Our Client is a successful global player in a highly competitive and fast-moving industry. And, with multiple award-winning brands, e-commerce and the internet are integral to maintaining our leading position.

Reporting directly to the Group CIO, the Director of Software Development has overall accountability for a team of approximately 50 developers managing development of the organisation’s web facing and internal systems and applications.

The key accountably of the role are as follows:

• Deliver quality software solutions on schedule and to specification
• Collaborate effectively across organisational boundaries and within a distributed organisation
• Provide software solutions for the business platform TROPICS
• Manage and develop web interfacing platform iTROPICS and its APIs to create an integrated and seamless experience for both B2B and B2C users
• Monitor and review development processes and tools to ensure appropriate use of best practices
• Transform product requirements from the business team into software designs for applications, brand websites and enterprise content management systems.
• Lead high level architecture discussions to support new requirements and create architecture and design requirements to maintain governance and security standards.
• Managing developers by producing cohesive high level plans and task estimations to ensure continued web and intranet application development
• Co-ordinating activities across other development teams to facilitate integration efforts for a comprehensive business and user platform
• Communicating technical issues, their resolution and trade-offs to senior management
• Full line management responsibility for development leads and all software development staff

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will have 10+ years of development experience and 5+ years of software development management experience. They will have a proven track record in leading world class software development teams within large scale B2B and B2C, secure transactional ecommerce environments.

Core competencies

• Extremely customer and service driven
• A previous track record of leading teams using agile software development methodology in complex and secure transactional environments
• Working knowledge of building front end public services layer for large web based systems
• Developing software in a J2EE/Java open source environment and preferably with an appreciation of C++/C# .Net technology
• Experience with workflow, service orientated architecture and web development concepts
• Hands on commercial experience with the agile software development life cycles developing integrated transactional systems and web sites
• Good knowledge of software algorithms and design patterns
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team setting and manage a number of different development teams
• Proven team leadership experience, including the ability to coach, mentor, motivate and influence others
• Ability to influence and communicate across the organisation and be a credible voice at Board level
• Will be passionate and enthusiastic about new technology; able to recommend new emerging technologies, architecture and integration approaches in line with business goals

Key Attractions of the Role

• Opportunity to lead software development in a complex and challenging ecommerce travel environment
• Rare chance to take on a senior leadership role with senior level interaction, whilst staying close to the technology
• A highly successful and ambitious business where IT is viewed as key to driving strategy and creating competitive advantage
• Customised personal development training with room for scope and growth in the role and in the business

 Additional details

We use Sitecore Content Management System and state that any experience in a CMS would be beneficial.

• Working in a Matrix Management environment (all resources are allocated to a Pod, therefore working for a BA/PM).
• Close working relationship with Peers including an offshore Infrastructure team based in Toronto