Head of Registry Engineering

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We're Nominet - a world-leading domain name registry operating at the heart of the UK internet. While we're best known for running .UK domains, our DNS expertise also underpins critical internet infrastructure that government services, including the NHS, rely on.

As a public benefit company, our work has a positive impact on society. We've donated millions to projects that use technology to improve people's lives and have committed to delivering £60m worth of support over the next three years.

The Role:

As the Head of Software Engineering (Registry) at Nominet, you will lead a core technology engineering team to deliver industry leading Registry Systems for the internet. This is a critical role with responsibility for engineering Nominet's main line of business.

You will manage a highly skilled team who are experts in Registry Systems and full stack application development in Java.

This is a high impact role with a number of critical deliverables including:

• Transforming the Registry Engineering function and software development lifecycle and capabilities
• Measurable continuous improvement in Nominet's platform and product reliability
• Realisation of economies of scale found through automation and repeatable practices
• Support and increase awareness of Nominet as a thought leader and demonstrable engineering excellence within key stakeholders and networking groups
• Align the Registry Engineering team and key stakeholders toward a common goal that drive results, and facilitates transformation and change

What You'll Be Doing:

• Ensuring all Registry services are robust, scalable, and aligned with best practices in the industry.
• Strategic Direction - Work closely with the CTO, Enterprise Architecture and wider Technology Leadership Team to define the strategy for our Registry services.
• Software Design: Ensure that the design of our software meets current and future business needs, such as loosely coupled micro or midi services separated by APIs and aligned to domain driven design principles.
• Software Engineering: Optimise the software development lifecycle in all stages for full automation. Transition to a continuous delivery model underpinned by world-class DORA metrics for lead time, release frequency, mean time to recover, and change failure rate.
• Project Delivery: Deliver Registry project work on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality. Manage risks and ensure solutions are rigorously tested.
• Operational Excellence: Ensure Registry services meet or exceed SLAs for uptime and performance. Lead proactive monitoring, maintenance, and optimisation for reliability and efficiency.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with other teams such as Platforms, DNS, Site Reliability Engineering, and Security to ensure integration and alignment with organisational goals.

About You:

You will take an evidence-based approach to technology delivery with a focus on simplicity and working software.

Use data-driven decision making and feedback loops for continuous improvement.

You are a natural problem solver with a focus on excellence across architecture, engineering, and operations.

Demonstrate empathy, authenticity, and ethical behaviour, fostering trust and inclusivity.

Support and enable others to succeed, creating an environment for growth.

Think strategically and inspire others with a clear vision for the future.

Set and pursue goals aligned with Nominet's strategy, driving performance and accountability.

Exemplify Nominet's values through actions and decisions.

Must Haves:

• Demonstrable engineering experience, including 3+ years in senior leadership roles, preferably in telecommunications or service provider environments.
• Proven track record in developing and commercialising technology solutions or products.
• Strong experience with data and analytics to inform strategic decisions.
• Ability to operate in and support highly secure and regulated environments.
• Programming experience in multiple languages such as C, C++, C#, Scala, Java, Python.
• Experience with full stack application development and cloud platforms (AWS preferred).
• Knowledge of product development lifecycle and Agile methodologies.

Working at Nominet:

Our values guide us to be proactive, collaborative, and keep things simple for success.

What We Offer:

• Early Finish Friday - 34-hour workweek with full pay (finish at midday on Friday)
• 30 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, with option to purchase 5 additional days
• Bupa private healthcare + Employee Assistance Programme
• Electric vehicle scheme with on-site charging points
• Rewards platform with discounts at various shops and restaurants
• Medicash discounts on healthcare services
• Performance-based annual bonus

Diversity Statement:

We value diversity and inclusivity, and encourage adjustments in our recruitment process to support all candidates.

Security Statement:

Nominet is committed to internet safety and security. All roles require security checks, including BPSS clearance, with some roles requiring additional security clearance. We do not provide visa, sponsorship, or relocation support.

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