Lead Engineer - Front End (React)

xero; New Zealand; Hybrid; NZD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Xero’s Customer Platforms team is building modern React + Next.js experiences that connect the core ecosystem with our public web presence. As Lead Engineer, you’ll define the architecture for a multi-site platform and lead one of two engineering pods as the platform grows.

This role focuses on performance, accessibility, and exploring AI-enabled features, collaborating with Product, Marketing and Support to bring new ideas to life for customers world‑wide.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience designing high-performance, content-rich multi-site platforms using TS/React/Next.js.
• Proven ability to migrate live, high-traffic sites with minimal disruption.
• Strong focus on performance metrics (Core Web Vitals) and WCAG compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead one of two engineering pods and set the platform architecture.
• Collaborate with Product, Marketing and Support to deliver customer-focused features.
• Drive coaching and mentorship to grow React and AI skills across teams.

Skills

Architectural design

Coaching engineers

Leadership

Tools

TypeScript

React

Next.js

Job description

The role and its impact

Xero's customers discover, learn about and get support through our customer-facing web experiences, and you'll help shape them.

As our Lead Engineer, you'll design and build modern React + next.js and TypeScript experiences that connect Xero's core ecosystem with our public web presence, from the first visit to getting help. You'll set the architecture for a multi-site platform that brings together React and Salesforce Experience Cloud surfaces, and lead one of our two engineering pods as the platform grows.

This is a chance to build something modern rather than maintain a monolith. You'll make performance and accessibility the default, explore AI and agentic solutions in customer experiences, and partner with Product, Marketing and Support to bring new ideas to life. You will Go Bold by challenging the status quo, and Go Further by making the experience better for customers around the world.

The team and how they connect

Our Customer Platforms team build the experiences customers use to learn, get support and find what they need. You'll work across two closely connected pods, we work in an agile way, with regular planning, retros and demos, and we value open dialogue and psychological safety.

The team is currently working on

Tech stack: TypeScript, React and Next.js, with API-driven content layers, a headless CMS, a composable architecture and AWS backend infrastructure.

Reimagining parts of Xero Central to deliver greater value through a modern, frictionless customer expereince.

Running a hybrid React and Salesforce Experience Cloud estate while bringing in new AI-powered features.

Shaping the target architecture for Xero's customer experiences, including agentic AI proofs of concept.

Where and how you can work

This role can be based in Wellington or Auckland. Our hybrid approach asks for around one day per week in the office as a minimum, so you can connect with your pod and stakeholders in person.

Here are some of the things we're looking for, for this role:

• You bring deep experience with TypeScript, React and Next.js at architecture level, including designing high-performance, content-rich multi-site platforms.
• Migrating live, high-traffic sites without disruption is familiar territory, and you can plan a careful, low-risk path to get there.
• Performance and accessibility are second nature to you, with a working knowledge of Core Web Vitals and WCAG.
• Coaching engineers is part of how you lead, and you'll Go Together with teams as they build new skills in React and AI.
• You're comfortable leading through influence, and you Go Bold by pushing back constructively when something isn't right for customers.
• Experience across e-commerce, media, agency or other high-traffic web environments gives you fresh views on performance and customer experience.