Position Summary

Discovery Digital Media is a well-funded start-up within Discovery Communications, a high-performing global team working at the dynamic intersection of Technology and Entertainment. As content creators in the digital space, we continuously leverage our technological capabilities to create immersive viewing experiences for iconic brands including Eurosport, GOLFTV, MotorTrend, and DPlay.

We are excited to be recruiting the new opportunity of Technical Director to oversee the development of Dplay, a leading Video on Demand product in the Nordics. Based in London, the successful individual will have overall responsibility for the day-to-day technical production of all our new Digital OTT products, with a specific focus on front end clients (React.js, iOS, Android, Connected Devices) ensuring that development teams are best placed and supported to deliver on time, within budget and meeting quality specifications set out by the business.

About Us:

• Lean advocates with a specific focus on BDD and Kanban
• Full Automation test suites favoured over manual QA – we like software engineers in test
• Best in class development
• Obsess over latency metrics
• We have a build vs buy mentality, everything is proprietary from front to back!
• Constantly exploring new technology
• Dedicated and hardworking, with an eye on a positive work/life balance
• We work in cross-platform, mission-based squads – with knowledge sharing a key aspect
• Totally collaborative, but not big fans of ‘meetings’

Responsibilities

• The primary function of the Technical Director is to ensure that software development is and remains under control and on track at all times
• Providing line management for Architects, Development Manager and Automation Test Manager
• Oversee development across Web, iOS, Android and Connected TVs
• An understanding of microservice development approach
• An adherence to component/modular front end development techniques
• Work with back end teams
• Occasional travel is required, sometimes at short notice.
• Work with Service Delivery Managers to formalise a release plan from development, test, trial to live release, enabling Discovery to release applications at a high frequency
• Manage the continuous improvement of development and test processes by introducing new technologies and changes to existing processes.
• Document all development and test processes which must also include guides for onboarding of new team members.
• Collaborates with both Product and commercial teams as well as wider Discovery technology team

Requirements

• Exceptional leadership in project management. Evangeliser, and enforcer of the standards and guidelines of our Development Process
• A proven motivator and team leader, with the ability to drive teams forward while maintaining strong morale, focus and efficiency
• Excellent written and verbal communication and listening skills. An eye for detail and proven organisational skills
• Proven ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced and fast-changing environment
• Able to balance technical solutions with time, cost and human factors; and to devote the necessary time to planning, directing and controlling team activities.
• Extensive, practical project management experience, managing budgets and spending with experience of controlling development costs, whilst ensuring quality is achieved and deadlines are met
• Experience of working with multiple stakeholders (internal and external) with different goals, objectives and aspirations
• Excellent technical awareness and skills
• Experience in end to end Product Development
• Startup mentality is encouraged
• Positive attitude, and an ability to be able to flex with changes and late requirements