Head of Technology; into CTO

Head of Technology (growing into CTO) - Retail Technology

North West UK. Hybrid. 2 to 3 days per week in the office.

We are a retail technology business building software that delivers real commercial impact for grocery and FMCG operators. Our Virtual Replenishment Manager is live in-market and already delivering measurable improvements in availability, execution and operational efficiency. Customer demand is growing and we are scaling both the platform and the wider product roadmap.

Our non‑technical CEO has spent many years in senior operational leadership roles within the grocery industry, so this business is grounded in real operational experience.

We are now looking for a dynamic Head of Technology / CTO to work very closely with the CEO and the product leadership team to take ownership of technical delivery and help drive the next phase of the business.

This is not a corporate role and it is not a narrow engineering position. It is a hands‑on leadership role with real responsibility, influence and a clear path to becoming CTO as the business grows.

The role

You will be the most senior full‑time technical leader in the business.

You will own technical delivery end‑to‑end across a live production platform. You will lead our existing offshore development team, set clear standards and drive pace, quality and accountability. You will work closely with the CEO on product direction, priorities and execution.

In 2026, we will transition from an offshore team to a UK based engineering team. You will play the central role in shaping your team, hiring the right people and building a culture of ownership, pace and high standards.

Strong people leadership and the ability to motivate and hold others to account is essential.

We work fast and expectations are high. I expect you to come to me with ideas, solutions and opportunities. “Have you thought about this?” and “What about doing it this way?” should be part of your natural way of working.

You will also be comfortable spending time with senior C‑level customers. This includes product discussions, customer calls and sales pitches where technical credibility and commercial understanding matter.

Domain context

We operate in retail, FMCG and supply chain technology. Our customers run complex, operationally intensive businesses where systems must work reliably in real‑world environments.

Experience in grocery retail, FMCG, supply chain, replenishment, logistics or retail execution technology is extremely valuable in this role. Familiarity with enterprise buying processes and long sales cycles is a strong advantage.

What you will be responsible for

• You will own the technical roadmap and day‑to‑day delivery of current and future solutions.
• You will lead architecture decisions to ensure scalability, resilience and performance.
• You will set engineering standards and run effective code reviews.
• You will drive accountability within the development team and ensure work gets done properly and on time.
• You will work closely with products to turn customer needs into scalable solutions.
• You will explain technical trade‑offs clearly and commercially to customers, partners and internal stakeholders.

Experience and attributes that matter most

• Experience working in small businesses or scale‑ups rather than only large corporations.
• Strong technical foundations with the confidence to review code and challenge decisions.
• A proven ability to lead, influence and motivate engineers.
• Comfortable having difficult conversations and driving performance.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a bias to action and ownership.
• Commercial awareness and confidence discussing cost, value and prioritisation.
• Comfort interacting with customers, prospects and senior stakeholders.
• Happy working closely with the CEO and operating at pace.
• Able to be in a North West UK office 2 to 3 days per week.
• Possibility of travelling overseas to meet current and prospective clients for six weeks per year.
• Looking for a long‑term role with a path to senior leadership and eventual CTO responsibility.

Highly preferable experience

• Hands‑on experience building or leading retail technology, FMCG systems or supply‑chain products.
• Experience working…