All of us are going to die. It’s a fundamental, tragic part of what it is to be human. But the services that should be supporting us haven’t changed in decades.
From writing your will to planning a funeral or organising probate, the way we deal with death can be complicated and expensive. Instead of feeling supported, people feel lost.
But it doesn’t need to be this way. We started Farewill to make the experience warmer, brighter and friendlier.
We’re the UK’s biggest will writer and one of the leading funeral companies in the country. Our generous customers have pledged over £1.25 billion to charities, through gifts left in their wills.
We’ve also joined the Dignity Group - one of the major providers of funeral services in the UK. Together, we’re on a mission to change the way the world deals with death. It’s no small task - and we’re looking for a Software Engineering Lead to help us do it.
The Role
At Dignity and Farewill, we're redefining what end-of-life services can look and feel like — modern, compassionate, accessible. As we combine the scale and experience of Dignity with Farewill's tech-driven innovation, we're building a next-generation platform to support families at one of life's most important moments.
We're looking for a Software Engineering Lead to join our growing technology team and help drive this transformation. This is a hands-on technical leadership role, responsible for guiding one of our key product domains — whether that's Funeral Plans, Legal Services, or At-Need Funerals — from strategy through to scalable, secure software delivery.
What you'll be doing:
- Lead and mentor a team of engineers focused on delivering impactful, resilient software products.
- Define and implement the technical strategy for your domain, aligned to our roadmap and vision.
- Ensure high standards of engineering quality, security, architecture, and agile delivery.
- Collaborate closely with Product, Design, and cross-functional teams to deliver business outcomes.
- Get stuck into code, architecture, and problem-solving when needed — you're still close to the tech.
- Coach and mentor engineers, helping them grow in a high-performing, compassionate culture.
About you:
You're a pragmatic engineering leader who knows how to balance tech quality with business value. You've led OR mentored high-performing teams, delivered complex products, and enjoy being the person who connects big-picture technical thinking with real user needs.
We'd love to hear from you if you:
- Have moved from Senior Engineer into Tech Lead / Engineering Manager roles.
- Are comfortable leading strategy but still enjoy being close to architecture and implementation.
- Have worked with JavaScript/TypeScript, Node.js, SQL, React or similar technologies.
- Bring strong experience in backend engineering, APIs, cloud infrastructure (we use AWS), and modern DevOps.
- Have experience building products in high-stakes or regulated domains (e.g. fintech, legal tech, health tech).
- Thrive in cross-functional teams and believe in shipping fast, learning fast, and iterating often.
- Are passionate about team health, development, and a culture of continuous improvement.
What we're looking for:
- Proven delivery of secure, scalable technical products.
- Background in backend/system architecture and cloud-native development.
- Familiarity with modern SDLC: CI/CD, containerisation, infrastructure as code.
- An excellent communicator and problem-solver — calm under pressure, collaborative by nature.
- Willingness to work hybrid from our Maidenhead or London offices (minimum 3 days per week).
Why join us:
This is a rare opportunity to join a company that's genuinely making a difference in people's lives — modernising a traditionally underserved space, with empathy and innovation at its core.
You'll be joining a supportive, forward-thinking environment where:
- Engineering is valued at every level of the organisation.
- You'll have real ownership and input into our tech strategy.
- We believe in kindness, autonomy, and impact — and back that up with flexible, human-centred ways of working.
- You'll be part of a mission to reimagine how people experience end-of-life planning, funerals, and remembrance.
We’re building a diverse, inclusive team
To change the way the world deals with death we need a team that celebrates diversity in all its forms. We’re building a workplace where everyone is treated fairly and respectfully.
If you’re excited about our mission but you’re worried you don’t tick every box in the job description, get in touch anyway. Ability and attitude are just as important as experience.
Let us know how we can support you
If you need any adjustments in our interview process to help set you up for success, just let us know.
What are the next steps
Apply via the Dignity website by clicking the link on this page. A member of Dignity’s Talent Team will review your application and be in touch.
