Lead Backend Developer

Fruition Group are partnering with a high-growth Insurtech unicorn that's scaling its engineering function. This is a unique chance to work across both proven, revenue-generating products and greenfield initiatives that are reshaping the future of insurance. It's an ideal role for a driven Lead Engineer who thrives in ambitious environments and wants to make a tangible impact.

As a Lead Backend Engineer, you'll take ownership of designing and scaling cloud-native Back End systems. You'll work primarily with Python (FastAPI) and play a key role in shaping the architecture of microservices that support millions of users. Beyond hands-on development, you'll provide technical leadership, mentor team members, and influence strategic engineering decisions.

This is a high-impact role where your work directly drives product growth, system resilience, and platform evolution.

What will I be doing:

• Design, develop, and optimise scalable Back End services in Python, leveraging FastAPI.
• Lead architectural discussions with a focus on performance, scalability, and reliability.
• Deliver complex features end-to-end - from design through deployment and monitoring.
• Provide mentorship through code reviews, technical guidance, and best practices.
• Collaborate with Product, Design, and Engineering teams to deliver at pace.
• Continuously raise the bar for engineering standards, code quality, and delivery.
• Shape the long-term direction of the platform's service-oriented architecture.
• Champion the use of AI and automation to enhance productivity across the team.

• Strong background building and scaling Python-based systems (FastAPI, Flask, or Django REST).
• Proven leadership experience in a development environment
• Solid expertise in microservices, APIs, messaging patterns, and distributed systems.
• Proficient with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) and containerisation (Docker; Kubernetes preferred).
• Strong engineering fundamentals - testing, clean code, performance tuning, and algorithms.
• Experience with relational and non-relational databases (PostgreSQL, MongoDB).
• Comfortable working in agile, fast-moving environments with high ownership.
• Curious about new technology, with a growth mindset and interest in AI-driven tools.