Head of Engineering

The company

IU Group are one of Europe's largest university groups (headquartered in Germany) that offers distance learning to over 100,000 students. They believe in education for everyone and believe that everyone should have the opportunity to grow on their individual learning journey.

Historically, they have used third-party technology to deliver our programmes and, as part of a new strategy, They've committed to building our entire technical stack from the ground up.

The mission is to provide learners with an end-to-end software platform that will empower them to focus on their educational journeys.

Who we are looking for

The Head of Engineering is a key leadership role within the engineering organization at IU. Reporting to the Director of Engineering, the Head of Engineering is responsible for overseeing and managing the engineering teams within their assigned tribe. They play a crucial role in bridging the strategic direction with squad-level execution, fostering collaboration and innovation within the tribe.

Whilst this is mainly a leadership and strategy role, you are still expected to remain hands-on for a portion of your time, collaborating with Tech Leads, performing occasional code reviews and jumping in to help the teams with critical or complex issues.

Our tech stack

• TypeScript
• Vue 2/3
• Kafka
• Nest.js
• AWS

What you'll be doing

Engineering Leadership and Strategy:

• Collaborate with the Director of Product to develop the engineering strategy for the assigned tribe, aligning it with the overall technology goals and business objectives. You will operate as a true partnership, working together to lead your engineering tribe.
• Collaborate with the leads in each squad to execute the engineering roadmap and align the solution architecture of each service or product to the overall vision.
• Collaborate with the Director of Engineering and other engineering leaders to define the technical direction and roadmap for the organization.
• Drive a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement within the tribe.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to Engineering Managers, Tech Leads and Individual Contributors, supporting their growth and development.

Team and Talent Management:

• Lead and manage a team of 6 Engineering Managers who will directly report to you, providing direction, coaching, and mentorship to ensure high-performing and motivated teams. The engineering managers are the leaders for each scrum team.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive team culture, ensuring effective communication and knowledge sharing within the tribe.
• Collaborate with the Talent Acquisition team to attract, hire, and onboard top engineering talent to support the growth and needs of the tribe.
• Identify skill gaps and development opportunities within the engineering teams and work with engineering managers to provide training and resources to address those gaps.

Cross-functional Collaboration:

• Collaborate closely with the Director of Product within the tribe to align engineering and product strategies, ensuring the successful delivery of high-quality products.
• Work with Product Owners to understand and prioritize feature requests and software development initiatives, ensuring that engineering resources are allocated effectively.
• Collaborate with other engineering leaders and stakeholders across different tribes to address cross-functional engineering challenges and opportunities.

Delivery and Execution:

• Ensure the successful delivery of committed business outcomes from the engineering teams within the tribe, meeting agreed-upon timelines and quality standards.
• Drive Agile and Lean practices within the tribe, promoting iterative development, continuous integration, and delivery.
• Collaborate with engineering managers and technical leads to create and maintain a productive and efficient development environment.
• Monitor and track key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics related to team output, quality, and delivery (DORA, SPACE, etc.), taking actions to address any performance issues.

Your experience

• Several years of experience in shaping and leading large software development teams, with a focus on delivering complex software projects.
• Proven experience in a senior engineering leadership role, with a track record of managing and mentoring engineering managers and individual contributors.
• Strong technical background and deep understanding of software development methodologies, processes, and best practices.
• Experience in implementing and driving Agile methodologies, such as Scrum or Kanban, within engineering teams.
• Excellent leadership and management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate teams.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to effectively interact with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Results-oriented mindset with a focus on delivering high-quality software products on time and within budget.
• Ability to drive engineering strategies and initiatives while considering business objectives and market dynamics.
• Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or a related field.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing and dynamic engineering organization and lead a team of talented engineers. If you are a seasoned engineering leader with a passion for building high-performing teams and driving technical excellence, we would love to hear from you.

Your interview process

1. Screening interview with Berg Group to learn about your career, and your values (45 mins)
2. Personality assessment (15mins)
3. Technical interview with the Head of Engineering (1hr)
4. Whiteboarding interview (high level exercise (1hr)
5. Interview with the Product Director (1hr)