PHP Technical Lead

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Software Engineering Lead to lead and scale a high-performing engineering culture within a thriving London-based marketplace. This is a role for a leader who balances technical credibility with a deep passion for people development. You will manage Team Leads and Individual Contributors, ensuring that "protecting standards" remains the foundation for team growth and reliable delivery.

You aren’t just a task-tracker; you are a mentor who knows when to step in and when to let a team find their own path. You will be a key driver in technical strategy, architectural discussions, and cross-departmental collaboration.

The Role

• People Leadership: Line manage Team Leads and ICs. Conduct impactful 1:1s, set clear career trajectories, and coach your reports on mentoring, ownership, and technical leadership.
• Delivery & Strategy: Partner with Product and Design to define roadmaps and ensure work is scoped realistically. You’ll be accountable for team performance, identifying risks early, and maintaining credible delivery standards.
• Technical Oversight: Stay "hands-on enough" to contribute to architecture and trade-off discussions. Our stack is modern: PHP 8.5, Symfony, React/TypeScript, and AWS. You’ll review complex PRs and pair on gnarly problems when the team needs an extra set of eyes.
• Organizational Impact: Remove bottlenecks—whether technical or process-oriented—to support long-term profitability and operational excellence.

Who You Are

• Experienced Leader: You have a proven track record of managing engineers and developing team culture. You are comfortable having difficult conversations and providing both praise and constructive feedback.
• Technically Grounded: You likely started as a Senior or Lead Engineer. You can still read code and demonstrate "what great looks like" to your team.
• Data-Driven: You use metrics to justify investments and inform technical debt management.
• Pragmatic: You understand the real-world trade-offs between speed, quality, and scope, and you help your teams navigate these consciously.
• Collaborator: You build strong relationships across the business, advocating for your team while finding solutions that serve the wider company goals.