Lead Software Engineer

National Grid; Warwick; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy provider is seeking a Lead Software Engineer to spearhead software solutions that support critical operations. This role, based in Warwick, requires guiding a high-performing team, making architectural decisions, and implementing security practices. The ideal candidate should have experience with programming languages such as Python, Ruby, C++, or Java. The position includes competitive salary and benefits, with a focus on fostering an inclusive culture. Join us in driving the energy transition forward.

Benefits

Competitive contributory pension scheme with double matching

Performance-based bonuses

Flexible benefits including technology schemes

Access to digital GP service

Work + Family Space benefits

Qualifications

• Develop scalable, high performance software solutions.
• Strong grasp of architectural principles.
• Foster an inclusive and collaborative culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead a high performing software engineering team.
• Design and deliver operationally aligned software.
• Collaborate with cross functional teams.

Skills

Strong experience designing scalable software

Deep hands-on engineering expertise

Ability to coach and mentor

Experience with Python, Ruby, C++, or Java

Knowledge of security practices

Automation and CI/CD skills

Strong organisational skills

Job description

About us

At National Grid, we keep people connected and society moving. But it's so much more than that. National Grid supplies us with the environment to make it happen. As we generate momentum in the energy transition for all, we don't plan on leaving any of our customers in the dark. So, join us as a Lead Software Engineer, and find your superpower.

National Grid is hiring a Lead Software Engineer for our Technology team. This role can be based at our Warwick, Bristol, or Cardiff offices, with hybrid working. You'll play a key role in designing and developing secure, scalable software solutions that support critical operations across our enterprise.

About The Role

We're looking for a Lead Software Engineer to guide a team of engineers in designing, implementing, and maintaining secure, scalable software solutions across both cloud and on premise environments. Reporting to the Head of Software Engineering, you'll shape platforms, tooling, and systems that support our wider development and technology teams.

You’ll play a key role in architectural decisions, defining and upholding engineering standards, and actively managing technical debt to keep our technology estate modern and efficient. As a core contributor to project delivery, you'll ensure work is well coordinated, timelines are met, and engineering output aligns with the strategic goals of the business.

Alongside technical leadership, you’ll support the growth and development of your engineering team through mentoring, coaching, and role modelling. You’ll champion Agile ways of working, act as a subject matter expert, and help foster an inclusive, collaborative culture across the Technology department.

What You'll Do

You’ll lead and develop a high performing software engineering team, providing technical direction, coaching, and opportunities for growth while building capability and embedding a culture of continuous improvement and excellence.

• Design and deliver scalable, high performance software aligned with long term business and operational goals.
• Guide architectural decision making, ensuring solutions are modular, reliable, secure, and built for reusability and maintainability.
• Define, document, and enforce engineering standards, best practices, and high quality delivery across the team.
• Proactively identify and manage technical debt, embedding prevention and reduction into planning and implementation.
• Monitor and optimise large scale distributed systems to ensure performance, stability, and continuous uptime.
• Build and enhance automation for configuration management, provisioning, and deployment to streamline operations.
• Implement strong security practices, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and modern security protocols.
• Lead incident resolution, performing root cause analysis and implementing long term fixes to prevent recurrence.
• Collaborate closely with QA, Systems Engineering, IT Operations, and Product teams to deliver aligned, high quality outcomes.
• Own project delivery, coordinating resources, managing timelines, and ensuring successful execution.
• Maintain clear, comprehensive documentation to support knowledge sharing and long term maintainability.

About You

You're an inspiring technical leader who thrives on developing high performing engineering teams. You combine deep hands on engineering expertise with the ability to coach, mentor, and elevate those around you. You're passionate about building scalable, secure, and resilient software-and you're just as committed to driving excellence in how your team delivers it.

You’ll succeed in this role if you:

• Bring strong experience designing and delivering scalable, high performance software solutions.
• Have a solid grasp of architectural principles, creating modular, maintainable, secure systems.
• Bring previous experience in at least one of the following programming languages: Python, Ruby, C++, or Java.
• Champion engineering standards and best practices, ensuring quality and consistency.
• Confidently manage and reduce technical debt, taking a proactive, long term view of platform health.
• Understand large scale distributed systems and know how to optimise performance and reliability.
• Are skilled in automation, CI/CD, deployment tooling, and streamlining engineering workflows.
• Demonstrate strong knowledge of security practices and compliance requirements.
• Stay calm under pressure and can lead incident resolution with a focus on prevention.
• Collaborate naturally with cross functional teams and thrive in a fast paced, delivery focused environment.
• Bring strong organisational skills, managing project timelines, priorities, and resources effectively.
• Value clarity and maintain high quality documentation that supports your team and the wider business.

You're also someone who role models Agile principles, fosters an inclusive and collaborative culture, and brings energy, curiosity, and a continuous improvement mindset to everything you do.

What you'll Get

• Competitive Salary: circa £75,000 - £85,000 per annum (based on capability, and experience)

Additional benefits:

• A competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%
• You will receive a bonus based on personal and company performance
• Flexible benefits such as a cycle scheme, share incentive plan, technology schemes
• Access to apps such as digital GP service for round the clock access to GP video consultations and NHS repeat prescriptions, wellbeing app to support your health and fitness
• Access to Work + Family Space, providing support and resources for work and family life, including paid emergency childcare and eldercare

Every quarter, you'll attend a 2-3 day in person planning event held at one of our office locations.

This role is offered on a full time basis.

This role closes on 30th January however we strongly encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible.

Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.