Software Development, Engineering and QA Director

Carnival; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading holiday company based in Southampton seeks a senior manager in technology to shape software engineering and quality assurance functions. The ideal candidate will have extensive leadership experience, a deep understanding of agile methodologies, and a proven track record of driving complex projects. The role supports hybrid work and offers personal growth opportunities alongside a collaborative work culture.

Benefits

Annual bonus

Extensive learning and development opportunities

Company paid private medical and dental insurance

Employee discounted cruising plus Friends and Family offers

Minimum 25 days leave and holiday trading scheme

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in software engineering leadership.
• Proven strategic delivery of complex projects.
• Deep understanding of Agile, Scrum, Kanban, DEVSECOPS, BSIMM.
• Experience in cross‑functional collaboration and innovation.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the Software Development, Engineering & Quality Assurance function.
• Drive product‑led development and embed agile practices.
• Foster innovation with a security‑first mindset.
• Provide strategic leadership aligning software engineering practices to business outcomes.

Job description

Join us in shaping the future of unforgettable holiday happiness across our P&O Cruises and Cunard ships & Head Office as a key senior management person within our Technology Department. At Carnival UK, we believe in the power of diversity to drive success, valuing a blend of backgrounds, experiences, and skills. If you're a technology professional with a strategic mindset and a track record of overseeing a technology department, let's talk. We're not just looking for qualifications on paper; we're searching for someone who can bring fresh ideas and a new perspective to our team.

The Role

This role reports directly to our VP, Digital, making you a pivotal member of the Senior Leadership Team. At Carnival UK, we are in the middle of an extraordinary transformation journey; moving from a traditional legacy estate to a modern, product-led digital organisation powered by microservices, CI/CD, and enterprise-scale platform engineering.

We’ve already made huge strides in reshaping how technology fuels our business, delivering at pace, embedding agile ways of working, and building platforms that unlock real value. But there is so much more to do. We’re scaling fast, and this role is about bringing both the excitement of innovation and the wisdom of solid engineering foundations - someone who thrives in rapid change but knows how to build for stability, security, and long‑term growth.

This isn’t just about keeping the lights on, it’s about shaping how digital products are conceived, built, and delivered. You’ll define and lead the Software Development, Engineering & Quality Assurance function for CUK, creating the strategy, building the team, and elevating our engineering capability. You’ll bring thought leadership, hands‑on delivery experience, and the ability to craft platforms that enable our business to move faster, smarter, and with confidence.

Collaboration will be at the heart of your success. You’ll work in a cross‑functional, matrixed model across Digital & Technology, partnering with colleagues to unlock performance through data, insights, automation, and modern engineering practices.

Key accountabilities include:

• Defining and leading the function, setting strategy, building capability, and reshaping resources across software development, engineering, and QA.
• Driving product‑led development, embedding agile and DevOps practices, and accelerating delivery through modern engineering approaches.
• Fostering innovation with a security‑first mindset, ensuring application security is seamlessly embedded into our development lifecycle.
• Providing strategic leadership and measurable value creation, aligning software engineering practices to business outcomes.

This is a chance to be at the forefront of Carnival UK’s digital reinvention—driving not just technology change, but business transformation at scale.

Job Requirements

This role demands a blend of strategic vision & technical expertise. We’re looking for someone with:

• Extensive experience in software engineering leadership.
• Proven strategic delivery of complex projects.
• Deep understanding of Agile, Scrum, Kanban, DEVSECOPS, BSIMM.
• Experience in cross‑functional collaboration and innovation.

About You:

• Speaks up and encourages open communication.
• Builds inclusive teams and protects wellbeing.
• Promotes collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Coaches others and fosters a high‑performance environment.

Why Join Us?

Positioned within our internal structure from CUK15 (entry level) to CUK1 (Brand President), this role is classified as a CUK05, offered as a full‑time position, on a permanent basis, with an offering of hybrid work including up to two days from home.

We’re more than just a holiday company; we’re a community that values work‑life balance, personal growth, and wellbeing. As part of our team, you’ll enjoy:

• Annual bonus
• Extensive learning and development opportunities
• Company paid private medical and dental insurance
• Employee Discounted Cruising plus Friends and Family offers
• Minimum 25 days leave and holiday trading scheme

Application Note

Due to the high volume of interest in our roles, we encourage early applications. This is your chance to contribute to a company that’s setting the standard for holiday experiences. Apply today to be part of our journey to create joy and memories for our guests—and for you.

Don’t let this opportunity sail away. Join us in making holiday dreams come true while advancing your career to new horizons.

Recruitment Journey

For more information on your recruitment journey, please visit https://bit.ly/CUKCandidateJourney.

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#Job Functions: Information Technology; Engineering; Quality Assurance

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