Head of Technology & Engineering

Head of Technology & Engineering Location: Coventry (Hybrid Working) Salary: £70,000 - £100,000 Employment Type: Permanent Please note: Sponsorship is not available for this position. Overview A growing SME technology organisation is seeking a hands-on Head of Technology & Engineering to lead software delivery, infrastructure operations, and technical strategy across the business. This is a leadership role requiring someone who can operate strategically while remaining technically hands-on, with the ability to contribute to architecture, coding, technical problem-solving, and engineering delivery when required. The successful candidate will oversee software engineering and IT operations functions, ensuring business-critical systems remain secure, resilient, scalable, and aligned with commercial objectives. The Role You will lead multidisciplinary technical teams responsible for software development, infrastructure services, integrations, and operational support. The role requires someone who can balance long-term technical strategy with day-to-day operational priorities, managing change effectively within a fast-paced SME environment. You'll work closely with executive leadership, commercial teams, and technical staff to support ongoing growth, customer delivery, and operational continuity. This is not a purely managerial position - the business is looking for someone who remains technically credible and capable of contributing hands-on across software engineering, architecture, troubleshooting, and technical decision-making. Key Responsibilities Technology & Engineering Leadership Lead the operational delivery and support of business-critical software applications and platforms Oversee engineering and infrastructure priorities across the organisation Ensure systems remain secure, scalable, resilient, and operationally effective Contribute to long-term technology strategy and architecture planning Support the delivery of customer-facing technical solutions and services Hands-On Technical Contribution Provide hands-on support across software engineering, architecture, integrations, and infrastructure where required Contribute to technical design discussions and architectural decisions Support development teams with coding, troubleshooting, optimisation, and technical leadership Guide best practices across Agile delivery, DevOps, and software engineering standards Infrastructure & Security Oversee cloud, hybrid, and on-premise infrastructure environments Ensure compliance with GDPR, security frameworks, and governance standards Maintain awareness of cybersecurity risks and resilience strategies Support policies, procedures, and compliance aligned with ISO9001 and ISO27001 standards Operational & Stakeholder Management Manage relationships across executive leadership, engineering, operations, sales, and customers Coordinate priorities across development and IT services teams Manage suppliers, vendors, and external technology partners Communicate technical concepts clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders Lead teams in a collaborative environment focused on autonomy rather than micromanagement Required Skills & Experience Leadership & Delivery Experience leading software engineering and infrastructure teams within an SME environment Strong operational leadership and project delivery experience Ability to manage competing priorities and drive change effectively Strong stakeholder management and communication skills Technical Expertise Hands-on software engineering background with experience in modern development environments Strong understanding of Agile software delivery methodologies and SDLC practices Experience with programming languages such as Java, Python, C#, or similar Experience with DevOps practices and CI/CD principles Understanding of cloud platforms including AWS, Azure, or GCP Experience with databases such as SQL Server and/or Oracle Understanding of scalable architectures, integrations, and system design Strong knowledge of cybersecurity principles and layered security approaches Business & Commercial Awareness Ability to align technical decisions with business outcomes Strong analytical and problem-solving skills Comfortable working within resource-conscious SME environments Experience supporting customer-facing technical solutions and operational delivery Desirable Experience Background in Computer Science, Engineering, or related discipline Experience across industries such as Construction, Utilities, Logistics, Retail, Manufacturing, Insurance, or IT Services Exposure to ISO9001 and ISO27001 environments Interest in emerging technologies including AI, automation, and cloud innovation What's on Offer Senior leadership role within a growing SME technology business Opportunity to influence technology strategy and engineering direction Hybrid working environment based around Coventry Broad and varied role combining leadership and hands-on technical delivery Collaborative and entrepreneurial culture with strong autonomy