Lead Software Engineer, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Lead Software Engineer

Key Responsibilities

• Lead system architecture using Domain-Driven Design (DDD), event-driven patterns, and well-defined service boundaries
• Ensure best practices in event streaming, messaging, idempotency, and system consistency
• Review and approve architectural designs, code, and key technical decisions
• Drive refactoring of legacy systems into scalable, domain-aligned solutions
• Provide technical leadership for the front-end (Vue.js), ensuring clean architecture and maintainability
• Collaborate with UX and product teams to deliver scalable, user-friendly interfaces
• Lead, mentor, and develop engineering teams (senior, mid, junior, QA)
• Establish and enforce coding standards, best practices, and documentation
• Manage sprint delivery, identify risks, and remove bottlenecks
• Act as the key technical liaison between engineering, business, and operations
• Translate business requirements into clear technical solutions and domain models
• Participate in planning, backlog refinement, and solution design workshops
• Drive system reliability, observability, and operational readiness
• Ensure systems are traceable, testable, and supportable
• Promote a culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Manage team performance, workload distribution, and delivery alignment
• Facilitate Agile ceremonies (stand-ups, planning, retrospectives, etc.)
• Support hiring, conduct interviews, and oversee timesheets and leave approvals

Qualifications:

• Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Agile/Scrum/Kanban certification advantageous
• Experience with tools like Jira or Azure DevOps beneficial
• Training in leadership, coaching, or team management advantageous

Experience:

• 6+ years in software engineering, including 2+ years in a leadership role
• Strong experience with DDD and Event-Driven Architecture (EDA)
• Front-end experience with Vue.js or similar frameworks
• Proven ability in code reviews, mentoring, and technical leadership
• Experience working with business and operational stakeholders

Advantageous:

• Microservices and messaging systems (e.g., Kafka, RabbitMQ)
• Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• Experience in insurance, finance, or compliance-driven environments