Lead Software Engineer
About the Role
Hartwell Digital Agency is looking for an experienced and technically driven Lead Software Engineer to join our Product Engineering team in Manchester. In this role you will own the technical direction of one of our core SaaS product lines, leading a team of six engineers through the full software development lifecycle.
You will work closely with the Product Manager, Head of Engineering, and key stakeholders to translate strategic objectives into well-architected, scalable, and maintainable software. This is a hands-on leadership role; we expect you to write code, review pull requests, and set the technical standards for the team.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design and delivery of new product features, ensuring high code quality, performance, and security.
- Manage, mentor, and develop a team of six software engineers, conducting regular one-to-ones and performance reviews.
- Collaborate with the Product Manager to refine requirements, estimate effort, and prioritise the backlog.
- Own the technical architecture of assigned product areas; produce and review design documentation.
- Establish and enforce engineering best practices including code review standards, testing strategies, and deployment processes.
- Contribute to cross-team initiatives such as platform reliability, developer tooling, and security improvements.
- Participate in an on-call rota and act as the technical escalation point for production incidents.
- Stay current with emerging technologies and proactively identify opportunities to improve the product.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum 6 years of professional software engineering experience, with at least 2 years in a technical lead or senior role.
- Strong proficiency in TypeScript and Node.js; experience with React or similar modern front-end frameworks.
- Solid understanding of RESTful API design, microservices architecture, and cloud-native development (AWS preferred).
- Experience with relational and NoSQL databases (PostgreSQL and MongoDB or equivalent).
- Demonstrable experience leading Agile / Scrum teams and facilitating sprint ceremonies.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to present technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
- A degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Kubernetes and containerised deployments (Docker, Helm).
- Familiarity with event-driven architectures (Kafka, RabbitMQ, or equivalent).
- AWS certifications (Solutions Architect or Developer – Associate level or above).
- Prior experience in a digital agency or SaaS product company.
- Open-source contributions or personal projects demonstrating ongoing technical curiosity.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary of £75,000 – £90,000, reviewed annually in April.
- Annual performance bonus of up to 12% of base salary.
- 25 days' annual leave plus UK bank holidays, rising to 28 days after three years.
- Employer pension contribution of 6% into a NEST workplace scheme.
- Private health insurance (Vitality Health) from day one, with option to add family members.
- £2,000 per year personal learning and development budget.
- MacBook Pro and peripherals budget of £500 for home office set-up.
- Cycle-to-work scheme and season ticket loan.
- Flexible working hours with core hours of 10:00–16:00.
How to Apply
Please submit your CV and a covering letter (maximum one page) explaining why you are interested in this role and what you would bring to the team. Applications should be sent to careers@hartwelldigital.co.uk with the subject line "Lead Software Engineer — [Your Name]".
The closing date for applications is 13 March 2026. First-stage interviews will take place remotely via video call during the week commencing 23 March 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a technical assessment and in-person panel interview at our Manchester office.
Hartwell Digital Agency is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.