Head of Software Engineering

Job description

Job Title:Head of Software Engineering

Band: Band 6

Salary: 72771 - 80776

(plus DDaT allowance up to 12000 per annum depending on technical assessment)

Location:Liverpool Newport Birmingham

Contract Type:Permanent

Hours:Full Time

Closing Date:16/03/2026

Interview Date(s): W/C 7th April psychometric testing to be completed 27th March

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) will become Government Commercial Agency (GCA) on 1 April 2026. Please visit our website for further details.

Insight into CCS - Webinar

Watch our Webinar on the above link and gain valuable insight into CCS and our recruitment processes.

Call to action

We are seeking a highly experienced and inspiring Head of Software Engineering to lead our technical capability and drive the design development and operation of modern digital services. This role is central to the departments mission requiring a leader who can blend exceptional technical expertise with a commitment to service led model and public value.

Job Summary

The Head of Software Engineering provides strategic leadership for the design and build of high-quality digital products and services. The role is accountable for software engineering standards development practices and the professional capability of the software engineering community. This role is responsible for ensuring software is designed developed and tested to meet agreed architectural security and operational standards.

Key Accountabilities

Leadership

Lead and guide team members manage performance to ensure a high-performing team and support staff development through regular feedback

Software Engineering Strategy & Standards
Define and lead the software engineering strategy for software design and development. Establish coding standards testing practices (TDD) and peer review models. Ensure software is designed to meet architectural principles defined by Enterprise Architecture. Ensure software meets agreed security and operational non-functional requirements prior to transition to live. Drive codebase modernisation and application-level technical debt remediation. Champion API-first and cloud-native design patterns (in alignment with Cloud & Infrastructure strategy).
Software Engineering Capability & Profession
Act as Head of Profession for Software Engineering. Define career pathways capability frameworks and skills matrices. Provide leadership and mentorship to Lead Software Engineers and Software Engineering Managers. Foster a culture of continuous learning psychological safety and collaboration. Lead the recruitment retention and career development of the software engineers. Coach Senior Engineers helping them grow into strategic technical leaders. Direct line management the permanent Software Engineering team. Manage the mix of civil service and third party resources

Delivery Partnership
Partner with Product Architecture Operations and Delivery to align engineering capacity to roadmap. Ensure software engineering estimates are robust and delivery plans are technically sound. Ensure solutions are build-ready for service transition meeting operational acceptance criteria defined by Live Services. Participate in technical assurance and design governance.
Quality & Assurance
Establish software engineering quality frameworks. Define Definition of Done standards for code quality testing and documentation. Ensure solutions pass required GDS assessments. Ensure documentation and knowledge transfer is completed prior to service transition.

Essential Criteria (to be assessed at application stage):

• Technical Depth: Proven experience in a senior engineering role (e.g. Head of Engineering Lead Developer or Architect) building large-scale distributed systems using modern languages (e.g. Java Python ) and cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure/Google) in UK Civil service or similar public sector environment.

• Leadership: Experience managing managers of managers and leading large (20 person) multidisciplinary engineering functions.

• Strategic Vision: Ability to translate complex policy requirements into sustainable technical roadmaps.

• Stakeholder Influence: Experience in communicating technical risks and trade-offs to non-technical senior leaders (Directors and Ministers).

• Modern Practices: Deep expertise in DevOps Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and building Security-In rather than Security-On.

Success Profiles (to be assessed at interview):

Behaviours

• Leadership

• Changing and Improving

• Communicating and Influencing

• Delivering at Pace

Technical

• Development process optimisation

• Success Profiles Framework

(A link to the Civil Service Success Profiles Framework is provided below)

Success Profiles Framework

Assessment

Shortlisted candidates will complete an Alternative Leadership Assessment . These assessments are not pass/fail; instead they provide insights to help the panel explore specific areas during your interview. For more information read the gatenby sanderson assessment types.

What we will offer you here are some of the benefits you can expect:

• Competitive salary

• Generous pension scheme

• A discretionary non-contractual performance related bonus

• Working remotely in addition to working in advertised office location

• Flexi time scheme (available for B1-B6) - Remove this bullet for SCS roles

• Minimum 25 days annual leave to a maximum service related 30 days excluding bank holidays

Explore fully how we will reward your work.

Want to make a difference Find out more about the rewarding work that we do in our candidate pack.

The Civil Service is committed to attract retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

We want to make our recruitment process accessible to everyone so if there is any way that we can support you please contact

Working flexibly delivering outcomes

CCS operates a smarter working model that balances flexibility with collaboration. Successful candidates are expected to spend at least 26 days per quarter (approximately 2 days per week pro-rata) at their contracted office another CCS site or off-site for meetings. For the remainder of the time you may work from home or another suitable location that meets business needs.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application however all examples and statements provided must be truthful factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others or generated by artificial intelligence as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection Process

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitably similar vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview. Should you be placed on a reserve list and want to be removed please contact .

Please note that as part of this recruitment process if you are unsuccessful at the interview stage but are close to the benchmark score you may be considered for and offered a role at a lower pay band within the same job family.

Complaints procedure

Our recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles details of which can be found at

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint you should contact in the first instance.

If you remain unsatisfied with the response you receive you can then contact the Civil Service Commission at

#CCS26

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

Complaints Procedure

Our recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles details of which can be found at you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint you should contact in the first instance.

If you remain unsatisfied with the response you receive you can then contact the Civil Service Commission at

Internal candidates should apply using their Workday account. Please use the careers hub for your application.