Director, Product Engineering

iO Associates; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The BBC seeks a Director of Product Engineering to lead over 400 engineers in delivering innovative digital experiences across platforms. This pivotal role involves aligning technical strategies with organizational goals and fostering an inclusive culture during a transformative digital journey.

Benefits

Excellent career progression

Flexible hybrid working

Competitive salary and pension

Outstanding development opportunities

Inclusive culture

Qualifications

• Proven track record delivering large-scale technical programmes in complex environments.
• Strong software engineering background with experience in distributed teams.
• High emotional intelligence and strong commercial acumen.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the engineering vision for BBC's digital experiences.
• Lead a 400-strong engineering community across multiple sites.
• Drive delivery of complex technical programmes and evolve engineering strategy.

Skills

Leadership

Emotional Intelligence

Commercial Acumen

Stakeholder Engagement

Transformation Management

Job description

Director of Product Engineering (Experiences)

Flexible Hybrid (with regular time in key BBC locations like Salford, Leeds, Harrogate, Cardiff, Manchester, Newcastle or London)

Permanent Role | Senior Leader Band

About the Role

We're looking for a senior engineering leader to join the BBC at a transformative moment in our digital journey. This role isn't just about owning the experience layer across mobile, web and TV - it's about shaping how 400+ engineers collaborate, innovate, and deliver seamless digital products that truly serve our audiences, wherever they are.

As Director of Product Engineering (Experiences), you'll lead with deep technical credibility and a visible, people-first presence. You'll work cross-functionally with product, design and delivery peers - as well as the wider Technology & Product Group - to build modern, resilient platforms and drive transformation at scale.

You'll be a core part of the BBC's future as we look ahead to 2027 and beyond - ensuring we don't just keep pace, but lead.

Who We're Looking For

We're after someone who can do more than manage - someone who can lead, influence and inspire. The ideal person is:

• A T-shaped leader - someone who brings deep engineering expertise and breadth of vision to connect dots across disciplines, systems and teams.
• A builder of engineering culture - who understands that people, practice, and purpose go hand in hand.
• A visible and trusted presence - someone who shows up, listens, challenges, mentors, and steers teams where they need to go.
• Politically and socially astute - able to navigate nuance, engage stakeholders toe-to-toe, and make confident, empathetic decisions in a complex organisation.
• Transformation-savvy - this is a large-scale, multi-year shift. You'll help us thrive, not just survive.

You'll be comfortable moving across their UK footprint - especially in Salford (engineering hub), but also Leeds, Harrogate, Cardiff and beyond - making in-person time count where it's needed most. A day a fortnight onsite in certain locations is realistic, and flexibility is built in.

What You'll Be Doing

• Own and deliver the engineering vision for the BBC's audience-facing digital experiences - mobile, web, apps, TV, voice, and more.
• Lead a 400-strong engineering community across multiple sites and functions.
• Drive the delivery of complex technical programmes and help mature our practices, capabilities, and leadership bench.
• Partner with senior BBC stakeholders to align engineering work with organisational goals and public value.
• Build a connected, inclusive, and high-performing culture that empowers teams and nurtures talent at all levels.
• Constantly evolve our engineering strategy to meet the demands of audiences, technology shifts, and industry disruption.
• Champion continuous improvement and modern software practices - from CI/CD to cloud infrastructure to scalable systems design.

What You'll Need

• Proven track record delivering large-scale technical programmes in complex environments.
• A strong software engineering background - you've been on the journey and know what great looks like.
• Experience leading high-performing teams across distributed locations.
• High emotional intelligence and the ability to influence diverse, senior stakeholders.
• Strong commercial acumen - with experience managing significant budgets and regulated procurements.

What We Offer

• Excellent career progression in one of the UK's most respected organisations
• Flexible hybrid working, including regular time on-site as needed
• Competitive salary and pension, with 35-hour weeks and 26+ days annual leave
• Access to outstanding development opportunities through the BBC Academy
• Inclusive, values-driven culture that encourages everyone to show up as their authentic self

What's Next?

We're excited to hear from leaders who want to make a real difference at scale. If you're passionate about modern engineering, inspired by public purpose, and ready to lead bold transformation then I would love to hear from you.