Lead Backend Engineer

Lead Backend Engineer (Python)📍 London hybrid (3 days onsite)💸Up to £140k💻Python • FastAPI • Pydantic • Pandas • SQLAlchemyWe’re partnering with a fast-growing fintech rebuilding the infrastructure behind modern wealth management.Their platform is replacing legacy adviser and investment systems with API-first tooling designed for speed, transparency, and automation, giving financial advisers a far better way to manage investments at scale.Following a major funding round, they’re now hiring a Lead Backend Engineer to help shape the next phase of the platform and lead a small, high-performing engineering team.What makes this role interestingYou’ll work on core platform architecture, not peripheral featuresHigh ownership environment with direct influence on product and technical directionOpportunity to modernise systems in an industry still dominated by outdated technologySmall engineering team where strong technical decisions have immediate impactBlend of hands-on engineering and leadership, ideal for someone who still loves buildingThe roleThis is a true player-coach position: around 50% hands-on engineering and 50% technical leadership.You’ll:Lead and mentor a team of 3–4 engineersDesign and scale backend services powering an API-driven investment platformTranslate ambiguous business problems into clear technical execution plansDrive engineering standards, architecture decisions, and delivery practicesPartner closely with product and leadership teams as the platform scalesWhat they’re looking for8+ years of commercial Python engineering experienceStrong experience building backend systems and APIs in production environmentsPrevious experience leading engineering teamsBackground in insurance, trading, fintech, or other regulated financial environmentsAbility to balance short-term delivery with long-term technical qualityComfortable operating in fast-moving, high-ownership environmentsThis role will suit an experienced backend engineer who enjoys solving complex domain problems, leading from the front, and building systems that directly shape a company’s future.