Backend & Platform Engineering Lead

Korn Ferry; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Korn Ferry partners with a leading financial services organization in the UAE to build a modern, digital-first, AI-enabled banking platform. We are seeking an experienced Platform/Backend Engineering Leader to shape engineering foundations, API ecosystem, and scalable services across complex environments.

You will lead backend and platform teams, drive API design and gateway strategy, and establish governance, standards, and best practices to ensure reliable delivery and production readiness.

Qualifications

• 8+ years backend software engineering experience, including at least 3 years in a technical leadership role.
• Experience building and operating core banking or payments integrations within production environments.
• Strong background in distributed systems, microservices, and large-scale API design.
• Proven ability to lead engineering teams and set technical direction across complex environments.
• Experience establishing engineering standards, governance, and best practices.
• Ability to work collaboratively across architecture, engineering, and platform teams.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the platform engineering strategy aligned with the broader technology roadmap.
• Lead backend and platform engineering teams, providing technical direction across services and APIs.
• Own and evolve the API gateway and integration layer connecting core banking, payments, and digital channels.
• Standardize engineering platforms, tooling, and reusable services across development teams.
• Establish engineering standards, governance, code quality practices, and test automation targets.
• Drive reliable integration delivery and support production operations, incident response, and platform performance.

Skills

Backend engineering

Technical leadership

Distributed systems

Microservices

API design

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

We’re excited to be partnering with a leading financial services organization in the UAE that is building a modern, digital-first, AI-enabled banking platform from the ground up. This is a rare opportunity to join at a defining stage and play a key role in shaping the engineering foundations of a business with strong institutional backing and ambitious growth plans. If you’re passionate about scalable platforms, backend engineering excellence, and building future-ready technology, we’d love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the platform engineering strategy aligned with the broader technology roadmap
• Lead backend and platform engineering teams, providing technical direction across services and APIs
• Own and evolve the API gateway and integration layer connecting core banking, payments, and digital channels
• Standardize engineering platforms, tooling, and reusable services across development teams
• Establish engineering standards, governance, code quality practices, and test automation targets
• Drive reliable integration delivery and support production operations, incident response, and platform performance.

Requirements

• 8+ years of backend software engineering experience, including at least 3 years in a technical leadership role
• Experience building and operating core banking or payments integrations within production environments
• Strong background in distributed systems, microservices, and large-scale API design
• Proven ability to lead engineering teams and set technical direction across complex environments
• Experience establishing engineering standards, governance, and best practices
• Ability to work collaboratively across architecture, engineering, and platform teams