Senior Director – Digital Applications & Engineering

Posted 10 August 2026
Salary Competitive
LocationAmsterdam
Job type Permanent
Discipline Software Engineering
Reference78306
Remote working Hybrid/Flexible

Job description

Senior Director – Digital Applications & Engineering

  • Location: Ideally Netherlands (Hybrid: 2–3 days/week onsite)

  • Role Level: Senior Director / Executive Leadership Team

Role Overview

High-impact executive appointment leading digital, application, and AI capabilities for the business unit. Serving as a key strategic partner and designated successor to the BU Head, this role translates commercial strategy into technology roadmaps and leads a unified team spanning application development, UX, AI integration, and engineering footprint optimization.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategy & Executive Leadership

  • Align business vision with modern digital architecture; deliver quarterly roadmaps and investment cases to the Executive Board.

  • Partner with the Data Transformation Lead to integrate data science, UX, and core applications.

  • Serve as operational right-hand to the BU Head with a succession plan into broader leadership.

2. Application Engineering & AI Transformation

  • Modernize application engineering, introducing high-velocity agile practices inspired by gaming/e-commerce architectures.

  • Champion aggressive AI adoption to accelerate the software development life cycle.

  • Embed customer-centric UX across all internal and external software platforms.

3. Global Footprint & Delivery Optimization

  • Evaluate and rebalance global engineering teams, pivoting from offshore hubs toward nearshore delivery centers for increased proximity and retention.

  • Sync core application layers with global innovation hubs (including Asia) focused on bleeding-edge R&D.

Candidate Profile & Qualifications

  • Experience: Director/Senior Director level leading product engineering, modern app development, or digital transformation in a matrixed enterprise environment.

  • Domain Skills: Strong expertise in software engineering, UX paradigms, AI/ML integration, and nearshore/offshore workforce optimization.

  • Executive Presence: Proven capability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, commercial strategies for board-level stakeholders.

  • Leadership Style: Charismatic, high-energy leader capable of driving cultural change, managing cross-cultural teams, and fostering innovation.