Chief Technology Officer

Our client Podfather is dedicated to developing and delivering software solutions that help companies simplify the complex problem of managing their commercial vehicle fleet. Their cloud-based planning system, and easy-to-use driver app, enables companies to automate the process of planning and executing vehicle movements. They empower companies to eradicate paper from their operations, control costs, cut fuel usage, reduce carbon footprint, and improve customer experience. 

Podfather has been delivering software solutions to the logistics and construction industries since the year 2000. Their clients feature blue-chip companies, SMEs, and everything else in between. In recent years, the introduction of their core software product has enabled them to make significant inroads into several key market sectors – namely food & drink, building materials, construction supplies, and wholesale. 

Their solution is scalable, and their customer base is steadily growing as they have a good product that companies like to use. They have a clear development roadmap, an ambitious sales plan, and they are looking for a CTO to join them on what will be an exciting journey. 

The CTO will report to the Managing Director and will be responsible for a number of teams, each with a designated team lead. Teams are segmented by product and/or specialisation—core product, driver handheld app, route optimisation, self-serve, and dev ops—with each team containing between three and five engineers, for a total of 30 engineers. In addition, the CTO will work closely with their operations and information security managers. 

 Already a skilled resource, they are looking for a CTO to build on existing successes, accelerate growth, and deliver timely results. Experience of building, developing, and mentoring engineering teams is essential for this role. 

 Responsibilities will include: 

•  Taking charge of leadership and guidance for the successful execution of complex software development projects. 
• Leading, developing, and motivating their engineering teams. 
• Ensuring that solutions are developed and maintained to the highest of standards. 
• Supporting the growth of team leads and individual engineers through mentoring, coaching, and career-pathing. 
• Collaborating closely with the product management team, including their UX/UI designers to develop new products and enhance existing ones. 
• Championing, role modeling, and embedding their company growth strategy and associated business goals across the existing teams. 
• Evaluating and introducing emerging technologies to ensure the continuous evolution and improvement of their software solutions and engineering practices. 
• Leading architecture reviews to ensure adherence to best practices and maintain high-quality standards in software development. 
• Reporting to the board of directors about progress, successes, and any potential blockers. 
• Contributing to the development of technical roadmaps and strategies that support future business growth. 
• Introducing a commercial element to their teams, fostering an understanding of the financial impact of the projects they are progressing. 

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a great business and make an impact in a SaaS tech environment. Here at Podfather, culture is very important; they want to motivate and support staff on their journey. This role can be based at home or from their office in Edinburgh, although they request that the successful candidate have a regular presence in their Edinburgh office. For the first month, they expect the CTO to be office-based for swift onboarding and integration with the team. 

 Key experience and attributes are as follows: 

• A proven track record of motivating and managing SaaS software engineering teams. 
• Experience of taking responsibility for, and managing, technical architecture, preferably in a B2B SaaS business. 
• An ability to analyse software engineering performance and suggest improvements. 
• Ability to motivate and mentor a team of technical team leads and individual engineers. 
• Experience of working alongside product development teams. 
• Familiarity with all, or the majority of, their tech stack. 
• A high degree of commercial acumen. It is important their engineering team work supports their commercial ambitions. 
• Ability to work as part of a senior leadership team. 
• A great team leader: good people and sound coaching and mentoring skills are essential for this role. 
• The ability to be both a strategic thinker, team mentor, and offer hands-on support where needed. 
• Good reporting skills; able to communicate team performance, project plans, and associated milestones to the Board of Directors. 

Their solution comprises a cloud-based back office optimisation, planning, and reporting solution which is used by their customers’ transport teams. Jobs are completed by drivers, all of whom use their mobile app, which is available in both iOS and Android versions (most users opt for Android). They use a range of technologies across the business, familiarity with all, or most of the following is essential for this role.  

 Technologies include: 

 Amazon Web Services – all their systems are hosted in an AWS environment. 

• Unix/Linux CLI 
• Terraform or other Infrastructure Code tools 
• React Native 
• Backend technologies, e.g. PHP, Python, C#, and SQL/database 
• API integrations