Head of R&D-EMEA

Valsoft Corporation; Ambleside; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading software company is seeking an accomplished R&D Leader to oversee the strategic and operational direction of research and development initiatives within their Aviation software division across the EMEA region. The role includes leading teams, driving innovation, and optimizing R&D processes. Candidates should have 8+ years of experience in software development and a strong background in enterprise software, preferably in aviation. This is a full-time position based in the EMEA region.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in software development, with at least 3 years in technical leadership or R&D management.
• Proven track record of leading distributed software engineering teams.
• Fluency in English; proficiency in other European languages is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage R&D teams across multiple EMEA locations.
• Drive innovation and technical excellence in software architecture.
• Oversee the full software development lifecycle and product delivery lifecycle.

Skills

Leadership

Software development

Cloud architectures

Communication

Project management

Agile methodologies

AI in software development

Education

Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or related field

Job description

We are seeking an accomplished R&D Leader to oversee the strategic and operational direction of research and development initiatives within our Aviation software division across the EMEA region. The successful candidate will lead cross‑functional engineering and product teams to drive innovation, quality, and scalability across a portfolio of aviation software solutions. You will play a pivotal role in shaping the product roadmap, optimizing R&D processes, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and technical excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage R&D teams across multiple EMEA locations, ensuring alignment with business goals, product strategy, and engineering priorities.
• Drive innovation and technical excellence in software architecture, product delivery, and engineering execution.
• Collaborate with Product Management to define the product roadmap and long‑term technology vision, ensuring engineering and product decisions are aligned.
• Oversee the full software development lifecycle (SDLC) and product delivery lifecycle, ensuring timelines, budgets, technical quality, and product outcomes are met.
• Establish and monitor key performance metrics (KPIs) for both engineering performance (quality, velocity, reliability) and product impact (adoption, delivery success).
• Promote best practices in agile product development, engineering workflows, testing, and release management.
• Partner with cross‑functional leaders (Operations, Sales, Support, Product) to ensure seamless delivery of customer‑focused product and platform solutions.
• Identify emerging technologies and trends relevant to aviation software and apply them strategically across both product and engineering.
• Build, mentor, and develop high‑performing engineering teams, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, accountability, and collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in software development, with at least 3 years in technical leadership or R&D management.
• Proven track record of leading distributed software engineering teams.
• Strong background in enterprise software development (preferably in aviation, logistics, or mission‑critical systems).
• Deep understanding of cloud architectures, APIs, and modern development frameworks.
• Strong communication, leadership, and decision‑making skills.
• Excellent organizational and project management abilities.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into business value.
• Fluency in English; other European languages (especially French or German) are an advantage.
• Experience using AI in software development and delivering AI‑first products.

Additional or Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in the aviation or aerospace software sector.
• Knowledge of DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and scalable SaaS architectures.
• Experience implementing Agile, Scrum, or Lean methodologies at scale.
• Demonstrated success in driving innovation and delivering measurable results.