Head of Engineering - Fintech start up

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What Was the Challenge?

The business had reached the point in its scale journey where founder-led and lead-engineer-led structures were starting to creak. Delivery was still fast, but accountability for architecture, quality, delivery cadence, performance management and career pathways was diffuse. They needed formal engineering leadership capability — line management, engineering standards, delivery governance, platform thinking — but in a wealth management context where regulatory expectations are rising and trust is non-negotiable. At the same time, they couldn't afford to import heavy enterprise process and slow the team down. On top of that, the Head of Engineering needed to act as a public technology figurehead to unlock the next wave of senior engineering hires in a competitive Sydney market.

How Did I Approach This Search?

I was engaged exclusively on a non-retained basis. I started by working with the CEO and CTO to clarify what 'formal engineering leadership' actually needed to look like at their stage — codifying engineering standards, delivery cadence, hiring bar, performance frameworks and platform direction — while explicitly protecting the agility and speed that defined their culture. I then ran a focused domestic search across Sydney's wealth, investments and fintech ecosystem, targeting engineering leaders who had scaled teams from roughly 15 to 50+ engineers in regulated, customer-money environments. I deliberately weighted the shortlist toward leaders with a visible technology brand — conference speakers, open-source contributors, active engineering community voices — so the appointment itself would lift the firm's engineering employer brand and accelerate downstream hiring.

What Results Were Achieved?

The fintech appointed a Head of Engineering who brought formal engineering leadership structure — clearer line management, engineering standards, delivery governance and a defined hiring bar — while preserving the agile, nimble ways of working the team valued. Just as importantly, the appointment served as a credible technology figurehead in market, giving the business a stronger engineering employer brand and a more effective platform for senior engineering hiring as they continued to scale.

Key Outcomes:

• Head of Engineering appointed via an exclusive, non-retained search

• Formal engineering leadership structure introduced without losing agility

• Engineering standards, delivery cadence and hiring bar codified

• Credible technology figurehead secured to anchor future hiring

• Strengthened engineering employer brand in the Sydney fintech market

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