{"id":1360527,"url":"https://alion.io/job/pearson-head-of-software-engineering","title":"Head of Software Engineering","company":{"id":34029,"name":"Pearson","domain":"pearson.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/pearson","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Oracle","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":94,"open_postings":20,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.05,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":83,"computed_at":"2026-09-30T05:45:00Z"}},"role":"Leadership","role_family":"Leadership","seniority":"head","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["United Kingdom"],"countries":["GB"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":111000,"max_usd":218000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":35},"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Agile","optional":false},{"name":"AI Agents","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-10T12:50:12Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-10","last_verified_at":"2026-09-30T19:37:04Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":20,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":20},"description":"Title - Head of Software Engineering\nDescription\nLead the technology, engineering and operational resilience of Pearson’s critical qualifications, assessment and government services. This opportunity may also be known in the market as Qualifications Technology Director, Assessment Technology Director, Director of Qualifications Platforms, Director of Assessment Platforms, Head of Qualifications Technology or Head of Assessment Technology.\nAbout Pearson\nAt Pearson, our purpose is simple: to add life to a lifetime of learning.\nWe create vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. Learning is no longer just a stage of life. It is a lifelong journey, and we are committed to helping people realise the life they imagine through learning.\nPearson Qualifications provides qualifications and assessment services used by schools, colleges, educators and learners across the UK. Our technology supports some of the most important and time-critical stages of the qualifications lifecycle, from entries and assessment delivery through to marking, awarding, results and certification.\nAbout the role\nPearson is looking for an exceptional Head of Software Engineering to lead the strategy, delivery and operation of technology across our General Qualifications, Vocational Qualifications and high-profile government contract portfolios.\nThis is a substantial senior technology leadership role with end-to-end accountability for globally distributed software engineering, DevOps, quality engineering, application operations and technology service teams.\nYou will lead through an established management structure, as well as through matrix teams and strategic partners. Your focus will be on setting direction, aligning resources and investment, strengthening leadership capability, improving delivery and creating clear accountability across a complex technology portfolio.\nYou will translate business, product, customer, contractual and regulatory priorities into a clear and integrated technology roadmap. At the same time, you will remain accountable for the secure, accurate and reliable operation of Pearson’s existing qualifications services.\nOur technology supports some of the most important and time-critical activities within the qualifications lifecycle, including:\nEntries and registrations\nAssessment delivery\nScanning\nMarking and moderation\nAwarding and grading\nResults delivery\nCertification\nPost-results services\nThese services operate through fixed, highly visible and business-critical periods. The successful candidate will therefore bring strong experience of production readiness, operational resilience, capacity planning, service performance, incident and problem management, business continuity, disaster recovery and critical-event support.\nAlongside responsibility for existing services, you will work closely with Pearson’s multi-year Qualifications Platform Transformation programme.\nYou will help to modernise complex legacy and cloud-based services, reduce technical debt and introduce new digital capabilities without compromising live operations, data integrity, regulatory compliance or customer outcomes.\nThe portfolio also includes technology supporting a major government contract. You will be accountable for technology-related contractual milestones, service levels, controls, evidence, reporting, risk mitigation and client outcomes.\nYou will act as a senior technology liaison for clients and regulators, providing clear and credible assurance regarding readiness, service performance, controls, risks and remediation.\nThis is a genuine senior leadership appointment requiring someone who can combine software engineering leadership, operational excellence, technology transformation, supplier management and executive-level stakeholder engagement.\nKey responsibilities\nAs Head of Software Engineering, you will:\nOwn the technology strategy, roadmap and delivery outcomes across the General Qualifications, Vocational Qualifications and government contract portfolios.\nAlign technology investment, resources and execution with Pearson Qualifications’ priorities, product roadmaps, customer needs and contractual commitments.\nEnsure qualifications and assessment services are delivered securely, accurately, reliably and on time across the complete operational lifecycle.\nLead globally distributed software engineering, DevOps, quality engineering, application operations and technology service capabilities.\nSet clear functional priorities and translate business goals into executable plans, measurable outcomes and defined accountabilities.\nProvide leadership across direct, matrix, partner-led and globally distributed technology teams.\nLead technology delivery for high-stakes regulated government services, with accountability for contractual milestones, service levels, evidence, reporting, compliance and risk mitigation.\nAct as a senior technology liaison for clients and regulators, representing Pearson’s technology position and providing credible assurance regarding readiness, service performance, controls, risks and remediation.\nOwn operational excellence and production readiness across critical examination, marking, awarding and results periods.\nProvide leadership across service performance, capacity, resilience, change and release control, incident and problem management, business continuity and disaster recovery.\nEnsure significant incidents are managed effectively, with clear communication, root-cause analysis, lessons learned and sustained improvement.\nGuide the modernisation of complex legacy and cloud-based services while protecting live qualification delivery, operational continuity and data integrity.\nReduce technical debt and operational risk through informed investment decisions, clear prioritisation and strong engineering governance.