Technical Director

Technical Director (Hands-On Engineering Lead) - Award-Winning Creative Agency

£90,000-£100,000 + Benefits

Central London (3 days per week - T/W/T)

We're partnering with an award-winning creative and digital agency that delivers high-profile digital experiences for globally recognised brands.

They're looking for a Technical Director who still enjoys being close to technology. This isn't a role for someone who has stepped away from engineering. Instead, you'll act as the senior technical authority across multiple client engagements, helping shape architecture, guide engineering teams, influence stakeholders and drive innovation across web, product and emerging AI initiatives.

You'll work alongside strategy, design, UX and delivery teams, translating complex technical challenges into pragmatic solutions whilst maintaining credibility with engineers, clients and senior stakeholders alike.

What You'll Be Doing

• Leading technical discovery, architecture and solution design across client programmes
• Providing technical leadership to multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Reviewing solutions, guiding implementation and supporting engineering best practices
• Working closely with clients to discuss technical approaches, risks and recommendations
• Driving modern engineering practices across cloud infrastructure, CI/CD and quality assurance
• Supporting teams delivering high-traffic websites, digital platforms, apps and emerging AI solutions
• Mentoring developers and helping shape technical capability across the business
• Contributing to innovation, prototyping and exploration of new technologies

We're Looking For

• Experience operating as a Technical Lead, Technical Director, Principal Engineer, Lead Engineer or similar senior technical leadership position
• Strong software engineering background with experience in one or more modern backend technologies such as C#, .NET, Node.js, Java, Python or similar.
• Experience designing scalable digital products, platforms and APIs
• Strong understanding of cloud-native architecture, Azure and modern DevOps practices
• Previous experience within a digital agency, Creative agency, or Advertising/Marketing service
• Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Experience leading engineers, mentoring teams and influencing technical direction

Particularly Interesting

• Experience with AI, GenAI, automation or emerging technology initiatives
• Exposure to rapid prototyping, proof-of-concepts and innovation programmes
• Knowledge of Azure AI Services, OpenAI or modern AI tooling
• Experience working across multiple concurrent client projects
• Interest in improving engineering standards, delivery practices and team capability

This role would suit someone who started their career as a software engineer, has grown into technical leadership, and still enjoys solving complex technical problems while helping teams and clients succeed.