Lead Software Engineer - Frontend

HOLLAND AND BARRETT; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health and wellness company is seeking a Lead Engineer to shape the digital experience for millions. The role focuses on leading the design and implementation of modern cloud-native solutions while mentoring a team of engineers. Key skills include strong experience with JavaScript, React, and Node.js. This hybrid position allows flexibility and offers the opportunity to significantly impact customer experience and architecture in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience with modern JavaScript and frameworks.
• Solid experience with Node.js and modern API design.
• Able to balance quick delivery with technical debt management.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver high-quality cross-functional software.
• Lead the implementation of cloud-native front-end solutions.
• Mentor and develop engineers in your squad.

Skills

Modern JavaScript

React or React Native

TypeScript

Node.js

REST and GraphQL APIs

Responsive UI

Docker

AWS

Kubernetes

Job description

Lead Engineer

Holland & Barrett is on a mission to be the world's leading health and wellness business, with technology at the centre of our transformation into a truly omni‑channel retailer. As a Lead Engineer in our OCX (Online Customer Experience) vertical, you'll help shape the web and mobile experience for millions of customers, operating as a senior technical leader who still loves to be hands‑on while guiding others.

Location

This is a hybrid role based in [Insert Location], with the requirement to be in the office at least two days per week.

Key responsibilities

• Operate as the senior technical lead for your area, designing and delivering high‑quality, cross‑functional software with minimal oversight.
• Lead end‑to‑end design and implementation of modern, cloud‑native front‑end solutions across web and mobile, ensuring scalability, performance, and reliability.
• Collaborate closely with Product, UX, QA and other engineering teams to deliver against clear roadmaps and customer‑focused outcomes.
• Mentor and develop engineers in your squad, raising the technical bar and encouraging knowledge sharing and continuous learning.
• Communicate complex technical topics clearly to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders, influencing decisions and direction.
• Champion security, compliance, and engineering best practices, considering how new work impacts existing systems and operations.

Skills and experience

• Strong hands‑on experience with modern JavaScript, React and/or React Native, and TypeScript.
• Solid experience with Node.js, REST and GraphQL APIs, responsive UI, modern CSS, and component‑driven development (e.g. Storybook).
• Comfortable with testing (Jest, React Testing Library or similar), CI/CD pipelines, Docker, and working with cloud platforms such as AWS.
• Exposure to Kubernetes, CDNs, monitoring/observability tools (e.g. Datadog), and shell scripting/CLI workflows.
• Able to balance shipping value quickly with managing technical debt and keeping systems robust and maintainable.

What makes this exciting

You’ll join at a pivotal moment, as H&B moves from multi‑year transformation into creating new digital propositions, giving you real influence over architecture, standards, and customer experience. You’ll work in a flexible, supportive environment with modern tooling, strong incentives, and the chance to lead impactful work that helps millions live healthier, happier lives.

Interview Process

• Recruiter Screen – 15/30 Minutes
• Hiring Manager Interview – 30/45 Minutes
• Pair Programming / System Design – 90 Minutes
• Final Head of Engineering – 30/45 minutes