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.

About the role

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 80+ teams working on Cloud Platforms, Mobile Apps, E-Commerce functionality, and Machine Learning. We foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning among our Engineers.

John Lewis shops and contact centres deliver a market-leading omnichannel customer experience. The technology supporting them includes third-party platforms, bespoke in-house systems, and legacy applications, all interconnected and undergoing modernization.

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

At a glance

• Contract type: Permanent

• Salary: £75,000 - £140,000

• Flexible Working: Hybrid role, primarily from home and London Head Office, with occasional visits to other locations.

Key Responsibilities

• Align engineering strategy and roadmap for John Lewis shops and contact centres with business objectives, influencing operations and team practices.

• Lead modernization and maintainability of technology, establishing Product ways of working.

• Collaborate with stakeholders including Product Leads, Managers, Architects, and other Principal Engineers.

• Deliver innovative software solutions, working with teams on complex, high-quality systems.

Essential skills/experience

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

• Experience implementing package solutions in complex environments.

• Leadership experience, working with multiple teams and influencing large investments.

• Knowledge of architectural styles and integration patterns.

• Techniques to enhance system resilience and scalability.

• Experience applying Lean and Systems Thinking.

Desirable skills/experience

• Retail or Contact Centre experience.

• Experience working with legacy systems.

• Hands-on software engineering experience.

• Engineering management or enterprise architecture experience.

Next Steps

• Complete the application form with CV upload and questions, refreshing the page as needed.

• Successful candidates will undergo screening, interviews, and possibly informal discussions.

Let us know if you need adjustments during the recruitment process.

The partnership

We're the largest employee-owned business in the UK, home to John Lewis and Waitrose. We're committed to retail excellence, innovation, and diversity, fostering an environment where everyone can thrive. As Partners, we share ownership and responsibility for our success.

Note: Some roles require pre-employment vetting, including DBS checks and financial probity assessments. Apply early, as vacancies may close quickly. We support flexible working arrangements to promote work-life balance.