Senior Software Technical Lead

Holt Executive; Farnborough; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Holt Executive is seeking an experienced Senior Software Technical Lead to provide technical leadership across the development of secure software solutions. This role blends hands-on delivery with governance, process improvement, and team mentorship to drive engineering excellence in high-assurance environments.

The successful candidate will shape software architecture, define engineering standards, and support delivery against technical and programme objectives, including navigating UK security

Qualifications

• 10+ years of software engineering experience.
• Experience leading software development activities and defining engineering processes.
• Experience in secure or regulated engineering environments.

Responsibilities

• Define, improve, and maintain software development processes, tools, and workflows.
• Provide architectural guidance and technical oversight across software development activities.
• Mentor engineers and identify future capability needs.
• Lead architecture design and implementation for embedded systems and user applications.

Skills

Technical leadership

Mentor engineers

Software architecture

Quality frameworks

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering/Computer Science

Tools

C/C++

RTOS

Embedded systems

Job description

A leading technology organisation operating within the secure communications and defence sector is seeking an experienced Senior Software Technical Lead to provide technical leadership across the development of secure software solutions.

This is a high-impact role combining hands‑on engineering delivery with technical governance, process improvement, and team mentorship. You will act as a key technical authority, driving software engineering excellence, improving development practices, and supporting multidisciplinary teams in delivering complex, high‑assurance systems.

Working closely with software engineers, systems engineers, and project teams, you will help shape software architecture, establish engineering standards, and ensure successful delivery against technical and programme objectives.

Due to business requirements applicants must be a sole UK national and eligible to obtain UK security clearance.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Engineering Governance

• Define, improve, and maintain software development processes, tools, and engineering workflows.
• Provide architectural guidance and technical oversight across software development activities.
• Establish and enforce quality standards, peer review processes, and engineering best practices.
• Support project delivery by identifying and removing technical barriers.

Team Mentorship & Development

• Mentor and support software engineers, helping to develop technical capability and engineering excellence.
• Identify skills gaps, training requirements, and future capability needs.
• Promote collaboration across software, systems, and wider engineering teams.

Software Development & Delivery

• Lead software architecture design and implementation for embedded systems and user applications.
• Drive software verification and validation activities, including design verification testing.
• Support complex technical investigations, defect resolution, and sustaining engineering activities.
• Provide technical support across legacy systems, upgrades, and component lifecycle challenges.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• 10+ years' experience within software engineering environments.
• Degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.
• Proven experience leading software development activities and defining engineering processes.
• Strong understanding of software quality frameworks, governance, and technical reviews.
• Experience working within secure or regulated engineering environments.
• Must be a sole UK national and eligible to obtain UK security clearance.

Desirable Experience

• Experience with high‑assurance software development standards and secure coding practices.
• Strong low-level programming experience using C/C++ within embedded systems environments.
• Experience working with microcontrollers and Real‑Time Operating Systems (RTOS).
• Experience mentoring engineers and improving technical capability without direct line management responsibility.

Why Apply?

This is an opportunity to take a leading technical role within a highly skilled engineering environment, shaping software development practices and contributing to the delivery of secure, mission‑critical technology.

You will have the opportunity to influence architecture, mentor engineers, and drive engineering excellence across complex programmes.