Chief Technology Officer

The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Yuki is a leadership role focused on managing and supporting the Software Development Managers (who manage Team Leads) and technical specialists, such as Infrastructure Engineers, Security Engineers, and Architects.

The primary responsibility is to facilitate and empower teams, ensuring they deliver high-quality solutions that align with product goals. This role emphasises pragmatic, proven technology and a strong focus on balancing tech debt with current code realities. The CTO will be part of the Leadership team, will report directly to the Managing Director and will work together closely with the Chief Product Officer (CPO).

A key component of this role is the creation of a unified technical vision, strategy, and roadmap that is collaboratively developed and carried out by the entire engineering department. You will work with Yuki's talented teams to bring together their expertise, aligning on a common strategy and ensuring everyone is moving in the same direction.

• Leadership and Management:

1. Lead Software Development Managers who manage Team Leads, ensuring they have the resources, guidance, and support to enable their teams to succeed.
2. Manage technical specialists, including Infrastructure Engineers, Security Engineers, and Architects, ensuring they align with the company’s goals and product strategy.
3. Facilitate and mentor teams rather than micromanage; encourage autonomy, accountability, and continuous improvement across engineering functions.

• Engineering Culture and Standards:

1.  Cultivate a culture of high performance, transparency, and collaboration within the engineering organisation.
2. Champion best practices in software development, including scalable architecture, security, and maintainability.
3. Ensure that engineering teams follow clear guidelines regarding code ownership, modularity, and system stability, especially as it relates to the vision of a modular monolith with satellite services.
4. Support the growth and development of engineering managers and specialists through mentoring, training, and career development opportunities.
5. Drive initiatives to improve team health, satisfaction, and performance, using metrics like eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score).

• Collaborative Technical Vision and Strategy

1.  Work collaboratively with your teams to develop a clear, unified technical vision and strategy for Yuki. The knowledge and expertise already exist within the team—your role is to help surface that knowledge and align everyone on the same direction.
2. Ensure the vision aligns with the product strategy and business goals, and that it is supported and carried out by the entire engineering department.
3. Continuously refine and adjust the roadmap based on feedback, new insights, and changes in the product or market.

• Collaboration with Product Teams

1. Work closely with the Chief Product Officer and product teams to ensure that the engineering organization is aligned with the product strategy.
2.  Ensure that technology serves as a support system for product innovation and delivery, not the other way around.
3. Foster strong collaboration between engineering and product, ensuring open communication and joint problem-solving.

• Technical Strategy and Execution:

1. Promote the use of proven, up-to-date technologies that support the goals of the product.
2. Take a pragmatic approach to technology, ensuring that the focus is on delivering value, rather than chasing the latest trends.
3. Respect and manage tech debt, balancing innovation with stability and maintainability of current code.

• Facilitation and Problem Solving:

1. Act as a facilitator and problem solver, helping teams overcome roadblocks while enabling them to make informed technical decisions.
2. Advocate for continuous improvement across teams, encouraging iteration, learning, and adaptability.
3. Be the escalation point for complex technical and organizational challenges, providing thoughtful, practical solutions.

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• Proven experience in leading engineering teams, ideally within a product-driven environment. (10+years)
• Previous experience managing managers (e.g., Software Development Managers) and technical specialists (e.g., infrastructure, security, architects).
• Experience working in collaboration with product teams and understanding product-driven development.
• Strong leadership and people management skills with a facilitative and supportive approach.
• Pragmatic approach to technology, with respect for tech debt and an understanding of maintaining and improving existing codebases.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Deep understanding of software development methodologies, best practices, and architectures, with a focus on modular monolithic systems and satellite services.
• Familiarity with infrastructure, security, and architecture challenges in a fast-growing organisation.