Senior Technical Lead

Motorway is the UK’s fastest-growing used car marketplace – our award winning, online-only platform connects private car sellers with over 7,500 verified dealers nationwide, who compete to offer the best price. Founded in 2017, our technology makes the process refreshingly easy, earning us an 'Excellent' Trustpilot rating with over 70,000 reviews. We're not just building a platform; we're changing how people sell cars.

Backed by leading investors like Index Ventures and ICONIQ Growth, and following a successful $190 million funding round, we're on a mission to transform the used car market.

At Motorway, we believe that the best products are built by passionate, product-minded engineers working together to do the best work of their careers. Our team has built and scaled systems at companies like Amazon, Instagram, Checkout, Just Eat, and Expedia. We're disrupting the used car marketplace with cutting-edge technology, and you could play a key role in our next stage of growth and disruption.  

Here are a couple of the problems we're tackling:

• Building a platform that handles massive transaction volumes with speed and reliability.  

• Using data and machine learning to provide accurate valuations and match sellers with the right buyers.

At Motorway, we believe exceptional engineering leaders excel in three key areas: People Management, Technical Leadership, and Driving Results. We're looking for someone who can inspire and guide a team, provide technical expertise, and deliver impactful outcomes.

• Technical Leadership

  • Collaborate with product counterparts to define objectives, scope projects, and create effective backlogs.

  • Identify and address cross-team dependencies.

  • Own the end-to-end delivery of projects, breaking down ambiguous requirements into achievable milestones.

  • Work with the Head of Engineering to align the team's backlog with the long-term technical strategy.

  • Implement and maintain best engineering practices across planning, coding, design, quality, monitoring, deployment, and security.

  • Ensure the quality of deliverables, including bug-free releases, clean code, and well-monitored systems.

  • Own the target reference architecture and oversee design decisions.

  • Communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels, reporting up and down.

  • Stay abreast of emerging technology trends and explore their application to Motorway products.

• Driving Results

  • Communicate clear goals and expectations to the team.

  • Guide the team in running agile ceremonies (sprint planning, grooming, story mapping, etc.).

  • Provide technical guidance and facilitate discussions.

  • Own project estimations and guide team members on estimation techniques.

  • Manage the team's backlog, balancing tech debt and feature delivery.

  • Facilitate retrospectives to drive continuous improvement.

  • Identify skill gaps and facilitate training on new technologies.

  • Streamline processes for faster and smoother onboarding.

  • Encourage innovation and plan spikes for exploring new technologies.

  • Ensure the team understands and utilises company-wide tooling.

• Team Leadership

  • Lead and develop a high-performing team of 4-6 senior frontend and backend developers.

  • Guide their career progression, identify skill gaps, and support their learning goals.

  • Manage the recruitment process, including interviews, feedback, and onboarding.

  • Monitor team health and well-being in collaboration with PMs and senior developers.

• You have a solid track record of leading and developing high-performing engineering teams.

• You can guide system design, architectural solutions, and ensure best engineering practices are followed.

• You can break down ambiguous requirements into clear milestones and deliver value iteratively.

• You have excellent communication skills and can work effectively with cross-functional teams.

• You thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

• You're proactive, results-oriented, and have a strong sense of ownership.

Our interview process is designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of the role and Motorway, while allowing us to assess your skills and experience. It typically involves the following stages:

• Initial Screening Call (30 minutes): A conversation with a member of our Talent Team to discuss your background and the role.

• System Design Interview (1 hour): A deep dive into your technical expertise and problem-solving skills with a senior engineer.

• Skills Assessment Interview (1 hour): A meeting with the team for a skills-based assessment.

• Final Interview (1 hour): A conversation with the Head of Engineering to discuss your leadership and values.

You can expect to hear back from us within a week of each interview stage. You'll have the opportunity to speak with a Talent Partner throughout the process should you have any questions or need any accommodations.