Lead Software Engineer (Design System)

TL;DR

Lead Software Engineer (Design System): Owning the technical direction and evolution of a shared UI platform with an accent on architecture, developer experience, and reusable component standards. Focus on enabling product teams at scale through strong governance, accessibility, and operational excellence within a MACH architecture environment.

Location: Hybrid role based in Milton Keynes, requiring office attendance approximately once per month.

Salary: £59,966 – £67,468

Company

hirify.global is the UK’s largest university, dedicated to widening access to higher education through flexible, research-led learning.

What you will do

• Lead the technical direction and evolution of the shared UI platform and Design System ecosystem.
• Architect scalable, reliable software solutions using cloud-native and MACH principles.
• Mentor and develop engineering team members to foster professional growth and high performance.
• Collaborate with Product and Design leads to align technical priorities with the broader product roadmap.
• Drive DevOps culture, automation, and continuous improvement across engineering processes.
• Ensure system security, compliance, and operational excellence through rigorous testing and monitoring.

Requirements

• Proven technical leadership in software and systems development.
• Extensive experience in modern digital development, including cloud, DevOps, TDD, and infrastructure as code.
• Deep expertise in systems architecture, microservices, and distributed systems.
• Strong people management and mentoring capabilities.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Contractually aligned to the Milton Keynes office with the ability to attend in-person as required.

Nice to have

• Experience with MACH architecture (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless).
• Practical experience integrating AI into development workflows.
• Background in leading hybrid teams across permanent and offshore settings.

Culture & Benefits

• Commitment to flexible working arrangements, including part-time or job-share options.
• Supportive workplace culture focused on continuous learning and professional development.
• Comprehensive staff benefits package including pension and leave policies.
• Emphasis on work-life balance and inclusive, mission-driven environment.

Hiring process

• First stage interviews will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams.