Lead Software Developer

We are looking for a Lead Software Developer who is responsible for leading the design, development, and delivery of high-quality software solutions that meet business needs and technical standards. The role combines hands-on development with technical leadership, ensuring robust architecture, code quality, and efficient delivery through agile practices. They will work with others in technology to Lead the technical evolution of BCS's bespoke applications towards a modern, cloud-native architecture that supports SaaS and integration across the organisation.

Role responsibilities:

Technical Leadership

• Lead the technical design, development, and implementation of software systems and applications.
• Define and uphold engineering best practices, coding standards, and quality assurance processes.
• Make architecture recommendations for review with the Application Development Manager, ensuring alignment with BCS technical standards.
• Conduct code reviews and provide constructive feedback to maintain technical excellence.
• Stay informed on emerging technologies, recommending innovations that improve capability and efficiency.
• Own the technical roadmap for modernising legacy applications (e.g. PHP and older .NET frameworks) towards sustainable cloud hosted platforms.
• Champion CI/CD pipelines and automation to accelerate delivery and improve reliability.
• Define and maintain coding standards, documentation practices, and code review processes to raise engineering maturity.

Software Development

• Develop, test, and deploy high-quality code using modern frameworks and tools.
• Work closely with Product Owners, Business Analysts, and Designers to translate requirements into robust technical solutions.
• Troubleshoot, debug, and optimise applications for performance and scalability.
• Ensure adherence to security, compliance, and data protection standards in all development activity.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Provide technical guidance, coaching, and mentoring to developers, supporting professional growth and performance.
• Demonstrate a continuous improvement mindset by seeking opportunities to enhance processes, performance, and outcomes.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and agile delivery within the team.
• Coordinate workload, set priorities, and ensure timely delivery of development projects.
• Work collaboratively across Product, Infrastructure, and QA teams to deliver seamless, integrated solutions.
• Work closely with the QA team to embed test automation and shift-left practices.
• Collaborate with the BI and Data Governance teams to ensure application data integrity, consistency, and compliance.
• Communicate clearly, work effectively with others, and contribute to team objectives.
• Remain flexible and adaptable in response to changing priorities, challenges, and work environments.
• Embrace change positively and support others through periods of transition.

Agile Delivery & Continuous Improvement

• Champion agile methodologies, supporting sprint planning, stand-ups, retrospectives, and backlog refinement.
• Identify and implement opportunities for process automation and workflow improvement.
• Monitor and report on development progress, risks, and quality metrics.
• Uphold BCS values by providing technical expertise, coaching others, and contributing to a culture of learning, innovation, and high performance.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Relevant professional or technical certifications (e.g., Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer, AWS Developer, Scrum Master) are desirable.
• Professional membership of BCS - MBCS, * Proven experience as a Senior or Lead Software Developer in a complex or multi system environment.
• Track record of delivering end-to-end software solutions within agile, collaborative teams.
• Experience in technical leadership, including mentoring, coaching, and leading small teams.
• Demonstrable experience with cloud-based development (Azure, AWS, or GCP).
• Hands-on experience in front-end and back-end development, API integration, and CI/CD automation.
• Experience of architecting scalable, secure, and maintainable system, * Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and debugging skills.
• Strong leadership and communication abilities, capable of influencing and motivating others.
• Skilled in time management, prioritisation, and agile delivery.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to work across multidisciplinary teams.
• Attention to detail, commitment to quality, and focus on continuous improvement.
• Adaptable and proactive, with a positive "can-do" approach to challenges

Knowledge

• Proficiency in one or more programming languages (e.g. C#, .NET, JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, or Java).

• Understanding of modern front-end frameworks (e.g. Blazor, React, Angular, Vue) and server-side technologies (e.g. .NET Core, Node.js, Django).

• Knowledge of cloud infrastructure and DevOps tools (e.g. Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub Actions, Jenkins).

• Strong grasp of software architecture principles, design patterns, and system integration.

• Understanding of database management (SQL and NoSQL) and API design.

• Awareness of security best practices, compliance standards, and data protection (GDPR).

• Familiarity with testing frameworks and principles such as TDD/BDD.

• There is occasional requirement for out of hours working.

BCS is dedicated to providing training and development to help all staff realise their potential, and also offer a generous benefit package.

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT are committed to promoting equality at every opportunity as an employer. This statement and our policies are designed to ensure our recruitment and employment practices and procedures actively promote equality of opportunity and value diversity., * Hybrid working

• Group Personal Pension Plan
• 23 days holiday per year, increasing up to 27 days with service
• Birthday leave
• Paid Christmas office shutdown
• Private Medical Insurance and/or Health Cash Plan
• Life assurance (x4 salary)
• Income protection
• Enhanced maternity/paternity leave
• Free BCS membership
• Reimbursement for professional membership (role dependant)
• Holiday buying scheme
• Financial wellbeing support
• Peer recognition scheme
• Unum Help@Hand (including access to EAP, online GP consultations, wellbeing support, retail discounts and more)