Interim Head of Software Engineering
Posted 1 day ago by itecopeople
£700 Per day
Inside
Hybrid
London, England, United Kingdom
Summary: The Interim Head of Software Engineering will provide operational leadership for a prestigious London-based organization during a transitional period while a permanent Head of Software Engineering is recruited. This senior leadership role focuses on maintaining operational stability and supporting multidisciplinary technical teams across a complex enterprise technology environment. The position requires a credible technology leader to ensure continuity and manage stakeholder expectations effectively. The role is not aimed at large-scale transformation but rather at operational leadership within a regulated environment.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead a multidisciplinary function spanning software engineering, enterprise applications, integrations and APIs, data and reporting services, and operational support.
- Ensure operational continuity and maintain delivery momentum.
- Support stretched teams through transition and manage stakeholder expectations.
- Keep services running effectively and maintain momentum across ongoing initiatives.
- Provide strong operational leadership within a complex enterprise environment.
Key Skills:
- Experience leading enterprise application/software engineering/integration functions within large complex organizations.
- Strong operational leadership and service management experience.
- Experience managing multidisciplinary technical teams and team leaders.
- Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
- Ability to manage competing priorities within stretched operational teams.
- Calm, resilient, and pragmatic leadership style.
- Desirable experience across enterprise integrations, data/reporting platforms, and operational governance.
- ITIL/service management background.
Salary (Rate): £700 daily
City: London
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: inside IR35
Seniority Level: Senior
Industry: IT
Interim Head of Software Engineering 3-Month Contract Initially | C £700 pd Inside IR35 | Hybrid London
A prestigious London-based organisation is seeking an experienced Interim Head of Software Engineering to provide operational leadership cover during a period of transition and organisational change and recruitment of a permanent Head of Software Engineering. This is a senior leadership role focused on maintaining operational stability, supporting multidisciplinary technical teams and ensuring continuity across a broad enterprise technology estate whilst a permanent appointment is made. The environment is complex, stakeholder-heavy and operationally critical, requiring a calm, resilient and highly credible technology leader who can "hold the fort”, keep services running effectively and maintain momentum across ongoing initiatives.
The Role
You will lead a multidisciplinary function spanning:
- Software engineering
- Enterprise applications
- Integrations and APIs
- Data and reporting services
- Operational support and service management
The focus is very much on:
- Keeping the lights on
- Operational continuity
- Supporting stretched teams through transition
- Managing stakeholder expectations
- Maintaining delivery momentum
- Ensuring stable and resilient services
This is not a large-scale transformation programme or greenfield engineering role. Instead, the organisation requires a safe pair of hands with strong operational leadership capability within a complex enterprise environment.
Key Experience Required
- Experience leading enterprise application / software engineering / integration functions within large complex organisations ideally with experience within Higher Education or large public-sector organisations
- Strong operational leadership and service management experience
- Experience managing multidisciplinary technical teams and team leaders
- Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills
- Experience operating within Higher Education, Public Sector, NHS, Housing or similarly complex regulated environments
- Ability to manage competing priorities within stretched operational teams
- Calm, resilient and pragmatic leadership style
Desirable Experience across enterprise integrations, data/reporting platforms and operational governance
ITIL / service management background
Contract Details
- 3 months initially, likely extension
- Rate c £700 per day
- Inside IR35
- Hybrid working - London 2 days a week.
- Immediate / short notice availability preferred
To progress matters please send your CV to lramm@itecopeople.co.uk
Services advertised are those of an Employment Business.