23579 - Software Developer

The Methodist Church in Britain; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave plus holidays

Civil Service pension schemes

Training and development opportunities

Flexible benefits

Family-friendly policies

Paid paternity/adoption/maternityLeave

Employee networks

Job summary

HM Courts and Tribunals Service, part of the Ministry of Justice, seeks a senior Software Developer to build and maintain Java and Node.js applications. The role requires leading on design, integration, and live support with a strong emphasis on security and governance.

You will mentor colleagues, drive code quality, and coordinate with product managers and architects while working in a hybrid model with substantial office attendance.

Qualifications

• Experience in a modern object-oriented programming language and the core tech stack.
• Experience developing enterprise and public-facing applications.
• Experience working with modern tools and techniques.

Responsibilities

• Write, amend, refactor and document complex code, setting development standards.
• Support and maintain live software, troubleshoot faults, and deploy builds.
• Design medium-risk systems and review others' designs through governance.
• Ensure products are secure and handle information with confidentiality and integrity.
• Plan development, coordinate integration and support testing.
• Lead code reviews and mentor junior colleagues; participate in recruitment.
• Monitor the tech stack and produce modern, well-engineered products.
• Define, measure and improve service availability cost-effectively.
• Translate user stories into designs, collaborating with user researchers.
• Work with product managers, designers, business analysts and digital architects.
• Participate in and lead procurement activities.

Skills

OO language experience

Enterprise/public apps

Modern tools & techniques

HTTP & web framework

Relational databases (PostgreSQL)

Security awareness

Problem solving

Tools

Spring Boot

Angular

ORM

Cloud hosting

Git / Source control

CI/CD tooling

Job description

This Software Developer post sits in the Digital and Technology Services directorate of HM Courts and Tribunals Service, part of the Ministry of Justice. The work is building and maintaining software in Java and Node.js, from designing systems and coordinating integration through to supporting live services. It is a senior developer post carrying the Software Developer title, with hybrid working and a minimum 60% office attendance. Fit depends on passing Security Clearance, which normally needs five years' UK residence.

What the job involves

• Write, amend, refactor and document complex code, leading on this work and setting development standards for others
• Support and maintain software in the live environment, troubleshooting and fixing faults and packaging and deploying builds
• Design systems of medium risk and complexity, taking them through governance and reviewing others' designs
• Ensure products are secure, handle information with confidentiality and integrity, and raise risks for information assurance
• Plan development around related stories, coordinate integration across systems and support integration testing
• Take a test-driven approach, write complex automated tests and lead code reviews of colleagues' work
• Guide, coach and mentor more junior colleagues, and take part in and lead recruitment
• Monitor changes to the tech stack, keep skills current and produce modern, well-engineered products
• Define, measure and improve service availability in a cost-effective way
• Translate user stories into designs and build software to meet user needs, working with user researchers
• Work with stakeholders including product managers, designers, business analysts and digital architects
• Take part in and lead procurement activities

What’s required

Experience

• Experience in a modern object-oriented programming language and the core tech stack
• Experience developing enterprise and public-facing applications
• Experience working with modern tools and techniques

Skills & knowledge

• Sound knowledge of HTTP and at least one web development framework, such as Spring Boot or Angular
• Sound knowledge of at least one relational database, such as PostgreSQL
• Sound knowledge of enterprise technologies, including logging and monitoring, ORM, authentication, cloud hosting, systems integration, source control and package management
• Understanding of common security issues and how to mitigate them
• Systematic, analytical approach to problem solving

Checks & eligibility

• Security Clearance (SC), a condition of appointment
• UK residence normally for at least five years to meet SC requirements
• Eligibility under the Civil Service nationality rules

Other

• Ability to work effectively as part of a collaborative team
• Coding challenge, with a repository link, submitted with the application
• Anonymised CV, statement of suitability of up to 500 words and examples of Civil Service Behaviours

Nice to have

• Experience of mentoring, coaching or leading other developers, at work or through technical communities
• Interest in taking on new technical and leadership challenges
• Passion for continuous learning and supporting the development of others
• Commitment to high standards of quality and professionalism
• Desire to make a positive impact on the communities served

What’s offered

• 25 days annual leave rising to 30 after five years' service, plus public holidays and one privilege day
• Scheme to buy or sell up to three days' leave each year
• Choice of Civil Service pension schemes
• Training and development opportunities
• Employee-run networks
• Family-friendly policies, including reduced hours or job share
• Flexible benefits, retail vouchers and discounts
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave, and free annual sight tests for screen users