Overview
We’re looking for people to join the Access family, who share our passion for believing in better, and who will help us continue to grow. Love Work. Love Life. Be You. - is central to our success and how we give our customers the freedom to do more of what's important to them.
What does Access offer you? We offer a blended approach to office working, encouraging you to collaborate and connect in one of our thriving offices. We deliver on what we say, taking the development of our people seriously. We’ll work with you to progress your success plan and provide opportunities to accelerate your career. On top of a competitive salary, our wellbeing days taking you to 25 days leave a year and a health contribution, you’ll also be able to choose from a range of benefits to suit you. We’re an organisation that likes to give back, so you’ll also have three charity days allocated to support a cause that matters to you.
Reporting to Senior Software Engineering Director
Location: GO Centre, Kuala Lumpur
Core Responsibilities
* Lead and transform distributed engineering organization of 30-70 professionals across AU and KL
* Be part of the core leadership team to help hire and onboard additional 50 engineers in KL
* GOC product engineering strategic expansion
* Manage diverse technical portfolio spanning .NET, Ruby on Rails, PHP, and Salesforce platforms
* Drive strategic migration of legacy desktop applications to modern .NET SaaS solutions
* Champion AI-assisted development practices achieving 100% adoption across all teams
* Define integration strategies for heterogeneous systems while maintaining product stability
* Ensure 99.9% uptime and zero critical production issues across accountant products
* Partner with ANZ market stakeholders to understand and deliver regional requirements
* Drive strategic migration of legacy desktop applications to modern SaaS solutions
* Own technical strategy and architecture for Accountant products, ensuring 99.9% uptime
* Establish engineering excellence through robust SDLC practices, release cadences, and quality standards
* Partner with Product Management to deliver roadmap commitments while maintaining pNPS scores aligned with key business sponsors
* Lead 2-3 Software Engineering Managers and mentor them to build high-performing AI-augmented squads
* Collaborate with UK and AU stakeholders to ensure alignment on product strategy and technical direction
* Drive continuous improvement in engineering practices across diverse technology stack
* Drive cost optimization initiatives through efficient KL GOC operations
* Foster culture of accountability, innovation, and rapid delivery within teams and cross-global members
* Ensure zero critical production issues through proactive quality measures
Technical Requirements
* 15+ years of extensive software development experience
* Good understanding of AI-native development including prompt engineering, LLM-powered architectures, agentic AI coding systems (like Devin, Claude Code or equivalent) and experience building software where AI is a first-class citizen in the development lifecycle
* Distinguished expertise in Microsoft stack including .NET, SQL, and Azure PaaS services or at least one programming language such as Java, React Native, Angular etc.
* Knowledge of PHP, Ruby on Rails, Salesforce is a plus
* Mastery of system integration patterns and heterogeneous architecture management
* Deep understanding of cloud native architecture and distributed systems
* Expert knowledge in security, scalability, and performance optimization
* Experience with technical strategy and roadmap development
* Expert knowledge in managing geographical team transitions and remote integration
* Experience with AI-assisted development tools and hybrid human-AI workflows
* Proven track record managing 40+ person distributed engineering organizations
* Strong background in B2B SaaS, preferably accounting/financial services software
* Experience with Azure cloud services and limited AWS deployments
* Knowledge of ANZ market requirements and accounting domain
Core Competencies & Values
Technical Leadership
* Provide technical direction across multiple technology stacks
* Navigate complexity of polyglot engineering environment
* Ensure consistent quality standards across diverse platforms
* Balance technical diversity with operational efficiency
* Drive AI adoption across varied technical backgrounds
Cross-Cultural Leadership
* Bridge engineering cultures between AU and KL teams
* Manage distributed teams across multiple time zones
* Foster collaboration in geographical transition period
* Build trust and engagement during organizational change
* Navigate cultural differences in APAC region
Innovation Leadership
* Drive technical innovation within team scope
* Evaluate new technologies and approaches
* Contribute to technical strategy
* Lead proof-of-concept initiatives
* Connect technical solutions to business value
Strategic Thinking & Adaptability
* Manage complex transition while maintaining service levels
* Evaluate integration strategies for heterogeneous systems
* Balance AU market needs with KL centre growth
* Connect technical decisions to regional business requirements
Stakeholder Management
* Influence and align stakeholders across AU, KL, and UK
* Manage expectations during team transition
* Communicate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
* Build relationships with ANZ market leaders
* Navigate matrix organization effectively
Project Leadership
* Own end-to-end delivery of major initiatives
* Manage technical risks and dependencies
* Coordinate cross-team technical efforts
* Ensure project technical quality
* Drive successful project outcomes
Results & Execution
* Deliver complex projects on schedule
* Maintain high quality standards
* Achieve team performance goals
* Balance competing priorities effectively
What You Bring
* Proven ability to manage large-scale geographical team transitions
* Excellence in leading distributed, multicultural engineering teams
* Track record of managing complex, multi-technology environments
* Strong communication skills for cross-time-zone collaboration
* Experience with M&A or organizational integration is a plus
* Ability to maintain stability during significant change
* Customer-focused approach with ANZ market understanding will be an added advantage
* Resilience and adaptability in ambiguous situations
Additional Information
* Part of a new strategic engineering leadership team based in KL GOC
* Office Flex arrangement (3 days office, 2 days remote)
* Direct impact on Access Group's technical direction
* Opportunity to shape team culture and practices
* Access to latest tools and technologies including AI development platforms
* Global collaboration across Access Group's worldwide operations
This role presents a unique opportunity to lead one of Access Group's most technically diverse engineering organizations through a strategic geographical transition. You'll manage 60-70 engineers across multiple technologies (.NET, Ruby, PHP, Salesforce) while executing the AU to KL transition, maintaining 99.9% uptime, and driving AI adoption. Success requires exceptional leadership in distributed teams, polyglot technical expertise, and the ability to maintain service excellence during organizational transformation.
What are we all about? The Access Group is one of the largest UK-headquartered business management software providers, serving more than 160,000 small and mid-sized organisations worldwide. We are committed to an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. If you're excited about this role, you might be the perfect fit for us. We believe in equality and diversity. Love Work. Love Life. Be You.
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