Shape the future of digital assessment at scale

At Pearson, we’re transforming how qualifications are delivered globally, combining deep educational expertise with cutting-edge technology. We’re now looking for a Senior Software Engineering Manager to lead the engineering and operations teams behind our critical assessment services.

This is a high-impact leadership role at the heart of our transformation, ensuring millions of learners experience secure, reliable, and high-quality qualification delivery.

About the role

You’ll lead globally distributed engineering, DevOps, and service teams responsible for the technology that underpins Pearson’s regulated and non-regulated qualifications.

Working as part of the PQ Technology Senior Leadership Team, you’ll shape and deliver a product-led technology strategy, balancing innovation, operational excellence, and regulatory compliance. You’ll also play a key role in the PQ Transformation Programme, helping build a more agile, collaborative, and future-ready organisation.

This is a role with real breadth and influence, spanning delivery, stakeholder leadership, and strategic planning.

What you’ll be doing

• Own delivery of Pearson’s qualifications technology portfolio, ensuring exam series are delivered on time, to quality, and at scale
• Lead global engineering and DevOps teams, translating business priorities into effective technical execution
• Drive operational excellence, including incident management, service performance, and resilience during critical exam periods
• Partner with regulators and senior stakeholders, acting as a trusted technology leader across internal and external audiences
• Enable innovation, overseeing delivery of new features, platform improvements, and agentic deployment approach
• Champion modern engineering practices, including agile, DevSecOps, and secure cloud-based delivery
• Collaborate cross-functionally across Product, Operations, Assessment, and Regulatory teams to align delivery to business goals
• Manage third-party and internal partnerships to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery across multiple locations
• Own budget and investment planning, contributing to business cases and long-term strategy
• Ensure compliance and security standards are met, in line with both internal policies and regulatory requirements

What we’re looking for

You’ll bring a strong blend of technical depth, delivery leadership, and stakeholder influence, with experience operating in complex, regulated environments.

Key skills and experience

• Proven experience leading large-scale engineering and DevOps organisations
• Strong background delivering complex digital products or platforms at scale
• Experience working in regulated environments (for example education, finance, or healthcare)
• Deep understanding of cloud, DevSecOps, APIs, and secure system design
• Experience driving agile transformation and modern engineering practices
• Strong stakeholder management, including senior leadership and external or regulatory bodies
• Experience building and scaling global, distributed teams
• Commercial awareness, including budget ownership and supplier management

Leadership capabilities

• Inspirational and inclusive leadership style
• Strong communicator who can engage at all levels
• Collaborative and outcome-focused
• Adaptable, resilient, and comfortable operating in complexity
• Passionate about solving problems that have real-world impact

Why join Pearson

At Pearson, we believe learning never stops, not for the people we serve, and not for the people who work here.

Joining us means

• Working on technology that impacts millions of learners worldwide
• Being part of a major transformation programme, shaping the future of assessment
• Collaborating with talented, globally distributed teams
• Having real influence over strategy, delivery, and innovation
• Continuing your own journey of learning, growth, and impact