Lead Software Engineer Frontend

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

Job summary

A leading health and wellness retailer in Greater London seeks a Lead Engineer to shape web and mobile customer experiences. The role involves designing high-quality software, mentoring engineers, and influencing technical decisions while working in a hybrid environment. Ideal candidates have strong skills in modern JavaScript frameworks, Node.js, and cloud technologies. You will enjoy a supportive atmosphere that encourages creativity and innovation, fostering healthier, happier lives for millions of customers.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience with JavaScript frameworks.
• Solid experience with back-end technologies and APIs.
• Comfortable with cloud platforms and CI/CD processes.

Responsibilities

• Operate as the senior technical lead in software design and delivery.
• Lead implementation of cloud-native solutions for web and mobile.
• Mentor engineers and promote knowledge sharing.

Skills

Modern JavaScript

React and/or React Native

TypeScript

Node.js

REST APIs

GraphQL APIs

Responsive UI

Modern CSS

Component-driven development

Testing frameworks (Jest, React Testing Library)

CI/CD pipelines

Docker

Cloud platforms (AWS)

Kubernetes

Monitoring tools (Datadog)

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.

Key Responsibilities

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

• 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

1. Recruiter Screen – 15/30 Minutes
2. Hiring Manager Interview – 30/45 Minutes
3. Pair Programming / System Design – 90 Minutes
4. Final Head of Engineering – 30/45 Minutes