3x a week on-site in London - Non Negotiable
*No sponsorship provided*
This role is suited to a modern engineering leader, not a hands-on developer. You will bring:
* A proven track record of modernising application environments
* Strong leadership capability and the ability to uplift teams into new ways of working
* Practical experience of cloud, DevSecOps, API-led architectures, and AI-enabled engineering
* The ability to operate confidently at CIO / business leadership level
My client are seeking a forward-thinking IT Application Development Manager (Head of) to lead the transformation and modernisation of the internal application landscape. This is a key leadership role within the Technology function, responsible for evolving our development practices, building a high-performing engineering team, and delivering cloud-native, API-driven, and AI-enabled solutions.
Operating as part of the Technology Leadership Team, you will play a critical role in shaping engineering strategy, embedding DevSecOps and CI/CD practices in Azure, and driving the adoption of Agentic AI and intelligent automation across the software lifecycle and application operations.
This is primarily a leadership and delivery role. While occasional hands-on involvement may be required, your primary focus will be enabling your team, setting standards, ensuring quality delivery, and partnering with the business to deliver value.
Key Accountabilities
* Lead, coach, and develop a team of ~5 developers, supporting their transition to modern engineering practices and technologies.
* Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and innovation.
* Drive adoption of agile, DevSecOps, and product-aligned ways of working.
* Define roles, capabilities and development pathways aligned with the future-state technology landscape.
* Recruit and onboard talent as required to support modernisation ambitions.
* Own and evolve CI/CD pipelines and DevSecOps practices across GitHub and Azure DevOps.
* Ensure automated, secure, and scalable delivery pipelines including:
* Build, test, release automation
* Security scanning (SAST/DAST, secrets, dependencies)
* Code quality and test automation standards
* Establish measurable delivery performance (e.g. deployment frequency, lead time, change failure rates).
* Integrate delivery practices with Change & Release governance while maintaining speed and quality.
3. Cloud-Native Application Modernisation
* Lead the transition from legacy applications (including SORCE) to a modern cloud-native architecture.
* Microservices and modular architectures
* Resilience, scalability, and observability
* Align with architecture, infrastructure, and security teams to ensure platform consistency and compliance.
4. AI-Enabled Engineering & Intelligent Operations
* Lead the practical adoption of Agentic AI and automation across development and operations:
* AI-generated and assisted code (Copilot, Claude)
* Automated unit testing, test generation, and syntax validation
* AI-assisted documentation and knowledge management
* Intelligent incident triage and operational insights
* Introduce guardrails for secure and responsible AI usage, including auditability and risk controls.
* Embed AI and automation into run, support, and maintenance activities to improve service quality and efficiency.
5. API & Integration Engineering
* Lead development and support of APIs and integration services across internal systems and external SaaS solutions.
* Versioning, security, authentication and observability
* Promote reusable integration patterns and robust error handling practices.
6. Stakeholder Management & Business Partnership
* Act as a trusted partner to business stakeholders, translating requirements into technical solutions.
* Work closely with PMO, Product Owners, BAs, and delivery teams to shape priorities and outcomes.
* Engage with IT service functions (Change, Release, Service Design, Support) to ensure solutions are operable and supportable.
* Support adoption, training, and enablement of delivered systems.
* Communicate effectively with non-technical audiences, including senior leadership.
* Ensure alignment with internal governance frameworks, security policies, and regulatory requirements.
* Support audit activities and ensure traceability, controls, and compliance across delivery and operations.
* Manage the application development budget, balancing cost efficiency with innovation.
* Oversee vendor relationships (SaaS providers, delivery partners) ensuring value and service quality.
9. Technology Leadership Contribution
* Support cross-functional initiatives (e.g. SaaS implementations, discovery work, process improvement).
* Contribute to broader IT leadership activities (town halls, community events, offsites).
* Help shape operating model improvements across the technology function.
Technology Environment
* Core Stack: .NET Core, C#, MS SQL, React
* Automation: Power Automate
* AI Tooling: GitHub Copilot, Anthropic Claude
Leadership & Delivery
* Inspires and develops high-performing teams
* Leads through transformation and ambiguity
* Drives delivery outcomes with discipline and pace
Technical & Functional
* Strong understanding of cloud-native architectures and DevSecOps
* Practical experience modernising application estates
* Ability to govern and guide technical direction without needing to be hands-on
Communication & Stakeholder Management
* Excellent communicator with both technical and business audiences
* Builds trust and credibility at senior levels
* Influences decisions and drives alignment across functions
Analytical & Problem Solving
* Strong root-cause analysis capability
* Balances speed, risk, and quality effectively
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
* Proven leadership experience managing software development teams
* Strong experience with Azure DevSecOps and CI/CD implementation
* API and integration development experience (REST, APIM)
* Experience with Power Automate and workflow automation
* Experience working with modern Microsoft stack (.NET, Azure, React)
* Strong stakeholder management across business and IT
* Experience working within governance, risk and compliance frameworks
* Experience with Agentic AI / AI-assisted engineering practices
* Knowledge of AI tools such as Copilot and Claude in software delivery
* Experience using AI/automation to enhance testing, operations and support
Working Relationships
* Business stakeholders and leadership teams
* Product Owners, Business Analysts, PMO, Project Managers
* Application Support and Service Management teams
* Change, Release and Service Design functions
* Architecture, Infrastructure and Security teams
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