Head of Engineering
We’re looking for a Head of Engineering to lead one of our cross-functional engineering clusters, driving technical excellence and helping to build the platform that powers Yoto's mission to be the soundtrack of childhood.
About Yoto
Yoto is a screen-free interactive audio platform for kids. We make carefully connected audio players that kids control, with no microphones, cameras or ads. We have a catalogue of audio that inspires creative play and learning with 1,000+ titles in our card store from top creators, publishers and labels - think Disney, Marvel, Roald Dahl and Universal Music. We also create Yoto Originals.
* Voted the 14th fastest-growing private software technology company in Britain in The Sunday Times 100 Tech 2025; and named the 94th fastest-growing company in Europe in the prestigious FT1000.
* Ranked 9th in Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2024; and featured in the Sifted 100 fastest-growing startups across the UK&I by revenue growth.
* Featured in Bloomberg’s 25 UK startups to watch in 2023; and ranked second fastest growing tech company in the UK in the Deloitte Fast50.
* Named one of TIME Magazine’s Top 100 Inventions of 2020.
* We’re 200 employees spread across the UK, US, France, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the Netherlands, Romania and China, and growing!
We’re on a mission to be the soundtrack of childhood, and help families on their own unique adventures. By creating products that inspire independent play, we help families discover and grow with an inspiring world of audio - and we would like you to help us achieve it!
Yoto’s Engineering Team
At Yoto, our Engineering organisation is structured into mission-driven clusters, each made up of cross-functional teams that include engineering, product, design, and other key disciplines. These clusters focus on different areas of our platform and products to help us move faster, stay aligned, and build with purpose.
This role reports directly to the VP of Engineering and is part of the senior engineering leadership team alongside the other Heads of Engineering, CTO and senior IC leads.
What you’ll be doing
* Lead multiple cross-functional engineering teams within the Family Experience cluster consisting of ~20 engineers (FE, BE, mobile, QA) and managers.
* Partner with Product, Design, and Commercial teams to continuously improve the user experience, performance, conversion and retention of our global store.
* Champion engineering excellence across the cluster—from clean architecture and automated testing to observability, security, accessibility, etc.
* Foster an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing engineering culture.
* Coach your manager-level reports to strengthen their leadership and help them unlock the full potential of their teams.
* Mentor and support individuals across the Family Experience cluster to help them grow and succeed in their roles.
* Promote Yoto Engineering within the tech community and grow the team by continuing to hire top talent.
* Manage relationships and negotiate with key external partners and vendors.
* Oversee alignment on the technical direction of our eCommerce architecture set by lead engineers.
* Champion opportunities and guide through challenges of entering the era of AI-powered coding.
What you’ll bring
* Proven ability to lead teams of managers and senior engineers across different specialisms.
* Deep technical full-stack expertise in web and mobile platforms (headless architecture, CMS, checkout systems like Shopify or similar).
* Strong understanding of systems design, scaling strategies, and performance optimisation.
* Excellent stakeholder management skills and a collaborative approach to problem solving.
* A user-first mindset and passion for building smooth digital experiences.
* Excellent understanding of programming and software development paradigms and best practices; up-to-date with latest technologies and frameworks.
* Nice to have: Experience with international eCommerce, subscription models, or digital merchandising tools.
Salary: £110,000 - £130,000 based on experience
What you can expect from Yoto
* Flexibility: Hybrid working — expectation of 1 day a week on average, but you are welcome to come in more. Take advantage of our “work from anywhere” policy to work from a different location for up to 6 weeks every year. Summer Hours policy applies June–August.
* Financial: Generous share option programme; Income Protection (long-term sickness for up to 2 years) and company sick pay; Life Assurance from day one; Workplace Pension up to 3% employer contributions (following probation); generous employee referral bonus scheme.
* Health & Wellness: Private Medical Insurance via Aviva or a Wellbeing Allowance; 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme; unlimited dental guidance via Toothfairy; Bike to work scheme.
* Time Off: 25 days holiday per year plus bank holidays; birthday off; 1 extra day per year after 2 years up to 5 extra days; sabbatical eligibility after 4 years (up to 3 months unpaid).
* Helping Families: Family-friendly leave including enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, fertility, pregnancy loss and carers leave; nursery savings scheme.
* People & Planet: Up to 2 volunteer days per year; Book Allowance up to £50/year for professional development.
* Fun Perks: Personal Yoto player and starter pack; regular socials and YotoFest.
Equity and Diversity
We’re committed to fostering a safe, diverse, and inclusive environment where all individuals feel valued and supported. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group holds bi-monthly forums to elevate diverse voices and perspectives, ensuring everyone at Yoto feels heard and respected. We celebrate differences and share audio content from a diverse community of creators. We invite candidates from all walks of life to explore opportunities with us and join a company that champions flexibility, equity, and inclusion.
Please only apply or engage with Yoto jobs posted on our careers page. All correspondence from our Talent team will come through Teamtailor, our application tracking system.
#J-18808-Ljbffr