Head of Software Engineering
- FTC 12-18 Months - Birmingham (Hybrid Working)
- £80,000 to £90,000
About the Role:
We are seeking a talented and motivated Application and Testing Manager to lead the development, operation, and eventual decommissioning of our key software applications. In this role, you will manage a skilled team and collaborate closely with stakeholders across the organisation to oversee systems that are critical to our operations. This role is essential in ensuring our software infrastructure remains robust and efficient, supporting the smooth running of our business. In this role you will be sat on the Senior Leadership Team reporting to the Director of Technology.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategy & Planning
- Lead the testing phases of development projects, identifying potential risks and providing solutions.
- Ensure all projects meet business requirements and resolve any system issues that arise.
- Assess current applications for efficiency and effectiveness, developing strategies for improvement.
- Support teams in identifying and implementing new opportunities.
Acquisition & Deployment:
- Ensure any system changes comply with functional requirements, standards, and interface specifications.
- Work closely with analysts, designers, and system owners in testing new software applications.
- Operate within the IT governance framework, supporting changes initiated by external partners.
Operational Management:
- Manage the application development, testing and more teams to support business operations.
- Provide technical leadership, ensuring that design choices align with the overall product vision.
- Oversee system upgrades, enhancements, and the decommissioning of legacy applications.
- Ensure quality assurance, data processing, and service levels are met for both production and non-production environments.
- Lead capacity planning, incident management, and audit activities.
People Management:
- Build and maintain strong relationships within the IT department and with key business stakeholders.
- Oversee third-party service providers who deliver technical services to the team.
- Inspire and lead your team to meet SLAs and deliver projects on time.
- Communicate the vision for each application to the team and ensure continuous training to improve performance.
- Manage all aspects of team leadership, including recruitment, performance management, and development.
Required Skills & Behaviours:
- Proven experience managing large software development or support teams in a regulated environment.
- Strong knowledge of IT principles, architectures, and methodologies, including on-premise and cloud-based applications.
- Demonstrated experience in a fast-paced, client-focused organisation.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with third-party or remote development teams.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and documentation skills.
- Experience with ITIL, budgeting, and supplier management.
- Highly organised, adaptable, and capable of managing multiple priorities.