Head of Internal Tools Engineering

Job Title: Head of Internal Tools Engineering

Position Description: Protingent Staffing has an exciting direct hire Head of Internal Tools Engineering with our client that is fully remote.

Job Description:

• You will architect, build, and scale the internal technology ecosystem that accelerates workforce productivity, eliminates operational friction, and gives the company a compounding infrastructure advantage.
• You will treat internal tools with the same product rigour and user-centricity as any external product — because the quality of internal systems directly determines organisational velocity.
• You will lead a cross-functional engineering team, make high-stakes build-vs-buy decisions, and drive AI adoption into internal workflows.
• This role requires someone who can see the company’s operational architecture as a system design problem and solve it with software.

Job Responsibilities:

• Internal Platform Strategy & Roadmap:
  • Own the end-to-end strategy and roadmap for all internal tools, platforms, and automation — treating internal technology as a product, not a cost centre.
  • Make strategic build-vs-buy decisions, knowing when a custom-built solution creates a lasting advantage and when a SaaS tool is the right answer.
  • Map current and next-state process flows across the entire internal toolchain and lead systems transformation for internal teams.
• Systems Architecture & Engineering:
  • Architect and maintain the full engineering lifecycle for internal platforms — from ideation and design through deployment, iteration, and deprecation.
  • Build seamless, API-first ecosystems that integrate internal tools across HR systems, finance platforms, knowledge management, CRM, and developer infrastructure.
  • Own system reliability and operational resilience: establish success metrics for uptime, performance, and employee productivity.
  • Design scalable, secure architectures using cloud-native principles, microservices, and modern integration patterns.
• AI & Automation:
  • Lead the strategy for integrating AI and LLMs into internal workflows — reimagining how knowledge is shared, decisions are supported, and work is executed across the organisation.
  • Deploy intelligent automation tools — including AI where appropriate — to streamline internal processes and improve decision-making
  • Evaluate and integrate AI-assisted troubleshooting, proactive recommendations, and intelligent automation into the internal platform layer.
  • Stay ahead of technology trends and drive continuous experimentation — you build prototypes, not slide decks
• Developer Experience & Productivity:
  • Reduce cognitive load for internal users by providing golden paths, standardised workflows, and self-service capabilities.
  • Ensure frictionless onboarding and seamless integration across the tool ecosystem.
  • Measure platform success through adoption rates, user satisfaction, DORA metrics, and productivity impact — not feature count.
• Team Leadership:
  • Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing team of engineers and engineering managers.
  • Cultivate a collaborative engineering culture rooted in ownership, speed, and craftsmanship.
  • Provide technical mentorship and create growth paths for individual contributors and managers alike.
  • Foster psychological safety and a feedback-driven environment that empowers people to do their best work.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  • Partner with People, Finance, Engineering, Legal, and Operations leadership to translate complex business needs into a unified technical vision.
  • Serve as the bridge between business stakeholders and the engineering team — you speak both languages fluently.
  • Align internal platform investments with broader company strategy and demonstrate measurable ROI.

Job Qualifications:

• 12+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years in engineering leadership (managing teams or managing managers).
• Strong hands-on technical background: you’ve built production systems and can still credibly review architecture, code, and system design.
• Deep understanding of cloud-based systems (AWS, GCP, or Azure), APIs, microservices, data pipelines, and modern infrastructure.
• Proven track record of building and scaling internal tools or platforms that serve cross-functional business teams — not just engineering.
• Experience making build-vs-buy decisions and managing a portfolio of custom-built and third-party tools.
• Strong experience designing and building internal platforms and automation systems
• Strong product thinking: you define success in terms of user outcomes and business impact, not technical output.
• Experience navigating the full SDLC from ideation through deprecation — you know when to build, iterate, and retire.
• Excellent communication skills: you can articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical executives and translate business problems into engineering roadmaps.

Nice To Have:

• Experience at a high-growth technology or AI-native company that scaled rapidly.
• Background in platform engineering, developer experience, or internal developer platforms (IDPs).
• Familiarity with HRIS, ERP, and business systems integration (Workday, Salesforce, NetSuite, etc.).
• Experience with cybersecurity best practices and compliance frameworks for internal systems.
• Prior experience leading internal technology through M&A integrations or multi-entity consolidation.
• Exposure to knowledge management systems, internal search, and enterprise AI assistants.
• Experience integrating AI/LLMs into internal workflows or productivity tools

Job Details:

• Job Type: Direct Hire
• Pay Range: Market Rate
• Location: Fully Remote.

About Protingent: Protingent is an Award-Winning provider of top-tier Engineering and IT talent, trusted by companies at the forefront of innovation — from Software and Aerospace to AI, Clean Tech, Medical Devices, and Connected Technologies. We’re passionate about making a positive impact by connecting exceptional talent with meaningful opportunities and helping our clients build the future.