Head Engineer
- Compensation
- $225K–$285K
- Work mode
- Hybrid/On-site
- Location
- New York, NY
- Industry
- AI / Software
Your market value for this role
Compared with 5 live mandates (same function, level and region).
Base salary only; excludes equity and bonus. Benchmark your own package →
The mandate
We are looking for a Head Engineer with 4-8 years of experience to step into the technical leadership seat at the organization, the peer-to-peer reservation exchange that already has 200,000+ users in New York and is growing in London. Our founders aren't technical, so we need an AI-forward, hands-on builder who takes ownership and makes the technical calls on architecture, direction and how we build. You'll have shipped consumer mobile apps, you'll be comfortable in a scrappy startup, and you'll want to dig into the code as much as you want to lead. We're profitable, close to $2M ARR and moving into experiences and ticketed events. This is the CTO-track role that will shape what comes next.
Key responsibilities
- Own all technical decisions and the technical roadmap across mobile, backend and infrastructure (React Native/Expo, Node/NestJS, Postgres, AWS). You turn the founders' product vision into a plan that works.
- Lead feature delivery day to day with our offshore team in Croatia: create and assign tickets, keep timelines on track, triage ad hoc bugs and give real opinions on new ideas.
- Get hands-on in the code to keep the app fast under heavy load, like when 10,000 users jump on the same restaurant alert at once.
- Find and build your own fixes for real problems, such as replacing manual Venmo reimbursements with automated Stripe payments, and lead partner and booking-platform integrations from start to finish.
- Use AI tools to move faster and help everyone around you do the same, then grow into overseeing all engineers as the team scales.
What you bring
- as a fullstack engineer for a consumer mobile app, with strong leadership skills
Location & engagement details
New York, NY · Hybrid
Equity: Competitive equity; Visa sponsorship details: Not open to any visas (e.g. US the organization, Green Card holders); Hybrid work policy: Hybrid, number of in-office days TBD, in New York, NY (relocation possible for the right candidate)
About this mandate
This is a live head of function search with direct introductions to the hiring team. The role sits in ai / software and is located in New York, NY on a hybrid/on-site basis, with compensation of $225K–$285K.
This is a confidential search. Read the brief above, then apply below for this role. The company name is shared once there's a close match and mutual interest.
Most senior mandates are filled this way — privately, before any listing exists. Read how unadvertised executive roles actually get filled.
- This is a confidential search. The company name and full role details are only discussed on a call with one of our recruiters if there is a close match.
- We use your details — your LinkedIn profile URL and email address — to match you against this mandate and any other closely matched roles.
- A verifiable email address, LinkedIn profile and a recent PDF resume are required. Submissions from bots, spammers or unverifiable profiles are removed.
- There is no call booking at this stage. Calls are scheduled only after we identify a close match.
Who can apply
- C-suite, EVP/SVP, VP and Head of function leaders
- Proven scale-up, venture-backed or enterprise leadership experience
- Track record of building and leading teams in the relevant function
Final hiring decisions rest solely with the hiring company. Outcomes depend on role availability and decisions made by the hiring team.
Apply — Head Engineer
This application is for this role only. It is reviewed against the brief above, and you will be contacted if there is a close match.
- This is a confidential search. The company name and full role details are only discussed on a call with one of our recruiters if there is a close match.
- We use your details — your LinkedIn profile URL and email address — to match you against this mandate and any other closely matched roles.
- Handled confidentially — your details are never shared without your consent.
- A referral is an introduction, not a guarantee of an interview or an offer.
- Final hiring decisions rest with the hiring company; outcomes depend on role availability and their decisions.