Head of Systems Engineering – Collaboration & Communication
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The Head of Systems Engineering – Collaboration & Communication is accountable for defining the strategic roadmap and leading the engineering, design, and architecture of collaboration and communication technologies across the organisation. This includes platforms such as Microsoft 365, Teams, Exchange, SharePoint, File Services, meeting room solutions, voice infrastructure (including PSTN and contact centre), and digital event technologies.
The role leads a team of systems engineers responsible for delivering secure, modern, and scalable solutions to support collaboration across head office, stores, depots, CFCs, and global operations. While operational support sits with a separate team, the Head of Systems Engineering acts as an escalation point for major incidents. They must demonstrate deep domain expertise, strong strategic planning and financial acumen, and experience delivering in a complex, multinational environment—ideally retail.
Responsibilities
* Lead an engineering team to define and deliver the strategy and roadmap for collaboration and communication technologies.
* Drive adoption of modern workplace tools that enhance productivity, inclusivity, and digital experience across all colleague groups.
* Translate business and user needs into technical designs, engineering patterns, and platform investments.
* Supervise the engineering of collaboration platforms to ensure performance, reliability, and usability at scale.
* Monitor delivery KPIs and budgets to ensure value, control, and alignment with technology goals.
* Use stakeholder feedback and digital workplace trends to continuously improve technology direction.
* Represent workplace technology across Tesco Technology, influencing internal and external stakeholders.
* Oversee the end‑to‑end engineering lifecycle from technical discovery and design through to implementation and handover.
* Collaborate closely with product, security, operations, architecture, and digital workplace teams to ensure cohesive outcomes.
Qualifications
* Demonstrated leadership of enterprise collaboration and communication technologies in a global‑scale organisation.
* Proven ability to lead engineering strategy and delivery, with accountability for team leadership, financial planning, and large‑scale workplace transformation.
* Experience across a broad collaboration and communication technology landscape.
* Define a clear, business‑aligned strategy and roadmap for workplace technologies including M365, email, voice, and conferencing platforms.
* Ensure security, privacy, and compliance are embedded into engineering patterns and technology decisions.
* Translate evolving user and business needs into scalable, sustainable, and intuitive collaboration solutions.
* Drive innovation in digital workplace and hybrid working enablement, including AI, automation, and integrated communication tools.
* Oversee the architecture and design of platforms such as Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, File Services, meeting room systems, and mobile telephony.
* Ensure engineering rigour across all delivery activities, including change control, test plans, resilience design, and performance validation.
* Define engineering standards and patterns for meeting room and voice technologies across offices, stores, depots, and remote workers.
* Provide technical leadership across a broad technology base including M365 licensing, digital events, Pexip interop, and third‑party integrations.
* Act as the senior engineering escalation point for major collaboration service failures or incidents.
* Coach, develop, and grow engineering talent to build a resilient and expert team.
* Maintain a strong external network to stay ahead of workplace technology trends and vendor developments.
* Collaborate on global standards while adapting to local market needs across UK, CE, and India.
Leadership & Potential
* Partner with product, operations, and architecture teams to deliver integrated digital workplace experiences.
* Maintain strong relationships with business and regional stakeholders to inform roadmap priorities.
* Lead with empathy and clarity, creating an inclusive and collaborative team environment.
* Provide direction and confidence in complex delivery landscapes with competing priorities.
* Embed career development and structured performance management across the team.
* Champion strong engineering culture and celebrate success.
Benefits
* Annual bonus scheme of up to 45% of base salary.
* Car allowance of £7,320 per annum.
* Holiday starting at 25 days plus a personal day (plus Bank holidays).
* Private medical insurance.
* Retirement savings plan – save between 6% - 10% and Tesco will contribute 1.5 times this amount.
* 26 weeks maternity and adoption leave (after 1 year’s service) at full pay, followed by 13 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Adoption Pay, we also offer 4 weeks fully paid paternity leave.
About Us
Our vision at Tesco is to become every customer’s favourite way to shop, whether they are at home or out on the move. Our core purpose is ‘Serving our customers, communities and planet a little better every day’. We are proud to have an inclusive culture where everyone truly feels able to be themselves. We are committed to creating a workplace where differences are valued and giving all colleagues the same opportunities.
We offer a range of diverse full‑time & part‑time working patterns across many business areas, combining office and remote working.
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