Lead Developer

As Lead Developer, you’ll oversee a team of developers, ensuring they have the clarity, direction, and support needed to deliver robust, scalable software solutions. You’ll work across a wide range of enterprise applications and be involved in every stage of the software development lifecycle. You’ll champion best practice, uphold engineering standards, and play a central role in ensuring our systems remain reliable, efficient, and fit for purpose. What we want you to do

• Modify and enhance software to fix issues, improve performance, or upgrade interfaces.
• Oversee system testing, validation, and technical documentation.
• Work with business analysts and development partners to ensure business requirements are understood and delivered.
• Consult with internal teams or customers on project status, proposals, and technical challenges.
• Support departments with software system design, maintenance, and problem resolution.
• Analyse information to recommend new systems or modifications to existing ones.
• Plan and support system installations or upgrades.
• Collaborate with the engineering team to evaluate software-hardware interfaces and define performance requirements.
• Design and develop software systems using structured analysis and modelling techniques.
• Partner with project managers to understand system limitations, capabilities, and delivery expectations.
• Stay up to date with modern technologies and industry best practices, maintaining hands-on capability.
• Review work, share expertise, and mentor junior developers to support their development.

What success in the role looks like

• Balancing hands-on development with effective team leadership.
• Identifying and delivering improvements across processes, services, metrics, and infrastructure.
• Translating business requirements into reliable, high-quality technical solutions.

• A proven track record as a senior, hands-on developer with leadership experience.
• Strong background in software development or engineering roles.
• Familiarity with Agile methodologies and test-driven development.
• Experience with coding languages such as C#, Java, or JavaScript.
• Knowledge of frameworks and tools such as Vue, React, and Git.
• Previous experience leading a development team and fostering a culture of accountability.
• Exposure to DevOps and Azure Pipelines (desirable).
• Experience with front-end development and microservice design patterns (highly desirable).
• Useful but not essential: experience developing AI-driven features within .NET applications (e.g., natural-language summarisation, entity extraction, automated insights)., * Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Strong proficiency in the Microsoft tech stack, particularly C#.
• Skilled in at least one modern scripting framework such as Vue.js, React, or Angular.

Our journey has been shaped by innovation, customer focus and the passion of our colleagues. Along the way, we’ve earned recognition including Investors in People, The Northern Contact Centre Awards, Learning at Work Week Awards and, most recently, the ‘One to Watch’ award from Best Companies, a fantastic reflection of our culture and commitment to excellence. In return for your hard work, you’ll get Your core benefits: At Clear Business, we know great people make a great company. That’s why we offer a benefits package designed to help you thrive personally and professionally.

• Pension contributions and life assurance coverage to support your future and protect what matters most.
• 25 days’ annual leave, increasing to 28 days with service.
• Your birthday off every year - because you deserve it.
• Flexibility to buy up to 10 extra holidays or sell up to 5 days annually.
• Exclusive discounts at popular high street and online retailers.
• Cycle to work scheme and travel loans for people wanting a greener commute.
• Access to LinkedIn Learning.

Wellbeing & support:

• 24/7 access to a GP, mental health support and fitness programmes.
• Free legal and financial advice.
• A strong focus on wellbeing, supported by resources to help you feel your best.

The important extras:

• Hybrid working - up to three days a week from home.
• Charity fundraising and volunteering opportunities
• Fantastic on-site facilities including a free gym and free parking.
• A full-time, permanent contract (37.5 hours per week).
• No weekends and every bank holiday off.

At Clear Business, we exist to make life easier for small businesses and more fulfilling for the people who work here. For over 20 years, we’ve been one of the UK’s leading providers of essential services, offering a unique one-stop solution across Phone, Broadband, Mobile, Water, Gas, Electricity, Payment Services and Insurance., We are one of the UK’s leading providers of essential services to small businesses. We supply a wide range of essential services - Fixed Lines, Broadband, Mobile, Water, Gas, Green Electricity and Insurance through our sister company The Insurance Octopus. Our goal is to simplify essential services for our customers by offering the widest range of products on the market. Not only have we experienced continued growth and strong financial performance as a result, we have been recognised by the following awards