Software Engineering
Head of Engineering Jobs & Careers
Looking for your next Head of Engineering opportunity?
HOK Consulting connects experienced Heads of Engineering with organisations building, scaling and transforming high-performing software engineering functions across permanent, contract and interim opportunities.
Whether your experience covers engineering strategy, software architecture, cloud-native platforms, technical leadership or building and developing engineering teams, explore current opportunities or upload your CV to join HOK’s technology talent network.
Current Head of Engineering Jobs
Explore current Head of Engineering opportunities available through HOK Consulting.
Can’t see the right Head of Engineering role?
If there are currently no suitable Head of Engineering vacancies listed, upload your CV and tell us what you’re looking for. Our team can contact you when a relevant permanent, contract or interim leadership opportunity becomes available.
What Does a Head of Engineering Do?
A Head of Engineering leads an organisation’s software engineering function, setting technical direction while building the teams, processes and engineering culture required to deliver reliable digital products and platforms.
The role typically combines people leadership, engineering strategy, technical oversight and delivery responsibility, with accountability for how engineering capability develops as the organisation grows.
Heads of Engineering often work closely with Engineering Managers, Technical Leads, Software Architects, product teams and senior technology leaders to align engineering priorities, architecture and investment with wider product and business objectives.
Head of Engineering Skills & Experience
Head of Engineering roles require strong software engineering leadership alongside broad technical and organisational experience. Relevant technologies and areas commonly include:
- Software Engineering Leadership
- Engineering Strategy
- Technical Leadership
- Software Architecture
- Engineering Team Development
- Technology Roadmaps
- Software Delivery
- Cloud-Native Development
- Microservices
- REST APIs
- Java
- Python
- .NET
- C#
- JavaScript
- TypeScript
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Cloud Platform
- CI/CD
- Quality Engineering
- Stakeholder Management
Heads of Engineering may come from hands-on software engineering, architecture or engineering management backgrounds, but at this level the role increasingly focuses on setting direction, developing leaders and building sustainable engineering capability.
Strong communication, commercial awareness and decision-making skills are particularly important when balancing technical quality, product priorities, delivery timescales and long-term technology strategy.
Typical Head of Engineering Responsibilities
- Defining and delivering software engineering strategy
- Leading Engineering Managers, Technical Leads and engineering teams
- Building and developing high-performing software engineering functions
- Providing oversight of software architecture and technical direction
- Establishing engineering standards, practices and ways of working
- Managing engineering capability, capacity and organisational structure
- Supporting recruitment, retention and development of engineering talent
- Improving software quality, security, reliability and scalability
- Supporting cloud-native platforms and modern engineering practices
- Managing technical debt, engineering risks and improvement priorities
- Working with product, delivery and senior technology stakeholders
- Aligning engineering roadmaps with wider product and business strategy
Responsibilities vary depending on the organisation, size of the engineering function and whether the role is primarily focused on software delivery, organisational leadership, technology transformation or a combination of these areas.
Head of Engineering Salary Expectations
Head of Engineering salaries vary according to experience, location, team responsibility, sector and the scale and complexity of the organisation’s technology environment.
Permanent Head of Engineering
Around £100,000 per year
UK median advertised salary
Contract Head of Engineering
Around £700 per day
UK median contract rate
Heads of Engineering leading large engineering organisations, complex platforms or major transformation programmes within financial services, high-growth technology businesses or enterprise environments may command higher salaries or contract rates.
Salary information is provided as a general UK market guide and can vary significantly between individual roles.
Head of Engineering Career Progression
Head of Engineering is a senior technology leadership position that can lead into engineering director, VP and executive technology roles.
Typical Head of Engineering Career Path
Alternative Career Paths
Experienced Heads of Engineering may also progress into roles such as:
- Director of Engineering
- VP of Engineering
- Technology Director
- Chief Technology Officer
- Head of Technology
- Engineering Transformation Director
The right progression depends on whether you want to continue leading larger engineering organisations, broaden into wider technology strategy or move towards executive technology leadership.
Your Next Move
Looking for Your Next Head of Engineering Opportunity?
If you’re considering your next permanent appointment, contract assignment or interim leadership opportunity, send HOK Consulting your CV.
Tell us about the engineering functions you’ve led, the technology environments you’ve worked across and the type of leadership opportunity you’re looking for.
Specialist Recruitment
Software Engineering Recruitment
Engineering Leadership forms part of HOK Consulting’s wider Software Engineering recruitment expertise, connecting organisations with professionals across software development, architecture, quality engineering, technical leadership and engineering management.
Hiring?
Recruiting a Head of Engineering?
HOK Consulting supports organisations looking for experienced engineering leaders across permanent, contract and interim requirements.
Whether you’re scaling an engineering function, strengthening technical leadership, modernising your technology estate or delivering a major software transformation programme, speak to HOK about your requirements.