Head of Development / Lead Software Architect

Meraki Talent; Dubai; Hybrid; AED 200,000 - 450,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-related bonus

Residence visa

30 days annual leave

Influence over tech roadmap

Ownership of development strategy

Job summary

Meraki Talent in Dubai is seeking a highly capable Head of Development / Lead Software Architect to own the technology and development roadmap for a multi-asset trading business. You will lead front-end and trading integrations, shaping architecture while still coding.

This executive role combines technical leadership with strategic influence, partnering with the CEO and senior leadership to build proprietary IP and deliver scalable, high-quality web and mobile applications.

Qualifications

• Hands-on developer able to write code and shape architecture.
• Strong experience with modern frameworks: TS, React, React Native, Flutter, Node.js, Go, Python or C#.
• Experience with REST and WebSocket APIs.
• Background in trading tech, electronic trading or financial services.
• Proven ability to own technical projects end-to-end and communicate in English.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and architecture of client-facing web and mobile trading applications.
• Build a modern, intuitive and high-quality user experience across web and mobile.
• Improve the client journey from registration to trading and funding.
• Develop and enhance the client portal, wallets, funding functionality and dashboards.
• Manage integrations between applications, CRM, trading platforms and back-office systems.

Skills

Hands-on coding

TypeScript

React

React Native

Flutter

Node.js

Go

Python

C#

REST APIs

WebSocket APIs

Trading tech

AI technologies

English fluency

Tools

MT4/MT5 APIs

Job description

Head of Development / Lead Software Architect

Full-Stack Development | Trading Technology | Product & Proprietary IP

Location: Dubai, UAE

Employment Type: Full-time | On-site / Executive Hybrid

Reporting to: CEO & Senior Leadership

Target Start: Q3 / Q4

The Opportunity

We are looking for a highly capable, hands-on Head of Development / Lead Software Architect to take ownership of the technology and development roadmap across a growing multi-asset trading business in Dubai.

This is not a traditional management role. We are looking for someone who is still very comfortable getting into the code, making technical decisions and building products, while also having the experience to shape the wider architecture and development strategy.

You will take ownership of the front-end applications, trading integrations and wider software environment, using a combination of internal development and carefully selected external resources where required.

A key part of the role will be taking existing third-party technology and progressively developing it into a more customised and proprietary technology stack.

Key Responsibilities

Product & Front-End Development

• Lead the development and architecture of client-facing web and mobile trading applications.
• Build a modern, intuitive and high-quality user experience across web and mobile.
• Improve the full client journey, from registration and verification through to account funding and trading.
• Develop and enhance the client portal, Trader's Room, wallets, funding functionality and account dashboards.
• Ensure applications are reliable, responsive and capable of supporting a growing client base.
• Develop smart tools that allow clients to explore market data and trading information.
• Build automated market scanning and pattern-recognition functionality within appropriate non-advisory parameters.
• Develop conversational search and querying capabilities across market conditions, economic events and instrument data.
• Use modern AI development tools to increase development speed and productivity.
• Identify practical ways AI can improve both the product and internal development processes.

Trading Technology & Integrations

• Manage the technical integration between the client-facing applications, CRM, trading platforms and back-office systems.
• Work with MT4/MT5 APIs, trading engines and bridge/gateway infrastructure.
• Ensure reliable connectivity between trading applications, MT5, CRM, databases and other core systems.
• Take ownership of existing third-party technology and understand how it can be adapted and improved.
• Refactor and develop existing systems with the longer‑term objective of creating proprietary IP.
• Build custom technology where it provides a genuine competitive advantage rather than reinventing existing solutions unnecessarily.

Technical Leadership

• Act as the senior technical authority across the development environment.
• Work closely with the CEO and senior leadership on the technology and product roadmap.
• Support the Dealing, Operations, Risk and Quant teams with technical solutions, reporting tools and data requirements.
• Manage development priorities and decide when to build internally versus using external development resources.
• Coordinate external development teams or specialist engineers where required.
• Work closely with Compliance, Operations and Dealing to ensure technology supports the wider business.

What We're Looking For

• Strong track record of building and launching production-level web and mobile applications.
• A genuinely hands‑on developer who is comfortable writing code as well as making architectural decisions.
• Strong experience across modern development frameworks and languages such as TypeScript, React, React Native, Flutter, Node.js, Go, Python or C#.
• Strong understanding of REST and WebSocket APIs.
• Experience working with trading technology, electronic trading environments or financial services platforms.
• Good understanding of MT4/MT5 APIs, order lifecycles, CRM/back‑office systems and payment integrations.
• Experience working with AI technologies, including LLMs, embeddings and prompt‑based applications.
• Commercial and pragmatic approach to development, with the ability to balance speed, scalability and proprietary technology ownership.
• Comfortable working independently and taking full ownership of technical projects.
• Strong communication skills and fluent professional English.

Package

A competitive executive-level salary will be offered based on experience and technical capability.

The package will include:

• Performance-related annual bonus.
• UAE employment residence visa.
• 30 days' annual leave.
• Significant influence over the company's technology and product roadmap.
• The opportunity to take ownership of the development strategy and build out proprietary trading technology.

This is a high-priority hire for a business looking to significantly expand its technology capability and build a more differentiated proprietary platform.