Engineering Manager (Full Stack) - Ethical Marketplace

Wolf & Badger; London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Wolf & Badger, a certified B Corporation, is seeking an Engineering Manager to lead a team of developers on their innovative web platform. The successful candidate will oversee both front-end and back-end technologies, ensuring high-quality deliverables while fostering a collaborative team environment. This role is pivotal in shaping the technical direction and upholding the company's commitment to ethical practices and quality user experience.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Share options scheme

25 day holiday allowance

Flexible hybrid working policy

Paid volunteering leave

Quarterly Wellness Wallet

Health and wellbeing app subscription

Health insurance plan

Cycle to work scheme

Staff discount

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior engineering leadership role.
• Strong technical expertise in software development with proficiency in Python or JavaScript.
• Solid understanding of modern methodologies including Agile and DevOps.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support a cross-functional engineering team.
• Drive architectural design and technological direction for the back end.
• Collaborate with product managers and designers to define project goals.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem-Solving

Collaboration

Strategic Thinking

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science

Tools

TypeScript

React

Python

Django

Job description

Wolf & Badger is on a mission to make retail fair. Working to support our community of 2000+ independent designers from around the globe, we connect customers with ethically sourced fashion, design, home and beauty through our online marketplace and flagship stores in London, NYC and LA. We are a Certified B Corporation, with social and environmental purpose at the core of everything we do, read more about us here.

As the Engineering Manager, you will lead a team of developers working across our web platform, with technologies including TypeScript with React on the front end and Python with Django on the back end. You will be responsible for setting the technical direction, overseeing architecture, and driving the implementation of scalable and user-centric features. You’ll collaborate closely with product managers, designers, and engineers across the stack to deliver seamless, high-quality customer experiences. You’ll lead by example, mentor engineers, and ensure the platform is performant, maintainable, and adaptable as our business grows.

Our team works collaboratively and values in-person connection. This is particularly important for people management, a significant aspect of this role. This is therefore a flexible hybrid role with a minimum expectation of 3 days per week of onsite attendance at our beautiful office in Soho, Central London. Candidates must be based within a commutable distance of the office and be happy to commit to this requirement.

Accountabilities and Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership & Innovation:

• Lead and support a cross-functional engineering team, with hands-on knowledge of both front-end (TypeScript/React) and back-end (Python/Django) technologies.
• Drive the architectural design and technological direction for the back end, ensuring code is well tested, maintainable, modular, and scalable.
• Stay current with emerging tools/AI and frameworks in the front-end and back-end ecosystems to continuously improve our tech stack.

Team Management & Mentorship:

• Mentor, coach, and support professional development of engineers across the team.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, ownership, and continuous learning.
• Provide regular feedback to team members, encouraging professional growth and skill development.
• Create and maintain onboarding and training programs to upskill team members on both front-end and back-end technologies.

Collaboration & Cross-Functional Work:

• Partner with product managers, designers, back-end engineers, and other cross-functional teams to define and execute on project goals.
• Ensure seamless communication across teams to ensure the back end vision aligns with product strategy and technical feasibility.
• Champion accessibility, usability, and performance as core principles in every design and implementation.

Project Delivery & Quality Assurance:

• Manage timelines, set priorities, and allocate resources effectively to ensure timely delivery of high-quality features.
• Oversee strategies and ensure that automated tests, UI/UX tests, and code reviews maintain the integrity of the codebase.
• Advocate for coding best practices and high standards of quality in all deliverables.

Performance & Optimisation:

• Continuously monitor and optimise both front-end and back-end code for speed, scalability, and performance.
• Focus on improving user experience through performance tuning and engineering efficiency.

Strategic Vision & Direction:

• Collaborate with senior stakeholders to define the long-term vision and strategy for the engineering team, ensuring alignment with company goals and customer needs.
• Drive change and improvements, promoting the adoption of modern frameworks, practices, and tools to elevate the development process.
• Contribute to strategic initiatives regarding platform evolution, scalability, and future growth.

1. Proven experience in a senior engineering leadership role, preferably in a fast-paced startup or scale-up environment.
2. Strong technical expertise in software development, with proficiency in one or more programming languages (e.g., Python, JavaScript, Java, etc.).
3. Solid understanding of modern software development methodologies, tools, and practices, including Agile/Scrum, CI/CD, and DevOps.
4. Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire engineering teams, driving innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
5. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively interact with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
6. Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with a proven track record of delivering complex technical projects on time.
7. A passion for technology and a commitment to staying current with emerging trends and advancements in the field.

Desirable

• Experience with e-commerce platforms, payment gateways, and related technologies
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and headless architecture.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

• Competitive salary of £80k-£90k p/a dependent on skills and experience
• Inclusion in our share options scheme, to benefit from our rapid growth.
• 25 day holiday allowance in addition to bank holidays
• Flexible hybrid working policy with access to a creative work environment in Soho, Central London. Current onsite requirement of 3+ days per week for this role.
• Paid volunteering leave, pet-ernity leave and heartbreak leave
• Quarterly Wellness Wallet - to spend on products or services meaningful to you
• Subscription to Yulife health and wellbeing app
• Opt in health insurance plan via salary sacrifice
• Ample paid sick leave to support mental and physical health
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff discount across Wolf & Badger, in-store and online
• Excellent career opportunities in a rapidly growing international business
• Meaningful work. You'll be part of a trailblazing B-Corp which is changing the e-commerce landscape - for people and the planet!

Wolf & Badger is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and candidates. We encourage applications from people from all walks of life.