Principal Software Engineer (Software Lead)
8 hours ago
Manchester
Location: United Kingdom – Remote Eligibility: Must have the right to work in the UK Touchstone Advisory, a leading UK independent valuation advisory firm, is seeking an exceptional Principal Software Engineer to lead the evolution of our proprietary valuation platform—from a proven proof of concept to a robust, market-ready product. This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of a core product within a successful, fast-growing advisory business that prises innovation, autonomy, and impact. As the technical leader of our software function, you will shape the product, the engineering culture, and the long-term tech strategy. About the role: You will be both the hands-on technical lead and the architect of our future technology direction, guiding our software team while setting the foundations for a scalable product and engineering organisation. Working closely with our valuation specialists and product team, you will design solutions that fundamentally transform how valuation advisory services are delivered. Key ResponsibilitiesProduct & Delivery Leadership • Own the end-to-end delivery of our proprietary valuation software into the market., • Translate business objectives into a clear technical roadmap, prioritising features and technical debt., • Establish processes for release management, quality assurance, and continuous improvement., • Ensure the platform is secure, reliable, and scalable as adoption grows. Technical & Architectural Leadership • Define the technical vision, architecture, and engineering standards for the product., • Lead hands-on development while ensuring excellence in code quality, testing, and documentation., • Conduct code reviews and introduce best-practice engineering methodologies., • Evaluate and introduce technologies, tools, and frameworks that support rapid and sustainable growth. Team Leadership & Culture • Lead and mentor a growing team of engineers, fostering a culture of ownership, learning, and collaboration., • Build strong relationships across product, data, and valuation teams to ensure aligned development., • Champion a healthy engineering culture centred around trust, accountability, and continuous improvement. Stakeholder Engagement • Work closely with senior leadership to provide clear technical insight and regular progress updates., • Collaborate with product teams and end-users to design features that streamline complex valuation workflows., • Communicate technical plans in a way that is accessible to non-technical stakeholders. Requirements • Proven track record of delivering commercial, market-ready software products., • Experience leading a software team and guiding architectural direction., • Deep experience developing modern web applications, ideally having launched a product to market., • Expertise in React, Redux, TypeScript, Python, FastAPI, and SQLAlchemy., • Strong understanding of cloud technologies (AWS preferred)., • Excellent grasp of software architecture, design patterns, and scalable system design., • Strong communicator with a collaborative, pragmatic approach to problem solving., • BSc or MSc in a STEM field (or equivalent experience)., • 10+ years of software development experience., • Right to work in the UK. Preferred Qualifications • Experience building applications that handle sensitive or regulated data (e.g., compliance, ISOs, data protection, legal frameworks)., • Experience defining DevOps processes (CI/CD pipelines, IaC, observability) is a strong plus., • Exposure to product management or technical leadership in a startup or scale-up environment. What We Offer • Flexible remote working, • Private medical insurance, • Discounted gym membership, • Regular team meet-ups and socials, • Professional development and training support, • Opportunity to shape the engineering function and grow into a CTO-level role At Touchstone Advisory, we’re redefining the valuation advisory space through innovation, efficiency, and a culture of excellence. We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcome talented individuals from all backgrounds. If you're excited by the opportunity to build a high-impact product and lead a team at the forefront of change, we’d love to hear from you.