Head of Software Engineering

Head of Software Engineering – London MarketLocation: London (Hybrid)Reporting to: Chief Technology OfficerBateman Collins are partnering with a leading specialist insurance provider in the London Market to appoint a Head of Software Engineering. This organisation operates across complex commercial and specialty risks and is widely regarded as a high-performing and forward-thinking market participant. With strong executive sponsorship and significant investment in modern technology, the business is focused on delivering innovative, scalable and resilient digital solutions to support continued growth.The OpportunityThis is a senior leadership role within a value-driven and collaborative technology function. As Head of Software Engineering, you will lead the evolution of the software engineering capability, driving best practice, innovation and delivery across a portfolio of critical business platforms and integrations. You will work closely with senior stakeholders across technology, product and the wider business to deliver measurable commercial value and improve operational efficiency.You will be responsible for shaping the future direction of the engineering function, including organisational design, hiring strategy, capability development and budget ownership. The role will involve leading and developing a growing, distributed team of engineers across multiple locations, fostering a high-performance culture and supporting ongoing transformation initiatives.This role will suit a strategic yet hands-on technology leader who is passionate about modern engineering practices, continuous improvement and enabling teams to deliver high-quality, customer-focused outcomes.Key ResponsibilitiesProvide strategic and technical leadership across the software engineering function, ensuring high-quality and reliable deliveryContribute to the broader technology and business strategy as a member of the leadership teamPartner with Product and Business leaders to align engineering capability with business priorities and value streamsOwn organisational design, hiring, retention and development of engineering talentLine manage senior engineering leaders and drive performance, engagement and succession planningEstablish and embed engineering standards, governance and best practices aligned to industry trendsSupport modernisation initiatives, including cloud adoption and legacy platform transformationPromote innovation and the use of emerging technologies, including AI and automationOversee the controlled and risk-aware deployment of change into productionManage key technology vendors and delivery partnersEnsure appropriate risk, security and operational resilience frameworks are in placeRepresent the function within senior governance forums and leadership groupsSkills & ExperienceProven experience leading high-performing software engineering teams within complex, regulated environmentsStrong technical background across modern software development, cloud architecture and DevSecOpsExperience delivering large-scale transformation programmes with measurable business impactTrack record of building engineering capability, culture and organisational structureExperience operating in agile, product-led environmentsAbility to communicate effectively with both technical teams and senior business stakeholdersExperience managing legacy systems and leading modernisation initiativesCommercial awareness and strong stakeholder managementKnowledge of the insurance sector or London Market is advantageous but not essentialPersonal AttributesStrategic thinker with a pragmatic, delivery-focused mindsetConfident and articulate communicatorCollaborative and empowering leadership styleHigh emotional intelligence and strong interpersonal skillsPassion for innovation, continuous improvement and team developmentComfortable operating in fast-paced, evolving environmentsThis is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established and growing organisation at a pivotal stage of its technology journey, with significant scope to shape engineering strategy and build a high-performing function. #J-18808-Ljbffr