Head of Engineering

Eden Scott; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension scheme

32 days annual leave

Hybrid working Edinburgh HQ

Job summary

SnapDragon, a fast-growing Edinburgh-based technology company, is seeking a Head of Engineering. This hybrid role will report to the CEO and guide architecture, standards and platform delivery while growing a talented engineering team.

You will balance long-term platform development with the pace of a scaling SaaS business. You will recruit, mentor and align engineering with business priorities, ensuring security, data protection and operational excellence across delivery.

Qualifications

• Significant software engineering experience delivering production systems and leading engineering teams.
• Strong expertise in modern web application development across cloud-based platforms, data modelling, database performance and scalable system design.
• Proficiency in software quality, testing strategies and operational excellence, plus reliability, observability, deployment and incident management.
• Ability to balance technical excellence with commercial priorities and strong communication with senior stakeholders.
• Experience in growing technology companies or scale-up environments is preferred; hands-on leadership style.
• Experience in AI-enabled products would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop and grow the engineering team through coaching and performance management.
• Drive high-quality software delivery, ensuring production reliability, security and data protection.
• Own technical direction and architecture, translating business priorities into engineering plans.
• Lead engineering recruitment, hiring and onboarding as the team grows.
• Represent engineering at executive and board level and align tech investment with business priorities.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and engineering excellence.

Skills

Software engineering

Team leadership

Web development

Cloud platforms

Data modelling

Database performance

System design

Testing & quality

Reliability & observability

AI products experience

Job description

Head of Engineering | SnapDragon | Edinburgh (Hybrid) | £80,000 - £90,000 + Benefits

Help shape the future of AI-powered brand protection.

SnapDragon is a profitable, high-growth technology company headquartered in Edinburgh, helping some of the world's leading brands protect their reputation, revenue and consumers from online threats. Their AI-powered platform combines advanced technology with specialist expertise to tackle counterfeit products, fake websites, social media impersonation, misleading advertising and other forms of intellectual property infringement across global digital marketplaces.

With substantial revenue and team growth in the past year the business is now entering its next stage of growth. We are looking for an exceptional Head of Engineering to lead the technical function, shape technology strategy and help build the next generation of the platform.

Opportunity

Reporting directly to the CEO, you will lead and develop a growing and highly skilled engineering team while remaining close to the technology to influence architecture, standards and delivery. This is a rare opportunity to join a successful scale-up business where engineering is central to future growth. You will play a key role in translating business priorities into technical execution, balancing long-term platform development with the pace and pragmatism required in a fast-moving commercial environment.

The Role

• Lead, develop and grow the engineering team through coaching, mentoring and performance management whilst maintaining the highest standards across development, testing and deployment
• Drive predictable and high-quality software delivery in a rapidly evolving business, ensuring production reliability, security and data protection remain central to technology decisions
• Own technical direction and architectural decision-making across the platform, ensuring that business objectives translate into realistic engineering plans, priorities and delivery schedules
• Lead engineering recruitment, hiring and onboarding as the team continues to grow
• Represent engineering at executive and board level and work closely with senior leadership to align technology investment with business priorities
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement and engineering excellence

The Person

You will be an experienced engineering leader who enjoys building teams, solving complex technical challenges and creating an environment where talented people can do their best work. We're looking for:

• Significant software engineering experience delivering production systems with a proven track record of leading and developing engineering teams
• Strong expertise in modern web application development across all areas of: cloud-based platforms and modern software delivery practices data modelling, database performance and scalable system design software quality, testing strategies and operational excellence reliability, observability, deployment and incident management processes
• The ability to balance technical excellence with commercial priorities
• Strong communication skills and confidence engaging with senior stakeholders and board-level audiences
• Experience working within growing technology companies or scale-up environments
• A pragmatic, hands-on leadership style and an ability and willingness to contribute directly when required
• Experience in AI-enabled products would be advantageous

The Package

• £80,000 - £90,000 base salary
• Company pension scheme
• 32 days annual leave including public holidays
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements Edinburgh HQ location
• Opportunity to influence the future direction of a growing international technology business
• Career progression within a successful and expanding SaaS organisation