Director of Engineering

About Bark Bark is revolutionising the way people find professionals in over 1,000 unique categories. As the UK's largest and fastest-growing services marketplace, we're on a mission to make finding the right professional quick and easy. With a presence in eleven countries and plans for further expansion, joining us at this genuinely exciting time will be a journey like no other. Our cutting-edge technology ensures that you can always find the best professional for any job. With a talented team of over 270 dedicated individuals, we're committed to providing exceptional service and ensuring that our customers are satisfied every step of the way. This is an exciting time to join our scaling business, we recently ranked 64th in the Sunday Times 100 fastest growing private tech companies in 2023. As a profitable scale-up, Bark is in a unique position to offer the best of both worlds; the excitement and agility of a start up combined with the financial security and backing of a renowned private equity firm, EMK Capital. You'll have ownership, agility, responsibility and stimulation without any of the worry. About the Role The Director of Engineering is responsible for leading an engineering organisation of six mission-driven product squads. These squads are responsible for evolving our core value proposition and driving our core product transformation. As such, you will be closely collaborating with a number of senior product management colleagues in driving delivery and value for our customers. You will also regularly collaborate with senior business leaders to contribute to overall business strategy. We expect you to be a great people manager, and have a track record of mentoring and growing Engineering Managers. Your primary focus will be in levelling up your organisation and creation of high performing teams. The ideal candidate should have experience in leading organisations responsible for online product delivery, fast paced iterative agile development and continuous data driven testing. You are also expected to contribute to broader engineering strategy and collaborate closely with other engineering functions to drive execution of Bark s technical strategy. You will be reporting to the CTO of the business. Responsibilities Lead, mentor, and manage six engineering squads through Engineering Managers, ensuring they are motivated, productive, and aligned with company goals. Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational processes, tools, and methodologies. We are focused on rapid agile development and continuous data driven testing of product ideas Collaborate effectively with product management organisation in balancing short term value delivery and long term scalability of the company s core business architecture Oversee the planning, execution, and overall delivery of your organisation, levelling up your squads to be high performing ones Collaborate with executive leadership to define and steer the company s technology strategy. Drive staffing and hiring in your organisation, actively identifying and addressing skill gaps Drive a culture of psychological safety, radical candour, continuous improvement, accountability and autonomy in your organisation Champion a people-first approach, ensuring team well-being, engagement, and professional satisfaction. Required Skills and Experience 15+ years of relevant experience Experience in leading organisations of multiple teams and managing of managers Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to various audiences Expertise in leading product development organisations focusing on data driven testing, rapid iteration and continuous delivery Deep understanding of Agile delivery, rapid prototyping, iterative development and continuous delivery practices Excellent problem-solving and strategic thinking skills Strong data and analytical skills Perks and Benefits Share options in a rapidly growing company whose founders have a proven track record and are Private Equity backed Flexible working policy with a central office in London Private health insurance run by Aviva including dental cover Personal annual L&D Budgets with £1,000 to spend on your development Enhanced Gympass membership for all employees with access to mental health courses and fitness classes Fully stocked kitchen and monthlylunches Financial advisor Cycle to work scheme Regular wellness weeks with industry leading talks through to massages in the office Being at the forefront of an industry with new and exciting problems to solve Diversity Statement At Bark, we are a platform for people, revolutionising the way professionals and individuals connect since 2014. Our culture is defined by excitement, ambition, and a commitment to raising the bar. We value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and are dedicated to embedding these principles into everything we do. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, and our focus is on hiring, retaining and developing a globally diverse workforce that is passionate about excelling our platform and supporting our customers succeed. Be part of our dynamic team, where bold ideas thrive, and create a future worth shouting about. #J-18808-Ljbffr