Tech Lead - SE - job 1 of 2

As a Tech Lead at Entain, your primary responsibilities include overseeing the end-to-end delivery of projects, collaborating with the Product Owner, and ensuring that your cross-functional team meets its objectives with high-quality technical contributions. You'll be in charge of tracking deliveries, addressing risks, and promoting Agile methodologies while actively participating in design reviews and mentoring your team members.

To be considered for the Tech Lead position at Entain, candidates should have a solid understanding of TypeScript, JavaScript, and the .NET framework, along with experience in Agile development practices. Additionally, a strong background in computer science fundamentals, microservices architectures, and effective testing strategies is essential to ensure you can lead your team to successful outcomes.

The Tech Lead position at Entain not only allows you to guide projects but also plays a crucial role in mentoring team members and managing their career development. You'll set performance expectations, conduct reviews, and facilitate promotions, which fosters an environment where both you and your colleagues can grow professionally, all while contributing to a collaborative and innovative culture.

At Entain, the team dynamics for a Tech Lead involve close collaboration within a cross-functional agile team. You will work alongside Product and Development counterparts, engage in regular communication to mitigate risks, and promote a culture of accountability and support. This laid-back yet diligent environment encourages innovation and creativity, allowing team members to thrive.

Tech Leads at Entain receive a competitive salary along with comprehensive benefits such as private medical insurance, food vouchers, and an annual holiday entitlement. Furthermore, you'll enjoy additional perks like personal development days, support for volunteering, and a hybrid work model that highlights our commitment to work-life balance, making Entain a rewarding place to work.

When managing risks as a Tech Lead, it's crucial to proactively identify potential issues before they arise. Start by fostering transparent communication within your team and with Product Owners to discuss any architectural debts or execution challenges. Encourage the team to bring up concerns immediately, and suggest collaborative brainstorming sessions to put together mitigation strategies, ensuring a sustainable delivery process.

In my previous roles, I have implemented daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives to promote clarity and teamwork. For example, during sprint planning, I ensure every team member understands their responsibilities and targets, while retrospectives provide an opportunity to reflect on what went well and what can be improved, fostering continuous growth and development within the team.

Mentoring is an integral part of being a Tech Lead. I prioritize one-on-one sessions to understand each team member's strengths and areas for improvement. Guiding them through complex projects and offering constructive feedback allows them to grow. I also ensure to celebrate their successes, as recognition fosters motivation and a sense of belonging within the team.

To ensure software quality, I advocate for comprehensive testing strategies, including unit, integration, and end-to-end tests. Collaborating with the team to adopt best coding practices and regular code reviews also supports quality assurance. By integrating continuous feedback loops, we identify issues early and improve our overall deliverables before they reach production.

One significant challenge involved integrating legacy systems with new microservices architecture. I coordinated cross-team collaboration to map out dependencies and used effective communication to address concerns from stakeholders. By breaking the problem into smaller chunks and implementing strategies incrementally, we navigated the complexities and ensured a smooth transition, enhancing overall system efficiency.

I believe in lifelong learning. I regularly attend tech meetups, participate in online courses, and subscribe to relevant blogs and podcasts to stay updated on emerging technologies. Engaging with my network allows me to learn from others' experiences and share insights with my team, fostering an environment of innovation and curiosity.

Promoting a positive team culture begins with clear communication and establishing trust among team members. I encourage openness and inclusivity while organizing team-building activities to strengthen relationships. Additionally, I emphasize the importance of work-life balance and recognition for achievements to cultivate an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered.

When designing system architecture, I consider scalability, maintainability, and security. I analyze the project requirements to select appropriate design patterns and ensure the architecture can handle future growth. Engaging the team in design discussions also allows multiple perspectives to shape a robust architecture that meets both current and long-term needs.

I prioritize tasks based on urgency, project goals, and resource availability. Clear communication with stakeholders helps me understand project timelines and objectives, allowing me to work with my team to adjust priorities as needed. Regular feedback loops and sprint reviews also ensure that we align with our overall project vision and remain flexible to shifting demands.

Managing performance issues requires an empathetic and fair approach. I first observe and gather data on the team member’s work to identify patterns and potential reasons for underperformance. I then engage in a candid discussion with them to understand their perspective, set clear goals and expectations, offer support, and establish a follow-up plan to monitor progress.