Principal Software Engineer

About The Role

We’re looking for a Principal Software Engineer to shape the technical direction of high-profile projects and lead the delivery of modern, scalable software.

We use technology to create impactful, human‑centred solutions that make a difference to users and organisations. We believe great engineering happens when teams collaborate, learn, and build with purpose.

You’ll provide hands‑on technical leadership, working closely with senior stakeholders, mentoring engineers across multiple teams, and line managing a small group of engineers while helping shape our approach to software delivery, architecture, and engineering culture.

• Lead the design and development of advanced software solutions, ensuring high standards of quality, security and scalability.
• Set the technical direction for projects and influence the wider technology strategy.
• Provide line management for a group of engineers (typically up to six), supporting their career progression and ensuring they’re set up for success.
• Provide technical leadership and coaching, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration and continuous learning.
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders to translate complex business problems into elegant, robust solutions.
• Champion modern engineering practices including CI/CD, test automation and infrastructure as code.
• Foster a Dev Ops culture that enables teams to build, deploy and run their services confidently through automation and continuous delivery.
• Drive the evaluation and adoption of emerging technologies to improve how we deliver software.
• Lead technical due diligence during project scoping, bids and new opportunities.
• Represent the engineering function in strategic discussions, influencing our technology roadmap.
• Anticipate and manage project risks, helping teams navigate complex technical challenges.

• Extensive experience in software engineering, with a focus on large‑scale, complex systems.
• Polyglot engineer comfortable working across multiple languages and frameworks (we’ve used Python, Java, Kotlin, Node.js, C#, JavaScript, Express, React and Next.js to name a few).
• Passion for learning new technologies and helping others do the same.
• Proven track record of leading software architecture design and strategic technology initiatives.
• Strong expertise in cloud platforms, microservices and modern software development practices.
• Experience with direct line management and mentoring junior to senior engineers.
• Excellent communication skills. Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

• Experience working in a consultancy environment, managing client relationships at a senior level.
• Experience delivering government or public sector projects.
• Eligible for (or holding) SC security clearance
• Knowledge of AI, machine learning, or other emerging technologies relevant to software engineering.
• Experience promoting knowledge sharing. This might be through mentoring, blogs, talks, or internal communities.

• Software & Architecture:
  • Polyglot and fullstack
  • Expert in designing scalable, secure, and maintainable software architectures.
  • Ability to set architectural standards and ensure alignment with business goals and technical strategy.
  • Dev Ops mindset
• Leadership and Mentoring:
  • Proven ability to lead and develop senior technical talent, providing strategic guidance and fostering growth.
  • Strong influence in shaping team culture, promoting innovation, and driving high performance.
  • Direct line management
• Strategic Thinking:
  • Ability to align technical strategies with broader business objectives, ensuring technology investments deliver value.
  • Skilled at identifying opportunities for technology‑led innovation and efficiency improvements.
• Stakeholder Engagement:
  • Expertise in managing complex stakeholder relationships, both internal and client‑facing.

• Purpose: Be values‑driven, recognising that our client's needs are paramount. Approach client engagements with professionalism and creativity, balancing commercial and operational needs.
• Accountability: Be accountable for…