Technical Lead

Job Title: Technical Lead Department: Software Engineering Reports To: Managing Director Direct Reports: Software Engineering Team, Quality Assurance Team, DevOps. Location: Nairobi Kenya Job Purpose The Technical Lead is responsible for ensuring the efficient and effective execution of all operational aspects within the software engineering and DevOps teams. This role drives performance management, process optimization, and cross-functional coordination to ensure timely, high-quality delivery of technical solutions. By translating strategic direction into executable plans and overseeing day-to-day operations, the Technical Lead plays a critical role in maintaining delivery velocity, operational stability, and continuous improvement across the technical organization. Key Roles and Responsibilities Oversee the operational execution of technical design and development efforts to ensure software systems are scalable, secure, and high-performing, in alignment with defined architecture and standards. Coordinate and support the implementation of cloud-native deployment practices across teams using AWS and other cloud environments. Ensure the operational readiness and integration of APIs, working with development teams to meet business needs and technical requirements. Manage the operational delivery of high-performance database systems, including SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and EF/Core, ensuring reliable and consistent access to data services. Drive the adoption and consistent use of DevOps tools and practices—including CI/CD pipelines, Git, Docker, and Kubernetes—by providing process guidance and oversight. Monitor adherence to development and security standards such as OAuth and JWT, ensuring proper implementation of code reviews, automated testing, and secure coding practices. Collaborate with engineers to evaluate and operationalize emerging technologies that improve development efficiency and system performance. Identify and implement operational improvements that enhance the performance, scalability, and stability of technical systems in alignment with business objectives. Lead the coordination and timely resolution of critical bugs and production issues, ensuring compliance with SLAs and minimal disruption to business operations. Support product evolution by coordinating enhancements to existing software features based on customer needs and stakeholder feedback. Oversee the release management process across environments, ensuring successful deployments with minimal downtime and consistent version control. Ensure technical documentation is maintained and accessible, supporting knowledge transfer, onboarding, and long-term maintainability. Support innovation by facilitating research and exploration of new tools, platforms, or methodologies that enhance technical team capabilities. Provide operational coaching and support to engineers, fostering continuous improvement and adherence to delivery best practices. Lead and manage the daily activities of the software engineering and DevOps teams, ensuring alignment with business goals, workload balance, and operational efficiency. Conduct regular performance evaluations, set clear objectives, and implement improvement plans to drive accountability, engagement, and career development. Work cross-functionally with project managers, designers, QA, and business stakeholders to ensure the timely and aligned delivery of technical initiatives. Collaborate with support teams to assist in resolving customer issues that require engineering involvement, ensuring timely resolution and customer satisfaction. Support the execution of complex and high-priority initiatives by aligning technical team operations with broader project timelines and leadership objectives. Maintain awareness of industry trends and best practices, translating relevant insights into actionable improvements within technical operations. Promote professional development through workshops, training, and certifications that align with operational excellence and team growth. Actively participate in the recruitment and selection of technical talent, conducting technical interviews and contributing to hiring decisions to ensure strong team composition and capability. Support onboarding processes for technical hires, managing their integration into tools, systems, and processes for a productive ramp-up. Oversee encryption and secure communication protocols in collaboration with DevOps and Security teams, ensuring the protection of data in transit. Support vulnerability management by coordinating timely scanning, remediation, and compliance tracking in partnership with security teams. Manage audit log reviews and operational security processes to support accountability and system integrity. Ensure team participation in agile stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives, reinforcing an iterative and collaborative development approach. Support evolving business needs by adapting technical operations to new priorities, organizational changes, or growth requirements. Participate in compliance reviews and processes as required Perform any other duties as required to support the business in response to evolving needs, organizational changes, and growth, ensuring that technology remains a key enabler of success. Requirements Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field; certifications in .NET or cloud technologies are a plus. 8+ years of hands-on .NET/.NET Core development experience, with a track record of building scalable applications. Experience in financial services or payments is preferred. Skilled in ASP.NET MVC/Core, web security, and client-server interaction. Proficient in database integration (SQL Server, MySQL), including query optimization and schema design. Hands-on experience deploying .NET applications to cloud platforms (Azure, AWS), utilizing cloud-native services. Background in Agile (Scrum, Kanban), with active participation in sprint cycles and iterative delivery. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Attention to detail. Excellent organizational and diverse team management experience. Strong communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical information to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.