Software Engineering Lead; Web Platforms

At Unite Students, our website is where students discover, book and pay for their home. We're looking for a Software Engineering Lead
to shape the technical direction of this critical customer-facing platform and help us take it to the next level.

We're embarking on a significant, Board-backed transformation to rebuild our trading platform using a modern, headless, multi-brand architecture. You'll play a leading role in shaping that future, driving engineering excellence and ensuring our platform is secure, scalable and resilient.

Combining strong technical expertise with the ability to influence across teams, you'll own the Web Domain's architecture, engineering standards and operational health, working with internal teams and external engineering partners to deliver meaningful, lasting improvements.

• Lead technical direction: Own the Web Domain's architecture, technical roadmap and engineering approach.
• Shape our future platform: Drive the transition to a scalable, headless, multi-brand trading platform.
• Raise engineering standards: Establish best practices, reusable patterns and consistent quality standards across teams.
• Drive delivery excellence: Work with internal teams and engineering partners to improve code quality, testing, CI/CD and release processes.
• Own platform performance: Ensure our web services are reliable, secure, observable and resilient, particularly during critical trading periods.
• Manage our cloud environment: Take ownership of AWS security, operational health, performance and cost.
• Influence and collaborate: Work with technology leaders and engineering partners to align technical decisions and deliver continuous improvement.

• Experience leading the architecture and evolution of complex, customer-facing web platforms.
• Strong technical knowledge of JavaScript/Type Script, Node.js, React/Next.js, APIs and cloud technologies, ideally AWS.
• A track record of improving engineering quality, establishing standards and influencing across multiple teams.
• Experience managing engineering partners and driving accountability for technical quality and delivery.
• Understanding of production service ownership, including reliability, security, observability and cloud cost management.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to challenge, influence and bring people together.
• An interest in using AI-assisted engineering tools thoughtfully to improve productivity and quality.

We're looking for someone with strong engineering fundamentals, sound architectural judgement and the ambition to make a real difference to our technology platform.

• A discretionary annual bonus so you can share in the company's success
• 25 days' paid holiday and an annual holiday buying scheme, with 5 additional days awarded for long service
• A generous pension scheme – employer contributions between 5% and 11% depending on how much you save
• Various benefits to support your health and wellbeing including a Healthcare Cash Plan, an Employee Assistance Programme, a Wellbeing platform and a Gym benefit that you can share with your family and friends
• Enhanced Family Leave including 18 weeks full pay for birthing parents and 4 weeks for non-birthing parents
• Lots of other great benefits including an annual Share Save scheme, Employee Life Assurance, a discounts portal and more!

Founded in 1991, Unite Students is the UK`s largest provider of purpose-built student accommodation. You can find us in 23 leading university towns and cities, with over 70,000 students calling US home! We are driven by our values, culture, and a commitment to develop diverse and inclusive teams, filled…