Head of Engineering
No salary listed
Expert
Hammersmith, London, UK
Hybrid
Engineering ManagementEngineering Leadership
About the job
Requirements
- Significant engineering leadership experience across complex digital services, ideally within UK Central Government or another regulated environment.
- A strong software engineering background and sufficient technical depth to command the confidence of senior engineers, architects and client technical leaders.
- Experience leading multiple engineering teams rather than only a single programme or product.
- Strong understanding of modern cloud engineering, DevSecOps, continuous integration and continuous delivery, security, architecture and operational practices.
- Experience with Government Digital Service-style multidisciplinary delivery and an understanding of the Service Standard and Technology Code of Practice.
- Strong understanding of security and privacy by design.
- Evidence of developing engineering capability through coaching, mentoring, standards and communities of practice.
- Strong consultancy skills and the ability to operate credibly with senior government stakeholders.
- Commercial awareness, including experience shaping work, estimating delivery and contributing to bids or proposals.
- The ability to balance technical quality, user outcomes, delivery constraints and commercial reality.
Responsibilities
- Own Arran’s engineering strategy, standards and technical assurance across client engagements.
- Champion secure, scalable and maintainable services using modern cloud, DevSecOps and software engineering practices.
- Develop Arran’s practical capability to build and integrate artificial intelligence into production government services.
- Establish engineering approaches for large language models, retrieval-augmented generation and agentic systems, ensuring solutions address security, privacy, responsible artificial intelligence, operational resilience and government constraints.
- Ensure engineering aligns with the Government Digital Service Service Standard, Technology Code of Practice, National Cyber Security Centre Secure by Design, and relevant accessibility and data protection requirements.
- Work with architects and client technical authorities to provide effective technical governance and assurance.
- Act as Head of Profession for Engineering, building and developing high-performing engineers and technical leaders.
- Identify future capability needs and create opportunities for people to develop practical artificial intelligence and emerging technology experience through delivery, accelerators and learning.
- Act as a trusted senior technical advisor to Central Government clients, translating complex problems into pragmatic technical approaches.
- Challenge assumptions, communicate trade-offs and represent Zaizi in senior client and technical governance discussions.
- Shape technical propositions, solutions, teams and estimates for strategically important opportunities.
- Turn successful delivery into credible, reusable capabilities and propositions that strengthen Arran’s position in the government market.
- Share accountability with the Club Executive and Heads of Product and Delivery for Arran’s overall performance.
- Help protect and grow clients, build capability through delivery and balance client outcomes, people, quality and commercial performance.
About the company
Zaizi helps public sector organisations realise their potential by designing, building, and sustaining secure digital services with a strong focus on user needs. The core product is a full delivery approach: understanding what citizens and staff require, creating user-friendly digital services, developing them securely, and providing ongoing maintenance so services stay reliable over time. Zaizi differentiates itself by concentrating on the public sector and offering end-to-end delivery—from initial design through development to long-term support—so digital government projects can succeed. The company’s goal is to make public services easier to use and more efficient, helping governments deliver better experiences for citizens.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Founded
2007
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Zaizi's August 10, 2026 accounts signal continued operating scale and compliance.
- Zaizi is hiring nine roles as of August 23, 2026.
- Border Force and Zaizi won Security Excellence Awards shortlist recognition in February 2026.
What critics are saying
- Companies House filed Antony Enright's director termination on June 30, 2026.
- Zaizi's NHS SBS advisory framework expires in March 2026, pressuring renewal volume.
- Government dependence creates existential risk if Border Force and defense contracts stall.
What makes Zaizi unique
- Zaizi built ScanApp with UK Border Force, digitizing freight clearance.
- Zaizi launched Spearhead on July 17, 2026, packaging vetted UK sovereign SMEs.
- Zaizi targets government, national security, and defense delivery with UK-cleared teams.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Paid Vacation
- Paid Holidays
- Hybrid Work Options
- Home Office Stipend
- Professional Development Budget
- Training Programs
- Mentorship Program
- Commuter Benefits