Enterprise Software Engineering Lead Permanent

Who we’re looking for:

We’re looking for an experienced design-focussed engineering leader to work within our Enterprise Software Engineering function to help shape and improve the software development culture at Schroders. You’ll represent the Enterprise Software Engineering function in APAC based out of our Singapore office. You’ll help define our practices, be responsible for their execution within the APAC region, and for ensuring global approaches align locally.

You must be proficient in your field, be very clear how to design software for future supportability and extensibility, and have up-to-date and deep experience in how to achieve modern continuous approaches to continuous software delivery.

As well as being technically able, you’ll be an effective leader, capable of creating clear actionable strategies to improve our software engineering efforts, great at bringing groups of engineers together to remove impediments that get in our way, and you’ll be an approachable and inclusive leader who thrives on seeing the people under your care achieve.

You’ll need to be a great communicator, able to explain your thinking clearly to both technical and non-technical staff. You’ll put collaboration at the heart of your approach, inviting input widely and making sure all voices are heard, and you’ll need to be able to gain the respect of your colleagues quickly.

Although we are looking for very up-to-date software engineering skills, this role is an opportunity to move away from day-to-day software delivery, and into an engineering strategy role.

Technology at Schroders

Schroders Global Technology (GT) function is organised into a number of teams, distributed across Schroders’ global offices, with Technology hubs in London, Zurich, Luxembourg, Singapore and New York.

The software development and technology change function is split between a number of domains: Investment Technology; Operations and Private Assets Technology; Digital, Distribution, and Marketing Technology; Corporate Technology; and Wealth Technology. In addition there are teams which operate as shared services to Technology namely Infrastructure Production Services (production support, release and access control), Information Security, Enterprise Technology and the GT Management Office in which sit our Business Management teams (change management, assurance and reporting) and our Chief of Staff.

Our application estate comprises commercially-available off-the-shelf software packages best suited to Schroders’ operational needs, complimented by a number of internally-developed proprietary systems to support the specific needs of the clients and products that our colleagues support.

The Global Technology vision is to ensure a stable operating environment that can function at multiple speeds, that focuses on value delivered to our external and internal customers. With a culture of excellence through collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement, Global Technology enables Schroders to deliver the best outcomes for clients and shareholders.

In order to ensure that the emergent technology needs of our clients, regulators and internal stakeholders are able to be met quickly and effectively Schroders has implemented agile working practices within Global Technology. So that this is achieved without compromising the stability and security of the platform, Schroders Global Technology is implementing a bespoke agile operating model, based on the SAFe methodology, which ensures that technology support and infrastructure is unaffected and the requisite governance and control is in place.

Enterprise Technology

You’ll be part of the Enterprise Technology function at Schroders. Enterprise Technology has five main functions:

• An Enterprise Architecture function to own the overall strategic application landscape, central patterns and architecture runway;
• An Enterprise Cloud function which will drive our journey to cloud, leading our central cloud enablement teams and delivering a group cloud strategy and roadmap in conjunction with key GT and business teams;
• An Enterprise Data function, encompassing data governance and architecture, to bring together the business and technology initiatives to deliver a common data vision for Schroders and to provide the architectural roadmap to realise it; and
• An Enterprise Software Delivery function to create and embed best practice and mature our overall capability, defining and gathering metrics and KPIs to provide feedback on performance and help target improvement;
• An Enterprise Software Engineering function which focuses on the development of a group-wide engineering culture that prioritises reliable, predictable, and sustainable software delivery.

We are a friendly, supportive and collaborative team who work in partnership with all other functions across Global Technology (GT).

The team

You’ll be part of the Enterprise Software Engineering function within Enterprise Technology. This function exists to help us drive the way we provide business value through quality, predictable, and supportable software delivery. To help achieve these outcomes, Enterprise Technology, in collaboration with our counterparts in the Global Technology delivery domains, is driving a transformation to change the way software delivery teams operate.

Enterprise Software Engineering also houses our DevOps toolchain team and our Quality Engineering team.

What you’ll do

• You’ll work closely with the Head of Enterprise Software Engineering across all of our function’s activities, and take a key role in decision making, and defining the organisation’s software engineering strategy
• You’ll be key in bringing together our community of Engineering Leads in software delivery teams across Schroders, guiding and helping them to improve our shared software engineering culture. One of the key ways you will achieve this is by matrix managing several Engineering Leads
• You’ll represent the Head of Enterprise Software Engineering in internal forums, working groups, with the Engineering Leads, and across the organisation
• You’ll be key in driving progress as we implement and embed our new software delivery team operating model, in a focused yet considerate way
• You’ll bring your experience and know-how of what good software delivery looks like to help teams find the right balance between fast delivery, and longer-term sustainable delivery
• You’ll help create an inclusive and collaborative engineering environment in which all voices are heard
• Ultimately, we want you to bring all your talents to help shape our shared software engineering culture across the entire organisation

The knowledge, experience and qualifications you need

• At least 10-15 years of software engineering experience on wide, up-to-date technologies and tools across a range of software engineering areas (Cloud, AWS, Azure, MS, ReactJS, .Net, Java)
• Demonstratable in-depth software design skills including design patterns, principles, and best practices in your areas of technical expertise. Plenty of experience in the full lifecycle of developing software from the first idea to the final execution
• At least 5 – 8 years of demonstratable leadership experience, at individual team level and working across global teams and organisational boundaries
• Good experience of creating actionable strategies, with clear outcomes, and continuous measurement of progress
• An excellent understanding of testing approaches and putting testability at the heart of software design and development
• Agile delivery experience, especially around discovering requirements, and breaking those down into features and stories
• Ability to produce and communicate effective and insightful thought leadership on technical topics

What you’ll be like

• Enjoy working across teams with many different people
• Takes initiative and thrives in a fast-paced and time-critical business environment
• Self-motivated and passionate about improving engineering across Schroders
• An excellent communicator, both verbally and in writing
• A coach and sounding board who is friendly, approachable, and takes time to understand others’ views
• A collaborative and inclusive technical leader who seeks input widely and ensures everyone’s views are heard
• A keen technologist who follows the latest trends, technology, and engineering approaches

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