Lead Engineer – Shape Strategy, Drive Change London | Hybrid | Leadership without line management Are you an engineering leader who still enjoys being close to the tech? We're looking for someone who combines big-picture thinking with hands-on expertise as well as being comfortable shaping architecture across a complex estate while collaborating closely with delivery teams. You’ll work at the heart of a major transformation programme: simplifying systems, scaling cloud adoption (GCP), and building the foundations for the future which includes early-stage work in AI. You’ll guide platform and application teams on engineering best practices, and help create smarter, more sustainable technology. What you'll be doing: Leading strategic architecture decisions for a large, distributed environment Influencing across engineering, architecture, and delivery functions Working on cloud-first platforms, distributed systems, and big data challenges Partnering with senior leaders to shape and evolve tech roadmaps Helping drive change without the need for direct people management—though mentoring a small senior team is possible What you’ll bring: Experience driving tech strategy at scale, ideally across both platform and application layers Strong hands-on grounding in cloud, microservices, CI/CD, and modern software development practices A collaborative, practical mindset that balances innovation with delivery Background in financial services is a plus, but not essential. Experience from tech-first companies is equally valued If you’re someone who enjoys solving meaningful problems and shaping future-ready platforms, this role offers space to lead, influence, and grow.