Lead Engineer- UK Tax

Responsibilities

• Architecture & System Design: Design and architect secure, scalable distributed systems that support Xero's UK tax product roadmap. Lead the refactoring of complex monolithic systems into modern, maintainable microservices architectures. Establish and evolve engineering standards and frameworks that ensure long-term system reliability, scalability, and security across the product group.
• Technical Leadership & Direction: Shape the technical direction of the product group by breaking down organizational silos and driving alignment on multi-year product and platform goals. Conduct architecture reviews, provide technical mentorship on complex design decisions, and ensure consistency with Xero's broader architectural vision. Guide teams in translating business requirements into well-designed technical solutions.
• Engineering Excellence & Mentoring: Model engineering excellence by championing best practices including test-driven development, code quality standards, and deployment pipeline optimization. Coach and mentor engineers to grow their technical capabilities, establish a culture of ownership and continuous learning, and provide constructive feedback that accelerates team development. Facilitate knowledge sharing and cross-team learning initiatives.
• Quality & Reliability: Lead incident response processes, analyze recurring failure patterns, and implement preventative solutions to improve system reliability. Develop and implement comprehensive quality engineering strategies, establish testing frameworks, and optimize continuous integration/deployment pipelines. Drive observability improvements and establish meaningful metrics for system health and performance.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with product managers, designers, operations, and other engineering teams to align technical designs with business objectives. Communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, build consensus on architectural decisions, and navigate trade-offs between technical excellence and business timelines. Coordinate with peers across Xero to ensure consistency and knowledge sharing.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Leverage metrics, performance data, and observability insights to guide architectural decisions and validate the effectiveness of technical improvements. Implement monitoring and analytics that provide actionable insights into system behavior, identify optimization opportunities, and support continuous refinement of engineering practices.
• Technology Stack Ownership: Demonstrate proficiency in Xero's core tech stack including C#, React, and AWS. Stay current with technology trends and best practices, evaluate emerging tools and frameworks, and make informed recommendations for technology adoption. Ensure the team has the tools, infrastructure, and knowledge required to build high-quality software efficiently.
• Problem Solving & Innovation: Tackle open-ended architectural challenges and complex technical problems with creativity and analytical rigor. Foster a culture of experimentation and learning, encourage team members to explore innovative approaches to solving customer problems, and balance innovation with pragmatism and delivery.

Benefits

• Remote-First Work Environment

  Work from anywhere with a fully supported remote work setup, providing flexibility and work-life balance while maintaining strong team collaboration through modern communication tools and practices.

• Hybrid Office Access

  Option to work from modern, well-equipped office spaces in designated locations with structured in-office boost days designed to foster team connection and cross-functional collaboration.

• Professional Development & Learning

  Access to professional development opportunities, conference attendance, training programs, and budget for continuous learning to keep technical skills current and advance your career.

• Collaborative Engineering Culture

  Work within a cross-functional engineering team that values ownership, experimentation, feedback, and psychological safety. Foster an environment where engineers grow, innovate, and collectively solve complex problems at scale.

• Impact on Global Platform

  Shape the technical direction of a global cloud-based accounting platform used by thousands of small businesses. Your architectural decisions directly influence product roadmap and customer value delivery.

• Mentorship & Leadership Opportunities

  Lead and mentor talented engineering teams, guide career development, and establish engineering standards that influence organizational practices across Xero.

• Work-Life Balance Support

  Xero is committed to supporting employee wellbeing through flexible work arrangements, designated connection days, and a culture that values sustainable work practices.