Lead Software Engineer - FinTech/Scale-Up (Hybrid)

Job Description

Job Description

LEAD ENGINEER

PLEASE READ IN FULL BEFORE APPLYING. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE DISQUALIFIED.

IMPORTANT: Candidates must already possess unrestricted authorisation to work in the United States.

Our client is unable to provide visa sponsorship now or in the future. Applications from candidates requiring sponsorship will be automatically disqualified and will not be considered further.

About the Opportunity

The successful candidate must be physically based in New York, USA and available to attend the office during normal working hours. They operate on a hybrid working model.

Our client is a rapidly scaling international fintech focused on making cross-border money movement faster, simpler and more accessible.

Operating across the United States and Nigeria, the business has already acquired more than 100,000 users and is entering an exciting new phase of growth as it expands its product capabilities, technology infrastructure and international reach.

The organisation is building the next generation of payments, identity and financial technology solutions and is seeking ambitious individuals who want to play a meaningful role in shaping the future of the business.

As part of this next phase of growth, our client is seeking a Lead Engineer to help scale the platform, strengthen engineering capabilities and support the continued growth of the organisation's technology function.

This is not a traditional corporate engineering role.

They are not simply looking for candidates with impressive company names on their CVs. They are seeking builders, operators and problem-solvers who thrive in fast-paced environments, take ownership without being asked, move quickly, execute effectively and have a proven track record of delivering meaningful outcomes.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys solving complex technical challenges, working closely with founders and senior leadership, and helping to build scalable technology that can support significant future growth.

Application Process & Mandatory Qualifying Questions

You must answer ALL questions clearly and specifically within your covering note/letter. Applications that do not provide full responses will be automatically disqualified.

1. Are you currently based in the United States and legally authorised to work in the United States without sponsorship now or in the future?
2. What is your current notice period and earliest available start date?
3. What are your base salary expectations? (You must provide a specific figure or range. Responses such as "market rate", "negotiable" or "open to discussion" will result in automatic disqualification.)
4. How many years of software engineering experience do you have, and have you previously led engineers or engineering teams? If yes, please provide brief details.
5. Have you worked within fintech, payments, banking, digital identity or another regulated financial services environment? Please provide brief details.
6. Have you had direct experience of building payments and ledger systems? Please provide brief details.

Only candidates who demonstrate strong technical capability, ownership, execution excellence and relevant industry experience will progress.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead engineering initiatives across the organisation's platform and technology ecosystem
• Support the continued development of scalable, secure and resilient infrastructure
• Drive improvements across platform reliability, performance, scalability and operational excellence
• Partner closely with founders and senior stakeholders to execute strategic technology objectives
• Contribute directly to software development and technical delivery
• Support engineering best practices, technical standards and development processes
• Help strengthen security, authentication, identity and payments-related capabilities
• Identify and resolve technical bottlenecks impacting growth and performance
• Support the development of engineering roadmaps and technical priorities
• Collaborate with product, operations and leadership teams to deliver business objectives
• Promote a culture of accountability, ownership and continuous improvement
• Contribute to hiring, mentoring and developing engineering talent as the organisation grows

Ideal Candidate Profile

• 5+ years of software engineering experience
• Strong experience working within fintech, payments, banking, digital identity or other regulated financial services environments
• Must have demonstrable direct experience of building payments and ledger systems
• Demonstrated experience building and scaling customer-facing technology products
• Strong understanding of system architecture, scalability, reliability and security principles
• Experience working within startup, scale-up or high-growth technology environments
• Proven ability to operate effectively in fast-moving and evolving organisations
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities
• Comfortable balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders
• Experience working with payment systems, authentication technologies, identity platforms, or financial infrastructure is highly desirable
• Demonstrated ownership mentality with a track record of delivering results
• A builder mindset with the ambition to grow alongside a rapidly scaling business

On Offer

• Competitive compensation package
• Opportunity to join a rapidly scaling international fintech
• Significant ownership and influence within a growing organisation
• Direct exposure to founders and senior leadership
• Opportunity to help shape the future direction of the technology function
• High-autonomy environment with meaningful impact and responsibility
• Exposure to complex payments, identity and financial technology challenges
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• Opportunity to contribute to the growth of a business with significant international expansion plans