Principal Engineer, Application Platforms – Head of Engineering

Job Advert Details

The CTO Platform Engineering & Architecture (CTOp) organisation sits within the Chief Technology Office (CTO) and is responsible for building next-gen application and AI platforms that remove toil and reduce operational overhead through integrated controls and open-source solutions – making software delivery faster, safer, and more reliable every time. CTOp also sets architecture and engineering standards, builds core application, developer and AI platforms, and automates controls so teams can move code (or containers) to production quickly and consistently.

The Head of Engineering, Application Platforms Principal is a hands-on role accountable for engineering leadership, delivery execution, and control outcomes for Application Platform Engineering, working in close partnership with the Head of Application Platforms. The role provides end-to-end ownership, ensuring strategy is translated into an actionable roadmap, priorities are governed transparently, and delivery is executed predictably with clear measures of success. 

The expectation is that candidates will be comb-shaped – capable of handling the big picture architecture, whilst simultaneously leading by example with hands-on code and implementation where needed. A core focus of the role is to accelerate adoption of the standard application platform, targeting ~80% application migration, and to lead the consolidation of six hosting platforms into a simplified, resilient, and well-controlled estate. This includes establishing consistent engineering patterns, strengthening observability and operational readiness, and embedding automated run controls to reduce operational risk, improve resilience, and increase time-to-market. The role sets and enforces measurable engineering standards, drives continuous improvement, and ensures platform outcomes meet the needs of application teams and the wider technology organisation.

Responsibilities:

• Leading the engineering function for Application Platform Engineering, covering strategic direction and day-to-day execution. 

• Supporting the Head of Application Platforms with end-to-end ownership of delivery, controls, and outcomes across the team.

• Establishing and operating effective governance, including prioritisation, delivery cadence, and decision-making forums. 

• Defining, implementing, and tracking measurable engineering standards to improve quality, reliability, and consistency. 

• Driving the migration strategy and execution to achieve ~80% application migration onto the standard platform.

• Leading the consolidation of six hosting platforms into a standard platform to reduce complexity and operational risk.

• Improving platform resilience and time-to-market through standard patterns, reusable capabilities, and streamlined delivery. 

• Ensuring consistent observability practices (monitoring, logging, alerting) across the platform and migrated applications.

• Implementing automated run controls to strengthen operational management and reduce manual intervention.

• Managing delivery and control outcomes, ensuring transparency through metrics, reporting, and continuous improvement.

• Partnering with stakeholders across technology and delivery to align priorities, manage dependencies, and remove blockers. 

Qualifications

• Significant senior engineering leadership experience in platform engineering and/or large-scale application hosting environments. 

• We are agnostic - focused on impact and outcomes: You may come with Java, Python, Node, C, C++ or any other coding language.

• Proven track record delivering complex technology change across multiple teams, including platform consolidation and migration programmes. 

• Strong experience establishing governance, prioritisation, and delivery management practices in an engineering-led environment.

• Demonstrable ability to define and embed engineering standards with measurable outcomes (e.g., reliability, quality, delivery performance). 

• Strong understanding of resilience engineering, operational risk management, and controls within enterprise technology environments. 

• Strong knowledge of observability practices and operating models (monitoring, logging, alerting, SLOs/SLAs, incident management). 

• Experience implementing automation for operational controls (e.g., automated runbooks, policy-as-code, standardised controls). 

• Ability to drive standardisation through consistent engineering patterns and reusable platform capabilities. 

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills across senior technology leadership and delivery partners. 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to translate strategy into executable plans and clear outcomes. 

• Demonstrated leadership behaviours that build inclusive, high-performing teams, with clear accountability and a focus on delivery outcome. 

• Note that this is a hands-on role and will be a Principal Engineer, there will be an expectation that they deliver code through to production. 

• Ideally, you are capable of writing Linux kernel, know Kubernetes, understand networks from packets to TCP/UDP to service mesh

The hiring entity will have base in Kraków - regular visits may be required. Warsaw facilities will also be available. Our monthly hybrid baseline is 6 days on site. 

What we offer

The pay range for this role is 32,967.00-49,450.00 PLN.

Additional car allowance in the amount of 7,663 PLN (monthly, gross).

Variable pay is discretionary, but influenced by Group performance, business/function performance and individual performance.

We offer a comprehensive and competitive package of benefits covering healthcare, family friendly leaves, pension and life assurance, as well as many other benefits to support your wellbeing.

* Additional bonuses for recognition awards
* Multisport card
* Private medical care
* Life insurance
* One-time reimbursement of home office set-up (up to 800 PLN).
* Cafeteria platform
* Employee assistance program
* Additional contributions to PPK scheme
* Corporate parties & events
* CSR initiatives
* Nursery and kindergarten discounts
* Financial support with trainings and education
* Social fund
* Flexible working hours
* Free parking

Continue to grow with our internal opportunities.

Being open to different points of view is important for our business and the communities we serve. At HSBC, we’re dedicated to creating diverse and inclusive workplaces. Our recruitment processes are accessible to everyone - no matter their gender, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or age.

We take pride in being a Disability Confident Leader and will offer an interview to people with disabilities, long term conditions or neurodivergent candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the role.

If you have a need that requires accommodations or changes during the recruitment process, please contact the Recruiter.