API Platform Lead

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.

Responsibilities:

Platform Ownership

* 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.

* 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.

Stakeholder Management

* 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.

About You

* 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 understanding of:

* API Architecture

* Microservices Architecture

* Integration Platforms

* Middleware Technologies

* Cloud Technologies

* Platform Engineering

* Identity & Access Management

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