Principal Engineer

About Allica Bank Allica is the UK's fastest growing company - and the fastest-growing financial technology (fintech) firm ever.
Our purpose is to help established SMEs, one of the last major underserved opportunities in fintech.
Established SMEs are the backbone of local communities - representing over a third of our economy - yet have been largely neglected both by traditional high street banks and modern fintech providers At the heart of Allica's unique success is two things: Firstly, it's our people who are positive and passionate about making things happen, deeply care about our purpose and our customers, and are open-minded and curious about finding practical ways to solve challenges.
In our most recent employee survey, 92% of our colleagues said that they enjoy working for Allica, and 88% recommend us as a place to work.
But we're not for everyone.
Alongside survey responses describing our culture as rewarding, energetic and collaborative, you'll also hear words like challenging and fast-paced.
Secondly is our purpose which is to help established SMEs, one of the last underserved opportunities in fintech.
Established SMEs are the backbone of local communities - representing over a third of our economy - yet have been largely neglected both by traditional high street banks and modern fintech providers.
We're here to change that.
You will be playing a key role as we continue to build a bank dedicated to established SMEs at what is a crucial time for them.
Department Description At Allica, we're building an industry-leading digital business bank.
Our technology team sits at the very heart of the organization.
We handle everything from new product development and innovation, through to the management of all the tools and systems the business uses to function efficiently and effectively.
Purpose of Role The Principal Engineer will be a critical member of our technology team, providing technical leadership and guidance across cross-functional teams.
They will leverage their strong foundation in system architecture, solution design, and modern technology stacks, along with a solid understanding of financial services, to shape our technology strategy and drive the development of high-impact business solutions.
This individual will be deeply involved in hands-on development, utilizing their skills to create robust and scalable designs that align with business requirements.
Their data-driven decision-making capabilities will be key in driving continuous system improvements and efficiency.
Working with the Payments tribe, the Principal Engineer will ensure our technical initiatives align with strategic objectives.
They will be responsible for the technical delivery in the tribe.
They will mentor and guide engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement within our engineering teams.
This role offers the opportunity to make significant contributions to our organization, driving innovation and progress while working in a dynamic, collaborative environment.
Principal Accountabilities Technical Leadership : Assume responsibility for leading technical initiatives across cross-functional teams, ensuring that business requirements are transformed into robust, scalable, and secure designs.
Product Feature Delivery : Accountable for developing and optimizing technical solutions using modern programming languages and frameworks, while maintaining a hands-on role in software development.
Security and reliability : Architect and implement secure and robust solutions.
Data-Driven Decision Making : Utilize data to drive decisions, with accountability for understanding trends and identifying opportunities to improve system efficiency and performance.
Cross-Functional Collaboration : Collaborate with stakeholders across different functions, taking accountability for understanding needs, devising practical solutions, and ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
Architectural Standards : Participate in and contribute to architectural reviews, taking accountability for the fostering and development of architectural standards across the organization.
Mentorship : Guide and mentor other engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement, and taking responsibility for the development and growth of engineering teams.
Required Skills Technical Expertise : Strong hands-on experience in REST microservices and event driven architectures.
Proficiency with Java or Kotlin and Spring framework.
Strong foundation in systems architecture, solution design and cloud platforms (Azure, Google, AWS).
Familiarity with web (Javascript, React) and/or mobile frameworks (iOS, Android, Flutter).
UK Banking Knowledge : Working knowledge with UK banking services, payment networks (FPS, CHAPS), regulations (i.e.
PSD2), initiatives (i.e.
Open banking, Confirmation of Payee) Cross-Functional Collaboration : Demonstrated ability to work in cross-functional teams and drive technical initiatives.
Data : Strong ability to utilize data in decision-making processes, understanding trends, and identifying opportunities for improvement.
Hands-on experience on SQL will be needed.
Leadership : Excellent leadership skills, with the ability to guide and mentor engineers and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
Communication : Superb communication skills, with the ability to effectively articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Problem-Solving : Exceptional problem-solving skills, with a focus on innovative and efficient solutions.
Adaptability : Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, and deadline-driven environment.
Able to adapt to changing business requirements and technological landscapes.
Don't tick every box?
Don't worry if you don't have all the skills or requirements listed on the job description.
If you think you'll be a good fit, we'd still love to hear from you!
Flexible working We know the '9-to-5' isn't right for everyone.
That's why Allica Bank is fully committed to flexible and hybrid working.
Please let us know what is best for you and, if we can, we will do our best to accommodate.
Diversity We're a diverse bunch here at Allica, with all kinds of experiences, backgrounds and lifestyles.
Our openness and differences make us stronger, and we want everybody to feel comfortable bringing as much of themselves to work with them as they like.
Additional Information Working at Allica Bank At Allica Bank we want to ensure our employees have the right tools and environment in which to succeed in their role and in support of our customers.
Our employees are at the heart of everything we do, so our benefits are designed with you in mind: Full onboarding support and continued development opportunities Options for flexible working Regular social activities 25 days holiday – with the option to Buy/Sell Pension contributions Discretionary bonus scheme Private health cover (with the option to add family members) Life assurance Income Protection Family friendly policies including enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave Season ticket loans