Head of Software Development

### About the role
Tesco operates a large, geographically distributed retail estate where technology is fundamental to the day-to-day running of our stores. Critical retail capabilities, including checkout, payments, stock management and colleague-facing applications, depend on technology that must operate reliably at the edge, close to where our business operates.
The Edge Platform provides the underlying computing environment and software capabilities that enable applications to run across our stores. It encompasses edge computing, server hardware, Linux operating systems, virtualisation, storage, platform software, infrastructure automation and centralised management capabilities required to deploy, operate, secure and maintain technology consistently across a diverse retail estate.
The Edge Platform is business-critical to Tesco. Store technology must remain dependable despite connectivity disruptions, constrained local resources and the complexity of managing software and infrastructure changes across thousands of locations. Failures or poorly executed changes can directly affect store operations, colleague productivity and customer experience.
As Head of Software Engineering: Edge Platform, you will lead two major, interconnected engineering priorities: modernising Tesco’s edge virtualisation estate through the migration from VMware to Proxmox, and building a robust, scalable software-driven Edge Management Platform to provision, manage, monitor and maintain the retail edge estate throughout its lifecycle.
You will define the technology strategy and architecture, lead complex engineering and migration programmes, and build a high-performing engineering organisation. You will combine deep software engineering expertise with infrastructure knowledge, strategic thinking and organisational leadership to simplify complexity, improve resilience, drive automation and deliver a scalable, secure and cost-efficient platform for the future of Tesco’s stores.
This role requires a leader who can move seamlessly between enterprise-level strategy and detailed technical decisions, balancing the safe execution of a large-scale infrastructure transition with the long-term development of a modern software platform.

### What is in it for you
At Tesco, we are committed to providing the best for you. As a result, our colleagues enjoy a unique, differentiated, market- competitive reward package, based on the current industry practices, for all the work they put into serving our customers, communities and planet a little better every day. Our Tesco Rewards framework consists of pillars - Fixed Pay, Incentives, and Benefits. Total Rewards offered at Tesco is determined by four principles -simple, fair, competitive, and sustainable. Salary - Your fixed pay is the guaranteed pay as per your contract of employment. Annual Bonus - Opportunity to earn additional bonus, distributed as 2/3rd in compensation and 1/3rd in shares. Leave & Time-off - Colleagues are entitled to 30 days of leave (18 days of Earned Leave, 12 days of Casual/Sick Leave) and 10 national and festival holidays, as per the company’s policy. Making Retirement Tension-FreeSalary - In addition to Statutory retirement beneets, Tesco enables colleagues to participate in voluntary programmes like NPS and VPF. Health is Wealth - Tesco promotes programmes that support a culture of health and wellness including insurance for colleagues and their family. Our medical insurance provides coverage for dependents including parents or in-laws. Mental Wellbeing - We offer mental health support through self-help tools, community groups, ally networks, face-to-face counselling, and more for both colleagues and dependents. Financial Wellbeing - Through our financial literacy partner, we offer one-to-one financial coaching at discounted rates, as well as salary advances on earned wages upon request. Save As You Earn (SAYE) - Our SAYE programme allows colleagues to transition from being employees to Tesco shareholders through a structured 3-year savings plan. Physical Wellbeing - Our green campus promotes physical wellbeing with facilities that include a cricket pitch, football field, badminton and volleyball courts, along with indoor games, encouraging a healthier lifestyle.

