Engineering Director, Specialty Travel

🔒 Confidential Employer
Posted 8 May 2026
LOCATION
London
TYPE
Full-time
LEVEL
Director
CATEGORY
Technology
This employer holds a UK Home Office sponsor license — sponsorship for this specific role is at the employer’s discretion

SKILLS

10+ years of software development 5+ years managing cross-functional teams 3+ years managing managers Large-scale backend systems Distributed systems API-driven architecture AI integration Cross-functional collaboration

FULL DESCRIPTION

Engineering Director, Specialty Travel

[Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] is hiring a Director of Engineering for their Specialty Travel and Events division. This is a leadership role based in London, UK.

What You'll Do

  • Technical Leadership: Guide the technical direction and roadmap for critical systems within the travel domain. Must have 10+ years of Software Development Experience with 5+ years of experience leading/managing cross-functional development teams and 3+ years of managing managers.
  • Team Development: Hire, develop, and mentor a high-performing organization of engineers and engineering managers.
  • Industry Partnership: Work closely with vendors and suppliers to implement modern, API-driven technical approaches and integrate new standards.
  • System Architecture: Drive the scalability, reliability, and extensibility of backend systems that handle complex real-world constraints and high-volume transactions.
  • AI Integration: Guide the implementation of AI-driven workflows, leveraging [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]'s proprietary travel data to provide context-rich outcomes that go beyond generic models.
  • Cross-Functional Execution: Partner closely with Product, Design, and Operations to deliver ambitious, cross-team initiatives that redefine the traveler experience.
  • Operational Excellence: Modernize long-standing technical assumptions into flexible models, ensuring rapid progress is balanced with the quality and trust required by enterprise customers.

What We're Looking For

  • Experience: Strong background in building and operating large-scale backend systems, with a proven track record of managing engineering teams and scaling team capabilities.
  • Technical Depth: Deep expertise in complex distributed systems and the ability to engage deeply with engineers on architectural details.
  • Execution Focus: A record of delivering complex, cross-functional outcomes in ambiguous environments where you help shape the direction.
  • Domain Curiosity: While travel experience is a strong plus, you must have a relentless desire to go 'under the hood' to understand how the industry actually works.
  • Global Collaboration: Ability to communicate clearly and work effectively across diverse cultures and time zones (SF, London, Berlin, Tel Aviv, and beyond).
  • Partner Engagement: The ability to engage effectively with external industry partners and providers, building credibility through your technical depth.
  • Strong Ownership: A 'builder' mindset with the follow-through necessary to guide your teams through a rare industry transformation.

About [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]

[Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] (Nasdaq: NAVN) is the leading all-in-one business travel, payments, and expense management platform. Founded in 2015, [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] makes travel easy for frequent travelers and is recognized as a Best Place to Work. Learn more at [Employer hidden].com.

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