Principal Engineering Lead Role

Job Title: Principal Engineering Lead RoleJob Location: London UKJob Type: 12 Months FTC OR FTERole Purpose The Principal Engineering Lead is a senior technical leadership role responsible for driving engineering excellence across the organisation.The role combines hands-on technical expertise, strategic direction, and people leadership. It establishes engineering standards, strengthens architecture and technical capability, and enables teams to deliver high-quality solutions efficiently and consistently.Working closely with Product, Architecture, Infrastructure and Engineering leadership, the Principal Engineering Lead shapes solutions early, resolves technical risks and dependencies, and ensures delivery teams have clear direction and strong technical foundationsThe role also owns the engineering operating model, including the Software Development Lifecycle, engineering quality standards, coding practices, development tools, and modern engineering ways of working. It promotes AI-enabled engineering practices to improve productivity, quality, reuse, and cost efficiency. Key ResponsibilitiesEngineering Excellence and Technical LeadershipSolution Shaping and Business ValuePeople Leadership and Capability DevelopmentAI-Native Engineering and Continuous ImprovementEngineering Operating Model, SDLC and QualityStakeholder Leadership and Influence Required Experience and KnowledgeExtensive hands-on experience in software engineering and solution architecture.Experience working across multiple programming languages, frameworks, and technology stacks.Proven experience designing and delivering cloud-native solutions, preferably using Microsoft Azure.Experience defining architecture, engineering standards, technical direction, and reusable patterns at organisational scale.Strong knowledge of modern software engineering practices, including:DevOps and CI/CDAutomated testingSecure engineeringObservabilityOperational resiliencePlatform engineeringCloud engineeringGood understanding of cloud economics, cost optimisation, and total cost of ownership.Experience leading strategic engineering initiatives across multiple teams, products, or domains.At least four years of leadership and people management experience, including coaching, mentoring, performance management, and career development.Experience establishing or leading a Centre of Excellence, Community of Practice, engineering maturity programme, or similar capability function.Experience working with Product, Architecture, Infrastructure and Engineering teams to align technical decisions with business outcomes.Experience adopting AI-enabled engineering tools, workflows or operating models is desirable. Skills and CompetenciesExceptional technical leadership, architecture, and system design skills.Ability to shape technical direction early and make sound decisions in complex or uncertain situations.Strong stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills.Excellent people leadership, coaching, and mentoring capability.Ability to explain technical concepts, risks, and trade-offs clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.Strong analytical and outcome-focused mindset.Ability to connect technical decisions with business value, delivery outcomes, and cost efficiency.Ability to balance short-term delivery requirements with long-term engineering sustainability.Commitment to engineering excellence, continuous improvement, innovation, and AI-enabled ways of working.