.Net Engineering Lead at Robert Walters

Role Purpose

• The Engineering Lead will drive the delivery of platform engineering and customer-facing digital solutions, while also leading teams responsible for insights, loyalty systems, and omnichannel eCommerce capabilities. The role requires strong hands-on technical expertise combined with leadership across multiple engineering squads in a fast-paced, high-demand environment.

Key Responsibilities
Platforms Engineering

• Lead development of eCommerce and omnichannel platforms.
• Work across technologies including C#, C++, Microsoft stack, with Java as a bonus skill.
• Contribute to and oversee development on proprietary eCommerce platform components.
• Ensure scalable, high-performance, and secure platform delivery.

Insights & Loyalty Systems

• Lead development of customer rewards and loyalty systems.
• Support data-driven initiatives such as VAT insights and business intelligence projects.
• Work across multiple parallel projects in an agile delivery environment, with some legacy waterfall processes still present.

Engineering Leadership

• Manage and mentor a team of engineers, including:
• Senior Engineers (8–12+ years experience)
• Principal Engineers
• Junior Engineers
• Drive technical excellence, accountability, and delivery discipline.
• Support career development and performance management.

Delivery & Modernisation

• Drive modernization of legacy systems and platforms.
• Support legal compliance and payment gateway innovation initiatives.
• Ensure alignment between engineering output and business priorities.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with product, architecture, and business stakeholders.
• Align delivery across multiple streams and competing priorities.
• Contribute to agile ceremonies and delivery governance structures.

Key Challenges

• High leadership expectations requiring strong technical depth and delivery capability.
• Competitive talent market with frequent counteroffers (local and international).
• Limited internal talent pipeline for this level of expertise.
• High workload pressure due to platform demand and business dependency.

Work Environment

• Primarily office-based in Cape Town, with 1-day remote flexibility per week (negotiable).
• Fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
• Strong focus on performance, delivery, and revenue-driving platforms.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Strong hands-on engineering background in platform engineering or large-scale systems.
• Proven leadership of senior technical teams in complex environments.
• Experience in eCommerce, omnichannel, fintech, or high-scale digital platforms.
• Strong understanding of agile delivery, with exposure to hybrid waterfall environments.
• Ability to balance technical depth with leadership and stakeholder management.
• Passion for building scalable, modern, customer-focused systems.

Preferred Background
Candidates with experience from:

• Fintech or digital-first organisations (e.g., Capitec-type environments)
• High-scale global tech companies (Amazon-type exposure)
• Fast-paced platforms (gaming, fintech, or digital marketplace companies)

Exclusions (cultural/non-compete risk):

• Certain traditional retail organisations due to cultural or contractual constraints.