Software Development Manager x3 (AI Infrastructure)

Software Development Manager | AI Infrastructure & Platform Engineering I’m currently partnering with a rapidly scaling AI Cloud business building the software platform behind large-scale data centres and GPU infrastructure. This is a hands-on Software Development Manager opportunity for an engineering leader who still wants to be close to the technology, while building and developing a high-performing team. The organisation is building much of its platform from the ground up, covering data engineering, automation, developer tooling, AI enablement and product engineering. There is little legacy to maintain and no established playbook to follow, so this is an opportunity to have genuine ownership over technical direction, engineering standards and team growth.The role:Lead and develop a team of software engineersSet technical direction, prioritise work and own deliveryRemain hands-on with code and technical designEstablish strong engineering practices across planning, design, code review, CI/CD and production operationsCoach and develop engineers, with a strong focus on progression and performanceOwn hiring, interview processes and team growthBuild and execute the technical roadmap, balancing speed, quality and costOwn operational quality, including on-call, incident response and post-incident improvementPartner with Product, Site Operations and other engineering teams to turn ambiguous requirements into scalable solutionsAnticipate internal customer needs and build platform capabilities before gaps become blockersWhat I'm looking for:2+ years managing software engineering teamsStrong software engineering background prior to managementEnough technical depth to read code and challenge designsProven experience hiring, developing and retaining engineersStrong understanding of the full software development lifecycleExperience owning delivery, prioritisation and technical roadmapsBackground in distributed systems and production operationsComfortable operating autonomously in an ambiguous, high-growth environmentExcellent communication skills across engineering, product and leadershipHighly regarded:Data engineering, automation, developer tooling, AI enablement or product engineering experiencePrevious experience as a Tech Lead or Senior Software EngineerAWS, Azure or GCPKubernetes and TerraformExperience building software alongside physical infrastructure or hardware-intensive environmentsThis would suit an engineering leader who wants genuine ownership, technical influence and the opportunity to build rather than inherit. If you're a hands-on Software Development Manager or Engineering Manager open to a high-growth AI infrastructure environment, I'd be keen to have a confidential conversation.