Head of Software Engineering

Location: Brighton Hybrid (3 days a week)

Reports to: CPTO

About Boundless

Boundless is a member organisation with over 100 years of heritage, supporting people who work in the public sector. Today, Boundless combines digital subscription services with hotels and entertainment properties , creating experiences that extend well beyond digital alone.

The digital subscription business is now the largest and fastest-growing part of the organisation , and technology plays a critical role in how members engage with Boundless and the value they receive.

We are intentionally changing how we build technology — moving away from a predominantly outsourced delivery model towards a strong in-house engineering capability , built around product thinking, short iterations and real ownership of outcomes.

The Role

We are looking for a Head of Engineering to help build that future.

This is a builder role , not a custodial one. You won’t inherit a finished engineering function — you’ll help create it. The role is hands-on, practical and evolutionary, suited to someone who wants to grow their leadership impact while staying close to the work.

You will lead the transition from outsourced engineering to an in-house model, shaping teams, practices and technology choices along the way. You’ll work closely with product, design and business stakeholders to ensure engineering moves from being a delivery function to a true partner in solving business problems .

The role spans front end, back end and DevOps , and also includes responsibility for security and compliance . While we operate within an established Microsoft-based environment today, you will be expected to challenge, evolve and improve technology choices over time.

AI as a First-Class Part of How We Build

We are building our in-house engineering capability from the ground up, and we expect AI-enabled tooling and techniques to be part of that foundation, not an add-on. The Head of Engineering will bring a clear, practical point of view on how AI can be used to materially improve how software is designed, built, tested, deployed and operated .

This role will not own a company-wide AI strategy, but it will be responsible for embedding responsible, effective use of AI within engineering — both as part of our product capabilities and as a force multiplier for development speed, quality and scalability.

We are looking for someone who actively experiments, makes deliberate choices, and helps create a development culture where AI meaningfully changes how work gets done.

What You’ll Do:

Build an In-House Engineering Capability

• Lead the transition from outsourced delivery to a sustainable in-house engineering model.
• Decide what work should be brought in-house, what remains with partners, and how the transition happens safely.
• Recruit, develop and support engineers who care about quality, learning and impact.
• Create a culture of ownership where teams feel responsible for outcomes, not just outputs.

Shift Engineering Towards Product Thinking

• Help move engineering away from task-based delivery towards problem-solving.
• Ensure engineers are involved in discovery, experimentation and shaping solutions.
• Champion short iterations, frequent feedback and learning from real users.
• Encourage teams to measure success in terms of customer experience and business metrics.

Stay Close to Delivery and Technology

• Be close enough to the code, architecture and delivery to make informed decisions.
• Get hands-on when needed — whether that’s reviewing designs, unblocking teams or contributing directly.
• Establish pragmatic engineering standards and ways of working that enable speed without sacrificing quality.
• Work across front end, back end and DevOps to improve reliability, performance and developer experience.

Own Platforms and Security

• Ensure security, compliance and risk are managed sensibly and proportionately.
• Improve operational resilience while supporting fast, iterative delivery.
• Balance immediate needs with longer-term sustainability.
• Take ownership of technology decisions across the stack.
• Evaluate the current Microsoft-based environment and decide where it supports our goals — and where change is needed.
• Lead pragmatic discussions around architecture, tooling, build vs buy and platform choices.
• Introduce new technologies where they clearly improve outcomes, not because they are fashionable.

Grow as a Leader

• Communicate clearly with senior stakeholders and contribute to strategic conversations.
• Translate business goals into clear, achievable engineering priorities.
• Grow your influence and leadership over time — this role is expected to evolve with you.

What We’re Looking For

The Kind of Leader We Want

• Someone who wants to build and improve , not just maintain.
• Comfortable leading through change, ambiguity and transition.
• Happy operating at different levels — from strategy discussions to technical detail.
• Curious about customers and how technology can improve their experience.

Experience & Approach

• Experience leading or strongly influencing engineering teams.
• Exposure to product-led or agile ways of working (even if imperfect).
• Experience working with outsourced teams and a desire to bring capability in-house.
• A belief that engineers can solve meaningful business problems by leaning into the business.

Technical Background

• A strong foundation in modern software engineering.
• Experience with some or all of:
  • Java
  • .NET
  • React
• Understanding of DevOps practices, cloud infrastructure and modern deployment approaches.
• Experience working within established technology estates, including Microsoft-based environments.
• Confidence to challenge and evolve technology choices where it makes sense.

Personal Qualities

• Pragmatic, thoughtful and hands-on.
• Comfortable making decisions and owning them.
• Not afraid to ask questions or challenge assumptions.
• Motivated by impact, learning and building something better.

Why This Role

A rare opportunity to shape how engineering works in an organisation with real history and real ambition.

The chance to build an in-house team and see the impact of your decisions quickly.

A role that blends leadership, technology and hands-on problem-solving.

A business with a clear purpose and a genuine appetite for change.