JOB OVERVIEW
We are seeking a hands-on Lead Software Engineer to head a Java development team within a retail banking environment. The role combines strong technical leadership in Java, Spring, and Spring Boot with the ability to manage and mentor a team of eight or more developers. The successful candidate will run the team independently — setting technical direction, making day-to-day delivery decisions without needing constant escalation to senior management — and will act as the primary technical point of contact for stakeholders, including business unit heads.
MANDATORY SKILLS
Java – strong, hands-on development experience.
Spring and Spring Boot frameworks.
Microsoft SQL Server (MS SQL).
Microservices architecture.
Familiarity with RESTful APIs and web services.
Banking domain experience – prior hands-on delivery in a retail banking environment.
Proven experience leading and managing a development team of 8+ engineers.
DESIRED SKILLS
Experience with containerization (e.g., Docker).
Microsoft Azure CI/CD pipelines.
LEADERSHIP & STAKEHOLDER RESPONSIBILITIES
Lead a team of 8+ developers, owning technical direction, task allocation, and delivery outcomes.
Operate autonomously — plan, prioritise, and make delivery decisions independently, escalating to senior management only where genuinely required.
Communicate effectively with all stakeholders, including business unit heads, translating business needs into technical delivery and reporting progress clearly.
Mentor and develop team members, conduct code reviews, and uphold engineering standards and best practices.
Manage risks, dependencies, and timelines across the team, and drive resolution of technical and delivery blockers.
TECHNICAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Design, develop, and maintain scalable applications using Java, Spring, and Spring Boot.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define, design, and ship new features.
Write clean, efficient, and maintainable code, and ensure the team follows best practices.
Troubleshoot and optimise applications to ensure high performance and reliability.
Stay current with emerging technologies and contribute to all phases of the software development lifecycle.
INDUSTRY & EDUCATION BACKGROUND
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.