Software Engineering Manager - Talent & Core HR

Team: Digital & Tech
Store: Salford Quays
Location: Salford, Greater Manchester
Position type: Full Time
Contract type: Permanent
Salary: Competitive + Benefits

How We Hire

Everyone is welcome at M&S. No exceptions. It’s your background, abilities and differences that make you, uniquely you. And when you’re part of M&S, that individuality has the potential to make waves.

About the role

This section tells you all you need to know about the position and its responsibilities, outlining everything we hope to see in a successful candidate.

All the details

Summary

Join M&S at a pivotal moment as we continue the transformation of our People & Labour engineering organisation. Our Talent & Core HR domain delivers enterprise SaaS platforms and services that support key activities across the candidate and colleague lifecycle, enabling our People Hub teams to deliver outstanding experiences from recruitment and onboarding through to learning, development and core HR operations.

We're looking for an Engineering Manager to lead engineering teams responsible for these critical platforms. Combining strong people leadership, product expertise and technical knowledge, you'll drive engineering excellence, shape platform strategy and deliver high-quality, scalable solutions that underpin colleague experiences across M&S. You'll work closely with architects, product managers, principal engineers, SaaS vendors and fellow engineering leaders to modernise our HR technology landscape, maximise value from our SaaS products and explore new innovation opportunities, including AI-enabled capabilities.

This role is ideal for a proven engineering leader with deep Oracle HCM expertise who is passionate about developing people, improving digital experiences and delivering business impact through enterprise technology.

Due to high interest, this role may close earlier than advertised. We recommend applying as soon as possible.

What you'll doYour key accountabilities will include:

Lead, mentor and develop high-performing engineering teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, continuous improvement and engineering excellence.
Own the technical roadmap across Recruitment, Talent, Learn, Helpdesk and Core HR platforms, ensuring solutions remain scalable, secure, supportable and aligned to business objectives.
Partner with Product, Architecture and Engineering leadership to prioritise work, manage dependencies and deliver strategic business outcomes through agile delivery practices.
Drive SaaS innovation and adoption, including quarterly release management, platform enhancements, AI opportunities and continuous improvement initiatives that improve colleague experiences.
Ensure operational excellence through proactive maintenance, robust support processes, platform reliability, service ownership and a strong DevOps culture.

Who you areYour skills and experience will include:

Proven experience leading engineering teams delivering complex enterprise SaaS solutions and business-critical technology platforms.
Strong hands-on experience designing, configuring, implementing and supporting Oracle HCM Cloud solutions within large organisations.
Deep functional expertise across Recruitment, Talent Management, Learn, Core HR and Helpdesk processes and technologies.
Experience simplifying complex systems, reducing technical debt, modernising platforms and driving end-to-end service ownership.
Strong stakeholder management and leadership skills, with the ability to balance strategic initiatives, project delivery and operational support.

Technology stack and platform expertiseOracle HCM

Oracle HCM Functional Configuration
Security Console
Oracle Recruiting Cloud (Candidate Experience, Candidate Management & Workflows)
Learn & Grow
Talent Management
Core HR & Work Structures
Helpdesk (Request Routing, Knowledge Management & Case Handling)

Technical & Integration

HCM Data Loader (HDL)
HCM Extracts
OTBI / BI Publisher
REST APIs
Passport Partners
Enterprise SaaS integrations and data management
API-led integration patterns and service connectivity

SaaS & UI Extensibility

Visual Builder Studio
Page Composer
Fast Formula
Configuration-led development approaches
User experience optimisation across SaaS platforms

What's in it for you?

Working at M&S means being part of something bigger - helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We're inclusive, fast-moving and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing.

Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding:

· 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third-party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you've completed your probation
· Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more
· Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours
· Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future
· Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one
· Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal
· Market-leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave
· 24/7 wellbeing support, including virtual GP access and mental health services
· One paid volunteer day a year to support a cause that matters to you

Everyone's Welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.

If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.

#LI-Hybrid #LI-DB2

Meet the Team

A group of colleagues gathered around a table, smiling and discussing work with laptops open in a modern office setting.

Being an in-person business

We're at our best when we're close to customers, and for many of us at M&S, that means working in store every day.

To stay close to customers, our support teams are in the office three days a week as we believe that skills are developed through collaboration, and that spending time together makes us more creative and connected. It also means we can solve problems as soon as they arise, learn and grow as a team, build trust, and get closer to our colleagues.

