Software Engineering Manager

Software Engineering Manager | Oxford | Hybrid | Competitive + Annual bonus

KDR are working with a rapidly growing technology business looking for a Software Engineering Manager to lead a highly technical engineering function in Oxford.

This is a people and delivery leadership role rather than a hands-on coding position.

You’ll manage 3–4 engineering squads of around 15–20 people, working alongside experienced Tech Leads to improve delivery, develop the engineers within the teams and put the structure in place to support continued growth.

The teams themselves are highly technical, building complex software around mathematical modelling, large-scale data and sophisticated analytical problems. It’s an environment that tends to attract engineers from strong mathematical, scientific and research-oriented backgrounds.

You don't need to be the deepest technical person in the room, but you do need the engineering background and credibility to manage people operating at that level.

What you’ll do

Take responsibility for the performance, development and progression of engineers across multiple squads, creating an environment where highly technical people can do their best work.

Partner with Tech Leads

Work closely with experienced technical leaders who own the deeper engineering decisions, while you focus on people, delivery, structure and getting the best out of each squad.

Look critically at existing processes, identify what's slowing teams down and introduce better ways of working across delivery, tooling and team structure.

Own Delivery Across Multiple Squads

Stay on top of capacity, priorities, blockers and dependencies, with enough technical understanding to recognise when an engineering challenge is becoming a delivery problem.

Scale the Team

Help shape the engineering organisation as it grows, identifying capability gaps, building hiring plans and bringing the right people into the teams.

Coach engineers and Tech Leads, improve management standards and take ownership of development plans, progression and performance conversations.

Partner with the Business

Work closely with Product and senior stakeholders to make sure engineering capacity and priorities remain aligned with wider business objectives.

What you’ll bring

You’ll ideally have started your career in software engineering before moving into engineering management and people leadership.

Your technical background gives you credibility, but this isn’t a role where you’ll be expected to spend your time coding or dictate technical solutions.

• Strong experience managing multiple software engineering squads
• A previous hands‑on software engineering background
• Excellent people management, coaching and development skills
• Experience improving engineering processes and delivery
• A track record of scaling teams and hiring engineers
• Experience working alongside highly technical Tech Leads and senior engineers
• Strong understanding of modern Agile and Continuous Delivery practices
• The ability to understand complex technical challenges without needing to own the solution yourself

Experience working with teams in scientific computing, mathematical modelling, data engineering, quantitative software, simulation or similarly complex technical environments would be particularly interesting.

Why this one is different

The technical capability within the teams is already strong.

They’re looking for someone who can build the environment around those engineers that allows them to perform at their best: strong people management, better processes, clear priorities, effective delivery and the structure needed to scale.

It’s an opportunity to lead genuinely technical people working on difficult software and modelling problems, while focusing your own time on the part of engineering management you enjoy most: people, teams and delivery.

• Private medical insurance
• Annual bonus

Candidates must be based within commutable distance of Oxford with full rights to work in the UK.