A major international financial services provider is looking for a Principal Engineering Lead to spearhead technical delivery within its global trading and asset management divisions. This role is designed for a technical expert who began their career as a high-performing Java developer and has since transitioned into high-level technical program leadership.
You will act as the technical authority and delivery lead for engineering squads. You will be responsible for bridging the gap between deep-level code implementation and large-scale program execution.
Technical Program Oversight
- Lead the overarching technical strategy for multiple engineering streams, ensuring all deliverables align with global architectural standards.
- Transform complex business requirements into scalable technical blueprints that can be executed by various delivery teams.
- Manage dependencies across different functions and regions to ensure the seamless deployment of financial products.
- Act as the technical voice of the program during high-level stakeholder meetings and regulatory discussions.
Engineering Excellence and Mentorship
- Oversee the quality of output for 50 engineers across multiple squads, focusing on architectural integrity and system resilience.
- Maintain a hands-on approach by conducting rigorous code reviews and assisting in solving the most complex backend challenges.
- Champion the adoption of modern engineering standards, including CI/CD automation and robust API design.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement through iterative feedback and knowledge sharing across the engineering community.
Stakeholder and Process Management
- Serve as the primary point of contact for technical escalations, providing rapid resolution for impediments that threaten project timelines.
- Partner with Product Owners to optimize backlogs, ensuring that technical debt is addressed alongside feature delivery.
- Coordinate with global infrastructure and security teams to ensure all platforms are secure and highly available.
- Lead sprint planning and agile ceremonies at the program level using the Scaled Agile Framework.
Required Experience and Skills
- A proven track record of starting as a hands-on software engineer and progressing into technical leadership or program management roles.
- Significant experience in delivering complex, large-scale software solutions within highly regulated environments like banking or fintech.
- Extensive experience working in a global, cross-functional capacity across multiple time zones and countries.
- Expert-level knowledge of the Java ecosystem and modern backend frameworks like Spring Boot.
- Deep understanding of distributed systems, microservices, and enterprise-grade API integrations.
- Practical experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and a strong grasp of modern infrastructure-as-code principles.
- Strong ability to perform architectural design and code reviews to maintain high performance and security standards.
