Engineering Lead – Fintech

The Role

Were looking for a hands-on Engineering Lead who combines technical depth with product intuition. Youll guide a team of junior engineers (currently India-based), set the standard for modern software practices, and deliver robust tools that enable brokers to submit deals, SMEs to provide data, underwriters to assess risk, and internal teams to manage loans across their lifecycle. Youll also drive adoption of automation and AI where it meaningfully enhances speed, accuracy, or user experience.

You Will

Set technical direction and long-term vision for the platform, aligning engineering efforts with

business objectives

Lead design and development of front-end and back-end features across the full SME lending

platform, including onboarding, underwriting, funding, and loan servicing modules

Work closely with product leadership to shape features, scope timelines, and deliver iteratively

Mentor junior developers, review code, and enforce high standards across the team

Drive mobile-friendly UI development using React (or similar frameworks)

Own integration of external APIs for Open Banking, KYC/KYB, credit scoring, and more

Establish CI/CD pipelines, testing frameworks, and modern release practices

Implement robust monitoring, alerting, and incident response processes to maintain system

reliability

Push innovationwhether its using AI tools to accelerate dev cycles or improving data pipelines

for underwriters

Act as technical point of contact for both Albatross and Recognise Bank, collaborating across

teams

You Should Have

712 years of experience in full-stack or front-end development roles

Front end experience, especially CMS-based websites

3+ years leading engineering teams or mentoring junior developers

Proven ability to uplift inexperienced teams and introduce structured engineering practices from

scratch

Deep familiarity with React and JavaScript/TypeScript (Node.js, Python, or Java on the back-end

a plus, but not required)

A track record of shipping responsive, mobile-first web applications

Experience designing and working with relational databases (e.g. PostgreSQL, MySQL) and

understanding of data modeling for lending workflows.

Experience integrating third-party APIs (Open Banking, KYC/KYB, Credit Bureaus)

Solid grasp of Git, CI/CD, DevOps, and testing frameworks

Familiarity with banking or fintechespecially onboarding flows, CRMs, or SME lending

Experience building platforms with multiple user types (e.g. brokers, SMEs, underwriters)

Understanding of secure development practices and sensitivity to data privacy in financial

applications

A strong sense of productable to work without rigid specs and propose better solutions

Proven managerial skills and talent development

Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical

experience

Bonus: Experience leveraging AI/automation tools (e.g. Claude, internal LLMs) to improve

development velocity or reduce manual effort.

What Success Looks Like

Junior team becomes high-performing under your leadership

Front-end and back-end codebases are clean, scalable, and documented

New features are released regularly without regressions or quality issues

Product team and stakeholders view you as a proactive problem-solver

Mobile UI feels seamless; users dont complain about broken layouts or clunky flows

You raise the bar for the team across quality, velocity, and technical thoughtfulness

Initial Screening Criteria

Essential Experience

1. Years of experience: 7-12 years in software engineering, 3+ years leading a team

2. Frontend skills: Strong React experience with portfolio examples or shipped products

3. Mobile responsiveness: Proven delivery of mobile-friendly apps (ask for visual examples or links)

4. API integrations: Hands-on experience integrating 3rd-party APIs (Open Banking, KYC, etc.)

5. Product types: Has built CRMs, onboarding platforms, dashboards, or lending portals

6. Fintech exposure: Worked at a fintech, neobank, or lending platform (ideally UK-focused)

7. Code leadership: Led code reviews, set architecture, mentored junior devs, owned quality

8. DevOps awareness: Comfortable with CI/CD pipelines, GitHub Actions, version control best

practices

Nice-to-Have Enhancers

1. SME lending familiarity: Understands workflows like DIP, underwriting, and BDM sales pipelines

2. AI/automation curiosity: Has used GitHub Copilot, custom LLM tools, or similar productivity

boosters

3. Multi-role platforms: Designed for multiple users (e.g. broker, SME, underwriter, compliance)

4. Experience with junior teams: Proven ability to coach or uplift less-experienced developers

5. Fintech compliance awareness: Knows basic standards around data privacy, audit trails, or

FSCS/AML concerns