Job Summary Table of Software Development Director

Job Description Summary

The Director of Build at King’s College London will lead the design, development, and implementation of software applications, ensuring that digital solutions effectively support student and staff functions across the university’s five central London campuses.

🚀 Software Development Leadership Opportunity

Are you an experienced software development leader ready to make a significant impact in one of the UK’s most prestigious higher education institutions? King’s College London is seeking a visionary Director of Build to oversee the design, development, and implementation of crucial software applications that power our academic and administrative systems.

This senior role offers the opportunity to shape the technical direction of a world-class university while leading a talented team of solution architects, designers, and developers. The successful candidate will drive innovation in our software development practices, ensuring our digital solutions effectively support the university’s strategic objectives.

💻 Key Software Development Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a comprehensive software development strategy aligned with King’s College London’s Strategic Vision 2029 and Education Strategy, focusing on educational excellence, research innovation, and efficient administration.

• Team Management: Lead and mentor a team of solution architects, designers, and developers, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence within the Digital Solutions department.

• Project Oversight: Direct the end-to-end software development lifecycle for large-scale, complex projects, ensuring on-time delivery, budget adherence, and alignment with university objectives.

• Technical Architecture: Establish technical standards, best practices, and architectural frameworks for software development projects, with a focus on scalability, security, and maintainability.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with academic departments, administrative units, and IT teams to gather requirements, manage expectations, and deliver solutions that meet diverse user needs across the university.

• Quality Assurance: Implement robust quality assurance processes and testing methodologies to ensure the reliability, performance, and security of all software applications.

• Innovation Leadership: Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends, driving the adoption of innovative solutions that enhance the student and staff experience.

🎓 About King’s College London

King’s College London is dedicated to the service of society, with a Strategic Vision 2029 shaped around five priority areas:

1. Educate to inspire and improve
2. Research to inform and innovate
3. Serve to shape and transform
4. A civic university at the heart of London
5. An international community that serves the world

Our ambitious Education Strategy outlines actions to transform teaching methods, learning environments, and student support systems. Information Technology (IT) provides core infrastructure and application services across five main London campuses, supporting critical capabilities that enable the College to achieve its strategic objectives:

• Excellent student experience
• Excellence in research
• Efficient administration

📋 Required Qualifications and Experience

Essential Software Development Expertise:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field
• Minimum 10 years of software development experience, with at least 5 years in leadership roles
• Proven track record delivering large-scale, complex software projects in higher education or similar environments
• Experience with cloud-based platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and modern development frameworks
• Strong technical expertise in software development languages (Java, Python, C#) and frameworks
• In-depth knowledge of Agile methodologies, DevOps practices, and CI/CD implementation
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills

Desirable Qualifications:

• Familiarity with academic and administrative systems (student information systems, learning management systems)
• Working knowledge of IT frameworks, particularly SAFe and ITIL

💼 Working at King’s College London

Company Culture

King’s College London prides itself on fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment where diversity is embraced and everyone feels they belong. The university is committed to working with staff and unions to develop a diverse and inclusive culture where all community members feel connected and valued.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

As part of its commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, King’s College London aims to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities. The university values diverse perspectives and experiences, recognizing their essential contribution to academic excellence and innovation.

Equal Opportunity Statement

King’s College London is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

📝 Application Process

1. Submit your CV and a supporting statement detailing how you meet the essential criteria listed in this job posting
2. If shortlisted, participate in the university’s structured recruitment process
3. Final candidates may be assessed against both essential and desirable criteria

Application Deadline

Applications close on June 8, 2025.

How to Apply

For full details of the role and the skills, knowledge, and experience required, please review the Job Description document available after clicking “Apply Now” on the official job posting. To understand how managers will review your application, please refer to the ‘How we Recruit’ pages on the King’s College London website.

Apply for the Director of Build position

Contact Information

For inquiries about this position, please contact: Jon Ward Email: Jonathan.ward@kcl.ac.uk

🔍 Why This Software Development Leadership Role?

This Director of Build position offers a unique opportunity to leverage your software development expertise within a prestigious academic institution committed to societal impact. You’ll lead technical innovation that directly supports world-class education and research while working from the historic Guy’s Campus in central London.

The role combines technical leadership with strategic vision, requiring someone who can balance cutting-edge development practices with the specific needs of a complex higher education environment. As university systems increasingly move toward digital transformation, your leadership will be instrumental in shaping how technology enhances learning, research, and administrative efficiency.

If you’re passionate about applying your software development leadership skills to make a difference in education and research, this role offers the perfect platform to create lasting impact while advancing your career at one of the UK’s leading universities.

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