About the job:
Head of Software Development - Riyadh - Saudi Arabia
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Excellent salary and ex-pat salary and conditions on offer for non Saudi candidates!
VeUP’s client is a brand-new tech / SaaS / AI start up business with European founders. The business has decided to relocate and scale-up as part of The Garage in Riyadh. They are building out two highly exciting SaaS applications/businesses. One is centred around personal healthcare and nutrient support and the second is a travel-based application that uses AI to tailor user experience and design a perfect vacation. The company is well funded and looking to begin the journey to commercialization. To help facilitate this we are looking to recruit a Head of Software Development.
Reporting into the Founders, the Head of Software Development will initially oversee the technical roadmap for both applications. In time, you will build out in-house and externally supported development teams and capability to allow both applications and businesses to grow to their full potential. You will be assuming full responsibility for building these applications from concept onwards. This means taking key decisions on appropriate coding languages to employ, front and back-end software development, functional UX/UI design, DevOps deployment and infrastructure development.
We are looking for a highly experienced Head of Software Development, Software Engineering Manager or even a very hands on and driven CTO who wants to do a start-up from scratch. The key to this position is credibility and you are able to show a B2B and/or B2C application that you have proudly built and established. You are an experienced leader of people, be it direct staff fully employed by the company or offshore external development resources. As a key part of the start-up team, you will need to support the development of other functions and key staff members too.
Key responsibilities:
- Oversee the technical roadmap for two SaaS applications focused on personal healthcare/nutrient support and travel/AI-driven user experience.
- Build and lead both in-house and external development teams to support application growth and scalability.
- Make key decisions on coding languages, front and back-end software development, functional UX/UI design, DevOps deployment, and infrastructure development.
- Ensure timely and successful delivery of software projects from concept to commercialization.
- Collaborate closely with the founders and other stakeholders to align technical strategies with business goals.
- Provide mentorship and support to other functions and key staff members within the start-up.
- Maintain high standards of software quality within the team by establishing and adhering to best practices and processes.
- Manage technical aspects of the software development life cycle including planning, implementation, and deployment.
- Conduct regular code reviews, ensure code quality, and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
- Stay updated with emerging technologies and industry trends to ensure the company's technical approach remains cutting-edge.
Requirements:
- Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field with 8+ years of software development experience, including leadership roles in start-ups or scale-ups.
- Proficiency in multiple programming languages and frameworks (e.g., JavaScript, Python, Java) with front-end and back-end development experience.
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines, cloud infrastructure (AWS) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
- Solid understanding of UX/UI design principles with the ability to oversee functional design.
- Proven ability to build and manage high-performing development teams, both in-house and offshore.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration with founders, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams.
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to make critical technical decisions in a fast-paced environment.
This role will suit “local” candidates already based in KSA / Riyadh and/or expatriate candidates willing to relocate to Riyadh and benefit from an exceptional salary and ex-pat benefits. The role represents an incredible opportunity to build new B2B and B2C applications from concept and share in the success of doing a tech start up from concept. As part of the broader Garage Riyadh ecosystem, you will be surrounded by other “tech minded” hyper scale ISV and SaaS businesses making it a wonderful environment to be part of.