### You will be responsible for
Key responsibilities:
1. Technology strategy and architecture • Define and execute the Edge Platform engineering strategy, target architecture and modernisation roadmap, aligned with Tesco’s wider technology objectives. • Lead the evolution of the platform across edge computing, server hardware, Linux, virtualisation, storage, distributed systems and platform software, balancing reliability, scalability, security, cost and maintainability. • Establish architectural principles, engineering standards and reusable capabilities that simplify the technology landscape and enable consistent operation across the retail estate. • Make sound architectural decisions, challenge technical assumptions and balance immediate delivery commitments with long-term platform sustainability. • Partner with enterprise and domain architects to ensure the Edge Platform integrates effectively with wider infrastructure, cloud, network, security and store technology capabilities.
2. Virtualisation modernisation: VMware to Proxmox • Own the engineering strategy and execution of Tesco’s migration from VMware to Proxmox across the edge estate, delivering a secure, reliable and cost-effective alternative virtualisation platform. • Define the target architecture, migration patterns and repeatable build configurations for different store environments, accounting for hardware compatibility, workloads, networking, storage and operational constraints. • Lead the assessment, design, engineering, testing and production validation of platform variants before progressive rollout across the retail estate. • Establish automated approaches for hypervisor provisioning, configuration, workload migration, upgrade management, validation, rollback and recovery. • Manage migration dependencies, technical risks, compatibility challenges and cross-functional delivery, ensuring changes are introduced safely without compromising critical store operations. • Establish clear engineering ownership, documentation, knowledge transfer and operational handover so the platform can be sustainably supported and evolved by Tesco teams.
3. Edge Management Platform engineering • Lead the design and development of a robust, software-driven Edge Management Platform that provides centralised management and lifecycle control of Tesco’s distributed edge estate. • Define a modular, API-first architecture that enables automated provisioning, configuration management, fleet inventory, health monitoring, software distribution, patching, upgrades and remote diagnostics. • Drive engineering across Java, Micronaut, microservices, REST APIs, Python automation, Terraform and Infrastructure as Code, applying appropriate technologies and architectural patterns to build maintainable, scalable platform capabilities. • Establish consistent abstractions and automation for managing different hardware configurations, Linux environments, virtualisation platforms and store deployment patterns. • Design for scale, resilience and intermittent connectivity, including safe handling of disconnected stores, asynchronous operations, configuration drift, failed deployments and recovery scenarios. • Build in observability, auditability, security controls, role-based access and policy-driven configuration to enable reliable and secure fleet-wide operations. • Create reusable platform services and self-service capabilities that reduce manual effort, simplify store technology operations and enable consuming engineering teams to deploy and manage workloads consistently. • Ensure the management platform evolves independently of individual infrastructure technologies wherever practical, reducing future migration complexity and supporting long-term technology flexibility.
4. Software engineering and automation • Set high engineering standards across software design, development, testing, deployment and production operations. • Champion automated testing, CI/CD, infrastructure provisioning, configuration management and observability to improve engineering productivity, release confidence and operational consistency. • Establish repeatable approaches for building, testing, deploying and upgrading platform software and infrastructure across diverse store environments. • Ensure software and infrastructure are designed for maintainability, resilience and predictable operation, including stores with constrained resources or intermittent connectivity. • Promote continuous improvement in engineering quality, developer productivity, deployment safety and operational efficiency.
5. Engineering and people leadership • Lead and develop a high-performing engineering organisation through Engineering Managers, Principal Engineers and senior technical leaders. • Build the capabilities required to deliver both the virtualisation migration and the long-term Edge Management Platform roadmap, maintaining clear ownership and delivery accountability across workstreams. • Establish a culture of engineering excellence, technical curiosity, collaboration, ownership and continuous improvement. • Develop engineering leaders, strengthen succession planning and build sustainable internal expertise in edge computing, virtualisation, platform software and automation. • Empower teams to make decisions and deliver independently while maintaining clear architectural standards and engineering governance.
6. Reliability and operational excellence • Drive platform reliability, security, resilience and operational readiness across the retail estate. • Establish repeatable approaches for hardware and firmware lifecycle management, Linux upgrades, virtualisation maintenance, storage management, patching and recovery. • Ensure platform releases and migration waves are thoroughly tested, progressively deployed and supported by effective rollback and recovery strategies. • Establish service-level objectives, fleet health monitoring and operational metrics to improve availability, incident recovery and service quality. • Partner with Infrastructure Operations, Cyber Security and Store Technology teams to ensure the platform meets business-critical operational and security requirements.
7. Strategic execution and commercial outcomes • Translate business priorities into clear engineering roadmaps, investment plans, milestones and measurable outcomes. • Lead complex, cross-functional programmes, managing dependencies, risks and competing priorities across engineering, architecture, infrastructure, security, operations and store technology. • Balance the demands of the immediate VMware exit programme with investment in the strategic Edge Management Platform, ensuring neither compromises the other. • Drive cost optimisation through automation, hardware consolidation, improved compute and storage utilisation, technology standardisation and reduced operational complexity. • Evaluate technology investments and supplier decisions based on long-term value, total cost of ownership, operational risk and strategic fit. • Influence senior stakeholders, communicate complex technical trade-offs in business terms and build alignment around the platform strategy and migration roadmap.

