love seeing candidates who can bridge the gap between tech and product.
Communicate Clearly: Remember, we’re looking for exceptional communicators! Use your application to demonstrate how you simplify complex topics for non-technical stakeholders. This will show us that you can effectively collaborate across teams.
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 don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows you're keen to join our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Zego
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your technical knowledge, especially around distributed systems and backend development. Be ready to discuss your experience with ML and mobile engineering, as these are key areas for the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past. Highlight your experience in coaching and developing Engineering Managers or Tech Leads, as well as how you've driven team performance and collaboration.
✨Understand Zego's Mission
Familiarise yourself with Zego’s mission to change motor insurance for good drivers. Be prepared to discuss how your values align with theirs and how you can contribute to their goal of delivering exceptional user value.
✨Communicate Clearly
Practice simplifying complex technical topics for non-technical stakeholders. This will be crucial in your role, so think of examples where you've successfully communicated technical decisions and influenced others.