Head of Development (Architecture )-KSA

leading-edge; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 450,000 - 750,000; Full time

Job summary

Leading-edge in Saudi Arabia seeks a Head of Development to lead engineering strategy and execution for a regulated remittance platform, scaling a secure, high-availability environment. You will drive architectural integrity, governance, and delivery across Agile teams, partnering with Product, Compliance, Risk, and Operations to align technology with commercial priorities.

Candidates must have 10+ years in software engineering and fintech leadership, with Java or Go and microservices for

Qualifications

• 10+ years in software engineering and leadership roles.
• Experience in fintech, remittance, or regulated digital banking.
• Proven ability to scale high-availability transaction platforms.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute engineering strategy aligned with business growth and regulatory requirements.
• Provide executive leadership to multi-disciplinary engineering teams and drive delivery excellence.
• Ensure architectural integrity, reliability, and secure high-volume transaction processing.

Skills

Fintech/Remittance

Microservices

System architecture

Java/Go

Agile

Job description

Urgent: Head of Development

Location: Saudi Arabia (On-site)

Probation Period: 6-Month Period | Potential Permanent Conversion

Industry Experience: Fintech, Remittance, or Digital Banking

Skills: Fintech/Remittance | Microservices |system architecture |Java/Go, Agile

Immediate candidates must reside in KSA; GCC nationals preferred or Expat with transferable Iqama

Overview

Our client in KSA is seeking a Head of Development to lead engineering strategy and execution for a regulated remittance platform, with a clear mandate to scale a secure, high-availability transaction environment, accelerate delivery, and build a high-performance engineering function to support sustained growth within a regulated fintech landscape.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute the engineering strategy aligned with business growth, regulatory obligations, and long-term platform scalability
• Provide executive leadership to multi-disciplinary engineering teams, building a performance-driven culture focused on accountability, delivery excellence, and technical depth
• Ensure architectural integrity, system resilience, and secure high-volume transaction processing across a regulated infrastructure
• Establish robust engineering governance, quality frameworks, and operational standards to support sustainable scale
• Partner with Product, Compliance, Risk, and Operations leadership to align technology investments with commercial priorities and regulatory requirements
• Own end-to-end technology delivery, risk mitigation, and execution discipline across the engineering function
• Develop succession capability and strengthen organisational design to support future growth

Requirements

• 10+ years experience in software engineering, including senior leadership responsibility
• Proven track record within fintech, remittance, or regulated digital banking environments
• Strong expertise in microservices architecture supporting large-scale transaction systems
• Technical depth in Java or Go, with focus on performance, reliability, and secure system design
• Demonstrated success leading high-performing Agile engineering organisations
• Strong executive stakeholder engagement and strategic decision-making capability

Eligibility Criteria

Currently based in Saudi Arabia and available for on-site engagement

Saudi or GCC National (Bahrain, Oman, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar), or Expat with transferable Iqama

Business Visit and Family Visit visas are not eligible