Principal Engineer (John Lewis Shop and Contact Centre)

Apply on JLP Jobs - the official careers website for John Lewis Partnership, John Lewis & Partners, and Waitrose & Partners.

The Partnership is the UK's most successful omni-channel retailer, including two of the UK's most loved department store and grocery brands, with annual sales revenues exceeding £12B. Our Engineering practice comprises over 80 teams working on Cloud Platforms, Mobile Apps, E-Commerce functionality, and Machine Learning. We foster a collaborative environment where knowledge sharing and continuous learning are valued. We support our Engineers in enhancing their skills and staying updated with the latest technologies.

John Lewis shops and contact centres are responsible for delivering a leading omnichannel customer experience, crucial for both customer satisfaction and business efficiency. The technology supporting these operations is a mix of third-party platforms, bespoke systems, and legacy applications, all interconnected through complex integrations.

Discover more about being a Software Engineer in the Partnership and the technologies we use.

• Contract type - Permanent

• Salary - £75,000 - £140,000

• Flexible Working: Hybrid role, primarily from home (UK) and London Head Office, with occasional visits to other locations as needed. Most engineers visit the office once or twice a month; more frequent visits may be required occasionally.

• Lead the engineering strategy and roadmap for John Lewis shops and contact centres, aligning with business objectives. Influence operational decisions, team management, and engineering practices to ensure optimal capabilities.

• Drive the modernisation and maintainability of technology, leveraging innovative solutions to address business and customer needs. Establish Product ways of working.

• Collaborate with stakeholders such as Product Leads, Delivery and Operations Managers, Infrastructure Leads, and Enterprise Architects, as well as other Principal Engineers specializing in areas like cloud or data.

• Bring a passion for delivering innovative, high-quality software solutions and a proven track record of working with complex systems.

• Strong engineering background with experience in modern techniques like Continuous Delivery and Domain Driven Design.

• Experience implementing package solutions in complex environments.

• Leadership experience across multiple teams, working with senior stakeholders, and influencing significant investments.

• Knowledge of various architectural styles (monolith, microservices) and integration patterns (RESTful, event-based).

• Experience enhancing system resilience and scalability.

• Familiarity with Lean and Systems Thinking techniques.

• Retail or Contact Centre experience.

• Experience working with legacy systems.

• Hands-on software engineering background.

• Experience in engineering management or enterprise architecture roles.

• Complete the application form, including CV upload and questions. Refresh the page after each step to ensure completion before the deadline.

• Successful candidates will undergo screening, formal, and informal interviews.

• Let us know if you need any adjustments during the process.

We're the largest employee-owned business in the UK, committed to building a happier world through our brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We foster a culture of ownership, inclusivity, and shared success, encouraging everyone to thrive and contribute.

Note: Some roles require pre-employment vetting, including DBS checks and financial probity assessments. We recommend applying early as vacancies may close quickly. We support flexible working arrangements and encourage discussions about work-life balance during interviews.