API Platform Lead- Edinburgh

FDM is a global business and technology consultancy seeking a API Platform Lead to work for our client within the Financial Services sector. This is initially a 6-12- month contract with the potential to extend and will be a hybrid role that will be based in Edinburgh.

Our client is seeking a Platform Engineering Lead to own the strategy, engineering, governance, and operation of critical enterprise platforms, with a particular focus on API and integration capabilities.

This role will lead the evolution of a global API platform, enabling secure, scalable, and reusable services across multiple product and engineering teams. The successful candidate will combine deep technical expertise with strong engineering leadership experience and a proven track record of delivering enterprise-wide platform transformation initiatives., * Own the strategic direction, roadmap, and operational performance of the enterprise API platform.

• Lead the design, build, operation, and continuous improvement of scalable, resilient, cloud-native platforms.
• Ensure platform capabilities are reusable and consumable across global engineering teams.
• Drive platform adoption, developer experience, engineering standards, and governance across the organisation.
• Establish platform reliability, security, scalability, and disaster recovery standards.

API Platform Leadership

• Lead the enterprise API platform strategy and operating model.
• Own API lifecycle management including design, development, governance, security, versioning, monitoring, and decommissioning.
• Define and implement API standards, design patterns, and best practices across multiple engineering teams.
• Build and maintain API management capabilities including developer portals, API gateways, security controls, and consumption frameworks.
• Enable federated API development across engineering teams while maintaining enterprise governance standards.

Engineering Leadership

• Lead globally distributed software engineering teams and engineering managers.
• Build high-performing engineering teams through coaching, mentoring, and leadership.
• Drive modern engineering practices including DevOps, CI/CD, Infrastructure as Code, automated testing, and Agile delivery methods.
• Manage relationships with third-party suppliers, technology partners, and offshore delivery providers.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, continuous improvement, and engineering excellence.

• Significant experience leading Enterprise Platform Engineering, Platform Operations, or API Engineering functions.
• Proven experience owning and managing a large-scale enterprise API platform.
• Hands-on experience with Azure API Management (Azure APIM), including platform design, governance, lifecycle management, security, developer enablement, and platform operations.
• Strong Azure cloud experience and delivery of cloud-native platforms.
• Experience establishing API strategies, standards, governance models, and reusable platform capabilities across large engineering organisations.
• Demonstrable experience delivering digital transformation and platform modernisation programmes.
• Strong understanding of:
• API Architecture
• Microservices Architecture
• Integration Platforms
• Middleware Technologies
• Cloud Technologies
• Platform Engineering
• Identity & Access Management
• Experience leading globally distributed engineering teams.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and executive communication skills.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:

Ownership and leadership of an enterprise API platform, ideally leveraging Azure API Management (APIM), including strategy, governance, standards, platform operations, and adoption across a large engineering organisation.

• Partner with senior technology and business stakeholders to align platform strategy with organisational priorities.
• Influence architecture, technology strategy, and digital transformation initiatives.
• Communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Manage competing priorities while delivering measurable business outcomes.

FDM is an award-winning global leader in tech and business talent solutions, backed by more than 35 years of industry experience. We have centres across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, and a global workforce of over 2500 employees. FDM has shown exponential growth throughout the years, firmly establishing itself as an award-winning employer, currently listed on the FTSE4Good Index and as a 2026 Financial Times UK ‘Best Employer’.

Diversity and Inclusion FDM Group is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other status protected by federal, provincial or local laws.

Why join us

• Career coaching, mentoring and access to upskilling throughout your entire FDM career
• Assignments with global companies and opportunities to work abroad
• Opportunity to re-skill and up-skill into new areas, develop non-linear career paths and build a skillset within your field
• Annual leave and work-place pension