\nEnsure effective transitions and handovers into support and operational teams as new technology capabilities and services are introduced.\nChampion modern engineering and delivery practices, including agile and product-led ways of working, DevSecOps, secure-by-design architecture, automation, observability and API-led integration.\nSupport the responsible use of AI and agentic software development while maintaining appropriate quality, security, privacy and operational controls.\nGovern portfolio-level architecture, software quality, lifecycle management and engineering standards.\nEnsure technology solutions are secure, scalable, reliable, maintainable, supportable, documented and aligned with Pearson’s enterprise technology patterns.\nBuild a capable, inclusive and accountable engineering organisation through clear direction, coaching, succession planning, skills development and effective leadership of managers.\nStrengthen leadership depth and create sustainable delivery capability across internal and partner teams.\nLead strategic supplier and partner relationships, ensuring delivery quality, knowledge transfer, capability development, commercial accountability and value for money.\nIntervene decisively and constructively when external supplier performance falls below expectations.\nWork closely with colleagues across Product, Programme Delivery, Operations, Assessment, Qualifications Processing, Customer Services, Security, Privacy, Architecture, Finance, Commercial, Regulatory and Transformation.\nOwn capital and operating expenditure across the portfolio.\nPrioritise investment, manage forecasts and contribute to business cases, annual planning and Pearson’s longer-term technology strategy.\nEnsure compliance with internal policies and external regulatory, contractual, security, privacy, accessibility, audit and quality requirements.\nMaintain appropriate technology controls and evidence, addressing material gaps promptly and transparently.\nProvide clear executive reporting across delivery, service health, budget, workforce, supplier performance, risks and dependencies.\nEscalate emerging concerns early and provide senior stakeholders with the information required to make timely decisions.\nAbout you\nYou will be an established senior technology and software engineering leader who is equally comfortable setting strategy, leading organisational change and remaining accountable for the operation of complex live services.\nYou will understand that successful technology transformation is not simply about introducing new platforms. It requires disciplined operational leadership, strong engineering decisions, effective risk management and the ability to modernise safely without compromising existing customer, contractual or regulatory commitments.\nYou will have experience simplifying a complex technology portfolio, establishing clear priorities and creating confidence with executives, clients, regulators, suppliers and delivery teams.\nYou will combine empathy and inclusive leadership with clear accountability. You will know how to support and strengthen teams that have worked through demanding operational circumstances, while maintaining delivery focus and rebuilding sustainable capability.\nYou will be able to create an environment where experienced leaders understand their responsibilities, make effective decisions and remain focused on the outcomes that matter most.\nDirect experience within qualifications, assessment or education technology would be valuable, but it is not essential.\nWe are interested in senior leaders from a broad range of technology-led, regulated or contractually controlled environments who can demonstrate the scale, complexity and accountability required for this role.\nRelevant backgrounds could include:\nQualifications and assessment technology\nAwarding organisations\nEducation technology\nGovernment technology and public services\nFinancial services and payments\nHealthcare technology\nUtilities\nTelecommunications\nTransport\nMajor digital platforms\nEnterprise software\nOther high-stakes or mission-critical service environments\nEssential experience\nYou will bring:\nProven experience leading large-scale software engineering, DevOps and technology service organisations at senior director, technology director or equivalent level.\nExperience leading managers and senior leaders across globally distributed, matrix or partner-led structures.\nDemonstrable accountability for complex digital products, platforms or services operating at scale.\nExperience supporting business-critical, revenue-critical or mission-critical technology services.\nStrong operational leadership across production readiness, resilience, service performance, capacity, major incidents, problem management, business continuity and disaster recovery.\nA strong track record of improving the reliability, security, performance and supportability of critical technology services.\nSubstantial experience operating within a regulated or contractually controlled environment.\nExperience delivering against demanding milestones and service levels.\nResponsibility for assurance, audit evidence, risk mitigation, technology controls and contractual commitments.\nConfidence engaging directly with senior clients, government stakeholders, regulators or equivalent external bodies.\nA deep understanding of modern software engineering, cloud technology, DevSecOps, APIs, secure system design, application security, observability, quality engineering and application operations.\nExperience modernising complex legacy technology estates while maintaining live service, operational continuity and data integrity.\nEvidence of translating business and product priorities into credible engineering roadmaps, investment priorities and measurable delivery outcomes.\nExperience leading technology recovery, stabilisation, resilience or significant service-improvement activity.\nExperience building engineering capability, developing senior leaders and creating effective succession plans.\nStrong supplier and commercial management experience.\nExperience delivering through strategic third parties and intervening when partner performance i...","description_format":"text","description_chars":17244,"description_truncated":true,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":[],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-27T23:46:48Z"}],"liveness":{"score":85,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.851,"p_room":1,"age_days":19,"expected_fill_days":83,"reasons":["conf:5","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-09-30T05:45:00Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/pearson-head-of-software-engineering","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/pearson-head-of-software-engineering.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-01T01:27:41Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","usage":{"tier":"crawler","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":942,"day_limit":5000,"remaining_today":4058,"minute_limit":60,"resets_at":"2026-10-02T00:00:00Z"}}}