Head of Engineering

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

Who are we:

Pole Star is a leading Enterprise Asset Management Software and Inspection company helping our clients manage their assets using software built by our amazing development team. We are proud of our company values and can honestly say we have an amazing team and want you to join us.

If you want to be part of something that is going to be big, where you will be really valued and where your opinion counts, then Pole Star is the company for you. We're on the hunt for top talent to join us on our exciting journey of growth and expansion. You'll be working as part of a successful team and will have the opportunity of career progression.

Our Values:

At Pole Star Group, we believe in a culture defined by our core values:

• People 1st : We believe that our employees are our greatest asset. We foster a supportive and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and contribute their best. By investing in our people, we ensure exceptional service and value for our customers.
• Customer Obsession : Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. We strive to exceed their expectations through innovative solutions, exceptional service, and a relentless focus on their needs and satisfaction.
• Disruptive Innovation : We embrace change and encourage creativity. We are not afraid to challenge the status quo and pursue bold ideas that drive progress and set us apart from the competition.
• Integrity : We conduct our business with the highest levels of honesty and transparency. We are committed to ethical practices and building trust with our employees, customers, and partners.
• Excellence : We aim for excellence in all our endeavours. We set high standards, continuously improve, and celebrate our successes while learning from our challenges.
• Have Fun : We believe that balancing hard work and fun is key to success. We foster a dynamic and enjoyable work environment where teamwork, enthusiasm, and a sense of adventure are encouraged.

The Role:

As the Head of Engineering at Pole Star, you will be the most senior accountable leader in technology, engineering, and security within the organisation. You will own the technical vision and play a pivotal role in shaping and driving our technical strategy. Reporting directly to the CEO and Founder, you will provide technical direction to our engineering team, ensuring the successful delivery of customer needs through strong collaboration.

The core technology at Pole Star is a Java/Tomcat/MySql-based application that has evolved over the last 10 years and is currently deployed on AWS and is successfully hosting the operations of the company. The system includes bespoke client-specific components, and these customisations are a key part of the value we provide to our customers.

Most of the current team (of 8) have grown with the company and software, and while being capable with the application as-is, are eager to continue developing themselves and the software. As their leader, you will be the abler for that growth, empowering our team to be their best, and to continue the evolution of our platform. You will foster a culture where team members love working here, are motivated to contribute their best, and continually improve their skills. By championing best practices, you'll drive continuous evolution and optimisation within engineering, helping us remain productive, high-performing, and aligned with industry-leading methods.

With a product-centric mindset, you'll ensure we remain user-focused and well-positioned to deliver exceptional customer value. In addition to delivering high-quality software solutions, you will be responsible for managing and executing strategic objectives that align with the company's mission and goals, balancing the needs of the business with the technical team's capabilities and the ideas of key stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership & Vision:

• Define and own the technical vision, ensuring alignment with the company's strategic objectives.
• Shape, influence and lead the direction of product development.

Strategic Planning & Execution:

• Contribute to the strategic planning process as a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
• Develop and implement strategies to achieve technical and business goals.
• Oversee the delivery of high-quality, scalable, and secure software solutions.

Team Development & Mentorship:

• Provide technical direction, leadership and mentorship to the engineering team, fostering innovation and excellence.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional growth, making Polestar an employer of choice in the engineering community

Technical Accountability:

• Accountability for the delivery of customer systems needs and requirements.
• Maintain a strong focus on security, scalability, and performance in all technical endeavours.
• Implement best practices for software development, testing, and deployment.

Collaboration & Communication:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Product Management, Sales, and Customer Success.
• Communicate technical concepts and strategies effectively to non-technical stakeholders.
• Serve as a technical advisor to the Senior Leadership Team and other key stakeholders.

Innovation & Evolution:

• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends to drive innovation.
• Allow the role to evolve with the organisation, adapting to new challenges and opportunities.
• Manage and deliver strategic objectives, ensuring the continuous improvement of our technical capabilities.

Essentials we are looking for:

To be successful in this role, we would expect you to be able to draw on significant experience working in a similar software environment, leading teams and a function both strategically and operationally.

There are a number of backgrounds that would lend themselves well to this role, some of the core skills that we are expecting to see;

• Technical and team leadership: Deep understanding of software development, architecture, and engineering best practices in a cloud environment. Proven ability to code, design systems, and architect solutions. Experience leading and managing engineering teams, with a focus on mentoring and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and agile practices.
• Stakeholder mgmt: Proven ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders across all levels of the organisation. Skilled at influencing and negotiating to align technical strategies with business objectives. Effectively communicates technical information to non-technical stakeholders, ensuring clarity and transparency.
• Strategic vision: Ability to define and communicate a clear technical vision aligned with business goals. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills that enable informed decision-making in a fast-paced environment. Forward-thinking approach to technology, identifying and implementing innovative solutions.
• Communication and collaboration: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, conveying technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Ability to interact with senior leadership, clients, and cross-functional teams.
• Business acumen: Experience in managing complex projects, ensuring timely and successful delivery. Ability to contribute to and execute strategic plans, aligning technical efforts with business objectives.
• Adaptability: Flexibility to adapt to changing business needs and evolving technology landscapes. Commitment to staying updated with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices.
• Cloud-based solutions: Technical background focused on developing cloud-based solutions, preferably with Java and AWS (open to transferable knowledge). Experience with Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and IaC/CI/CD is a plus.
• Security and quality: Strong understanding of security principles to ensure data integrity and confidentiality. Commitment to delivering high-quality software through rigorous testing and quality assurance processes.

Stuff we'd love, but isn't essential...

• Whilst an understanding of Enterprise Asset Management software would be great, we know that the right candidate will learn this soon enough
• This is a primarily internally facing role, but will have exposure to our clients, so experience presenting to a client base would be good to see
• Experience leading cross-functional teams

We're moving to a hybrid model that will require you to be in the office in central London (office tbd) once a week - additional travel to meet with clients will also be required

Why Join us...

• Be part of a dynamic team that values innovation, collaboration, and personal growth.
• Enjoy a supportive work environment with opportunities for professional development.
• Contribute to meaningful projects that enhance safety and efficiency in critical sectors.
• Participate in a culture that prioritises work-life balance and fun.
• A level of travel will be required.

Benefits

25 Days Holiday (plus Christmas shutdown)

Benefits Package and Pension

Hybrid Working (we are currently remote first moving to hybrid working - London Based)

Flexible working hours

Home Office Equipment (Desk, Chair, Laptop, Mobile devices (As required))