Software Development Manager - Pathway to CTO
Short on time? Let me summarise this role in a sentence:
We need a Software Development Leader or Manager to drive innovation by moving legacy tech into the cloud. You'll work with an empowering IT Director who wants you to lead a small engineering team and product development.
So, our client is a true international enterprise involved in scientific research and testing. They produce huge amounts of data globally and have built a handful of enterprise applications that now need to be replatformed. In doing so, there’s a golden opportunity to utilise data, AI, and the latest cloud technology to deliver real tech change that drives international growth and business intelligence.
This is a true blend of technical strategy and leadership – roughly 50:50 hands-on vs. people and project leadership. You’ll define and drive the software development roadmap, modernise legacy systems, and lead the technical design and direction of new applications. You'll have a real say in shaping the future of software within the organisation.
This is also a brilliant stepping stone to a CTO role, and our client is more than happy to help you get there. You’ll gain the kind of end-to-end exposure and experience that puts you firmly on that path.
What You’ll Be Doing
* Leading software engineering across a wide suite of applications, including core systems built in Java and Angular – you don’t need to code yourself in this stack.
* Steering technical decision-making and innovation across the business.
* Helping modernise legacy systems while maintaining and enhancing existing applications.
* Setting standards and best practices across engineering teams.
* Mentoring and developing both UK-based developers and a small outsourced team (transitioning back to the UK).
* Collaborating closely with the IT Director, Product Manager, and other senior stakeholders.
* Preparing the business to integrate with exciting AI work currently being developed by their European Dev team.
The Tech Environment
* Core stack: Java (Spring), Angular – no immediate plans to move away from this, so you’ll need to be comfortable working with these technologies for the foreseeable future. You won’t be expected to cut code – this is a leadership role.
* Other technologies: C#.NET, Blazor, plus a mix of legacy systems.
* Large app portfolio: Key applications in Java & Angular, along with numerous other apps/technologies in the ecosystem.
* Strong focus on system integration, modernisation, and innovation.
What We’re Looking For
* A proven software team leader or manager with recent hands-on experience.
* Someone who lives for identifying opportunities for tech innovation and building new functionality that harnesses the power of data and AI.
* Someone familiar with engineering in order to support and mentor others (not necessarily from a code-cutting perspective).
* A strategic thinker who enjoys balancing long-term direction with day-to-day delivery.
* A confident mentor who brings out the best in others.
* An appetite for change, transformation, and improvement.
What’s in it for You?
* Career-defining role: High impact, high visibility, and real autonomy.
* Hybrid flexibility: 1 to 2 days a week in the office, rest from home – maximum flex!
* 25 days holiday (plus option to buy more)
* Enhanced pension
* Electric car scheme
If you’re a Lead Developer or Engineering Lead looking to step up – or a Software Development Team Leader, Manager or even Head of Development – this could be a great move for you.
Full transparency: Salary level is up to £80k max plus benefits – but this is a long-term opportunity in a corporate international business offering a meaningful challenge, great tech, and real stability.
Fancy finding out more?
Get in touch with Simon Bucknell for details.
Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Information Technology
Industries
Software Development and Technology, Information and Media
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