### You will need
• 15+ years of experience in software engineering and technology, with a proven track record of technical leadership, architecture and delivery of complex software platforms. • Significant experience leading multiple engineering teams, developing engineering leaders and delivering large-scale technology transformation. • Strong technical foundations and credibility across Java, Micronaut or comparable Java frameworks, microservices, REST APIs, Python automation and Terraform. • Solid experience with Linux operating systems, edge computing, server hardware, virtualisation and storage technologies, including the design, integration, deployment or lifecycle management of infrastructure platforms. • Experience designing and evolving distributed systems, infrastructure software, fleet management solutions or platform management systems operating at scale. • Experience leading major infrastructure modernisation or virtualisation migration programmes, ideally involving VMware and Proxmox or comparable hypervisor technologies. • Demonstrated ability to design and deliver software platforms for automated provisioning, configuration management, fleet monitoring, lifecycle operations and remote management. • Strong understanding of Infrastructure as Code, CI/CD, automated testing, configuration management, observability and production reliability. • Experience with hardware and software compatibility, operating system upgrades, firmware management, capacity planning and infrastructure lifecycle management. • Proven ability to define technical strategy, make architectural decisions and translate long-term vision into executable roadmaps and measurable outcomes. • Strong people leadership skills, including developing Engineering Managers and senior technical leaders, building effective teams and establishing accountability. • Commercial acumen, including investment planning, cost optimisation, supplier management and total cost of ownership. • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders, navigate competing priorities and make sound decisions in complex enterprise environments.
How success will be measured • Virtualisation migration: Safe and predictable migration from VMware to Proxmox, successful validation of required store configurations, reduced legacy dependencies and effective operational handover. • Edge Management Platform: Delivery of a scalable, secure and resilient management platform with automated provisioning, fleet visibility, configuration management and lifecycle capabilities. • Reliability and resilience: Improved platform availability, reduced incident impact and stronger recovery capabilities across the retail estate. • Engineering effectiveness: Increased automation, improved software quality, faster and more predictable delivery, and reduced manual intervention. • Infrastructure consistency: Improved configuration compliance, reduced drift and standardised hardware, operating system and virtualisation lifecycle management. • Cost efficiency: Lower total cost of ownership, improved compute and storage utilisation, reduced licensing exposure and lower operational overhead. • Security and operational readiness: Effective security controls, timely vulnerability remediation, validated releases and sustainable operational support. • Organisation effectiveness: Strong engineering leadership, clear accountability, improved internal technical capability and effective collaboration across Tesco Technology. Success will be measured against agreed baselines and targets, balancing the immediate delivery of the virtualisation migration with the sustainable development of the strategic Edge Management Platform.

### About us
At Tesco, inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We believe in treating everyone fairly and with respect, valuing individuality and uniqueness to create a true sense of belonging. Diversity and inclusion are deeply embedded in our values—we treat people how they want to be treated. Our goal is for all colleagues to feel they can be themselves at work, and we are committed to helping them thrive. Across the Tesco group, we are building an inclusive workplace that actively celebrates the cultures, personalities, and preferences of our colleagues, who in turn contribute to the success of our business and reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. At Tesco Bengaluru, we are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer, highlighting our commitment to creating a supportive environment for individuals with disabilities. We are dedicated to offering equal opportunities for all candidates and encourage applicants with disabilities to apply. Our recruitment process is fully accessible, and we are happy to provide reasonable adjustments during interviews. If you need any accommodations to participate in the recruitment process, please let us know. We are here to ensure that everyone has the chance to succeed. We also believe in fostering a work environment where you can excel both professionally and personally. Our hybrid model allows you to work flexibly—spend 60% of your week collaborating in person with colleagues at our office locations or local sites, and the rest of the time working remotely. We understand that everyone’s life journey is unique, whether you are starting your career, pursuing passions, or navigating life changes, and we are here to support you. Flexibility is a core part of our culture, and we encourage open conversations about how we can best accommodate your needs, so talk to us throughout your application process on the support required. When you join Tesco Bengaluru in this role, you'll be employed by Tesco Bengaluru Private Limited, the Tesco legal entity responsible for your employment.