VP Engineering

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Location:

London, ENG, GB, N1C 4AG

Brand: RS Group

Function: Digital & Technology

Work Location: Hybrid

London: Hybrid

Role Purpose

The VP, IT Engineering is a senior executive who reports to the Global CIO Information Services and Technology. The role is accountable for cloud, integration, middleware, and API platforms for RSGroup globally. This highly technical position requires an understanding of both business and IT to drive innovation and shape demand for technology that increases business value by building and maintaining common reusable platforms. The VP will coordinate IT resources and work with cross-functional teams to ensure opportunities deliver the expected business value, acting as a point of escalation when needed.

The engineering role will work closely with architects, change teams, program and project managers, business analysts, infrastructure teams, and others to communicate and consolidate project requirements and objectives. Their ultimate goal is to evolve culture, build strategic partnerships, and platforms to drive business value through the use of common shared platforms and engineering disciplines.

Our business leaders must view IS&T as strategic partners. To elevate to the role of strategic business leader, IT must move beyond solely providing services and become a truly converged strategic platform partner that shares ownership of both business strategy and results.

The VP, Engineering is a key driver in allowing Technology to move into this strategic partnership role, stimulating and shaping business demand while providing a consolidated view and common reusable platform. A strong engineering capability converges cross-functional teams and eliminates value-depleting organizational silos, driving a culture of creativity, innovation, collaboration, and shared platforms across the enterprise.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Global Chief Information Officer, this role will have IT engineering and delivery responsibility globally for Cloud services, Middleware Integration, and APIs. The Engineering Director will partner with Technology and Business leaders to stimulate, surface, and shape demand for engineered IT platforms, solutions, and assets, ensuring delivery of IT solutions that generate business value.

Strategic Leadership and Strategy

• Work with senior leaders to evolve culture and organizational behavior, elevating IT into a strategic partner.
• Lead and mentor diverse engineering teams specializing in cloud platforms, middleware, integration, and microservices.
• Develop deep knowledge of technology roadmaps and execution globally, building relationships with business and IT leaders.
• Act as the principal technology advisor for Cloud and Integration decisions.
• Partner with enterprise architects to develop technology and engineering-enabled business capability roadmaps.
• Evaluate proposals, build business cases, and plan new joint initiatives with business and IT leaders.
• Lead global initiatives to evaluate and select integration strategies, tools, and methodologies.

Technical Oversight

• Oversee the architecture and deployment of cloud platforms.
• Guide the development and integration of middleware solutions.
• Drive the design and implementation of robust APIs and microservices.
• Identify capability and IT service gaps and contribute to improvement efforts.

Project Management

• Manage the end-to-end software development lifecycle for engineering projects.
• Collaborate with teams to define technical requirements and project scope.
• Monitor KPIs to assess team effectiveness and project outcomes.

Collaboration and Communication

• Work closely with cross-functional teams to align engineering efforts with business needs.
• Communicate technical concepts effectively to non-technical stakeholders.

Budget and Resource Management

• Develop and manage the engineering budget, ensuring resource optimization.
• Implement tools and technologies to enhance engineering productivity.
• Stay current with industry trends and best practices.
• Promote continuous learning and improvement within the engineering organization.

Candidate Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.

Significant experience in information technology development and engineering.

Solid experience in facilitating the development and implementation of business initiatives.

Extensive experience with cloud platforms, middleware solutions, and API microservices.

Strong knowledge of software development methodologies, including Agile and DevOps.

Familiarity with containerization and orchestration technologies.

Demonstrated track record of creating common platform technology solutions.

Strong collaboration and relationship-building skills.

Ability to listen, build rapport, and establish credibility as a strategic partner.

Exceptional ability to lead change using positive methods.

Strong communication skills in writing, speaking, and presenting.

Demonstrated passion for technology and engineering.

Highly self-motivated with the ability to attract, develop and retain talent.