Halford Head of Technical Program Management

At M&S, we have Data Scientists, Analysts, and Technical Product Managers, who all share a genuine passion for harnessing data to improve people’s lives. And we’re in a unique position where we can actually help many different kinds of people, from our customers to our colleagues in store and in our support centre.

Deepak (He / Him) | Data Scientist Read full story

I think all engineers just love solving puzzles and problems. At M&S, we’re constantly learning new things, whether it’s mastering Swift UI or understanding how customers interact with technology. But this is also a business that listens to engineers and values what we bring to the table. That’s different, believe me.

Janak (He / Him) | Staff iOS Engineer Read full story

Being in third-party brands, working on things M&S hasn’t done before… that plays to my sweet spot. I’ve worked in many organisations throughout my career, and it’s rare to see such cause and effect in your work. The way we’re structured means you’re encouraged to solve problems and you have the autonomy to make progress quickly.

Halford (He / Him) | Head of Technical Program Management Read full story

Make Your Mark

Upcoming projects

Take part in our M&S Digital & Tech team days. Grow your digital and data skills through our BEAM Academy. Or challenge yourself at one of our business-wide hackathons. We also partner with Women in Data, Databricks and Cajigo to increase opportunities for women in digital and data.

Opportunities to be heard

Your voice and your ideas matter here. Our 8 colleague networks are places to find support, listen to each other and encourage debate. You can pitch ideas ‘Straight to Stuart’, our CEO, or get involved in our BIG (Business involvement Group).

Colleague Networks

We want you to feel supported, no matter what.

Menopause Network

Initiating and encouraging open conversations about menopause by offering support and sharing experiences.

LGBTQ+ Network

Proactively representing LGBTQ+ issues and opportunities to deliver a truly inclusive place to work and shop for our colleagues and customers.

Health and Wellbeing Network

Providing a safe space for colleagues with all types of health conditions or disabilities and supporting with business initiatives to ensure our stores are truly accessible for our customers.

Family & Carers Network

A support network for parents and carers, offering a space for colleagues to share experiences, exchange ideas, and access useful resources.

Culture and Heritage Network

Raising awareness of various religions and cultures through events and comms, to educate others and better represent our M&S colleagues and customers.

Cancer Network

Fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture, addressing stigma, providing guidance and raising awareness to empower and assist colleagues affected by cancer.

Forces Community Network

Supporting colleagues connected to the Armed Forces, aiding their transition to civilian life, and ensuring that they thrive in the workplace.

Gender Equality Network

Addressing gender-related challenges, raising awareness, and driving action to ensure equal opportunities for all.

Benefits

Wellbeing hub

Get access to resources to support your wellbeing, including a free virtual GP service.
Giving back

Support your favourite charities by donating through your pay or even volunteering for them.
Pay

Earn a competitive salary.
Colleague discount

After completing your probation period, you'll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.

Please note only contracts of more than 12 weeks are eligible for this benefit.
Time off

Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days.
Bonus

We have discretionary bonus schemes depending on your role and our business performance.
Life assurance

Get cover for twice your salary up to age 70 (double with our Pension Plan).
Workplace savings

We’ll help you save through our Pension Savings Plan, Share Buy and Sharesave schemes.
My Choices

Save on everyday costs through discounts and offers and get access to great health benefits.
Cycle to work

Bike/accessory hire with Cycle to Work and save on tax and national insurance.
Smart tech

Buy the latest technology with interest-free financing directly from your salary.
Family friendly policy

Industry-leading maternity, paternity, adoption and neo-natal policies, providing support and flexibility for you and your family.

How to Apply

Here’s what to expect at each stage of the application process. This can change depending on the role you’ve applied to. If you need any reasonable adjustments made at any stage, let us know and we can help.

Send us your application

Fill in our short application form and hit submit.

Online assessment

Depending on the role you are applying for, you may be invited to do an assessment. Your Talent Acquisition Partner will guide and inform you along the way.

Interview

We'll invite you to join us for an interview. This could be remote or in person. Here, we'll ask you some role based technical questions and examine the behaviours we're looking for.

Decision

After we’ve made our decision, we’ll be in touch. If you’ve been successful, we’ll officially invite you to join the team and let you know the next steps.