Hands-on Development Manager - PHP / Laravel

Avanti Recruitment; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading software house is looking for a Hands-On Development Manager to lead and motivate a team while actively engaging in PHP coding. You will provide technical direction on projects and shape the technology roadmap, fostering a collaborative team environment. The role offers a salary between £70,000 and £85,000 plus equity, remote-first culture, and career progression opportunities.

Benefits

Base salary £70,000 - £85,000

Equity

Remote-first culture

Opportunity for rapid career progression

Qualifications

• Strong experience in PHP, preferably with Laravel framework.
• Experience in leading and mentoring development teams.
• Knowledge of AI systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of senior developers.
• Provide technical direction for projects.
• Shape the technology roadmap and ensure delivery.

Skills

PHP programming

Leadership skills

Problem-solving

Collaboration

Tools

Laravel

Vue.js

MySQL

Elasticsearch

GitHub

Terraform

Job description

Overview

Hands-on Development Manager - PHP / Laravel

We are looking for a Hands-On Development Manager to join a leading software house building Ai products to revolutionise their market. We are looking for a player/manager who can lead, manage and motivate a small but experienced team whilst also remaining hands-on in PHP coding. They recently launched their AI-driven platform which is scaling quickly towards profitability and market leadership with backing from top-tier investors.

The Role

You'll blend hands-on technical expertise in PHP / Laravel, Vue.JS and experience of building AI applications with strong leadership skills. You'll guide a team of senior developers while staying actively involved in coding and technical delivery. We need someone to get everyone pulling in the right direction and delivering on key milestones.

What You'll Do

• Lead and mentor a team of senior developers in a collaborative, non-political environment
• Provide technical direction and architectural oversight for complex projects
• Stay hands-on with coding, problem-solving, and technical delivery
• Shape the technology roadmap, working across legacy systems and cutting-edge AI projects
• Drive technical standards and ensure delivery against ambitious targets
• Work closely with leadership to translate business needs into technical solutions

Technical Stack & Experience

• Strong PHP experience (Laravel framework)
• Database expertise: MySQL, Elasticsearch
• Front-end knowledge: Vue.js or similar modern frameworks
• Understanding of DevOps practices (GitHub, Terraform advantageous)
• AI systems experience is a plus
• Previous experience in scaling tech companies or start-ups highly valuable

What\'s On Offer

• Base salary 70,000 - 85,000 + equity
• Remote-first culture + 1 day a week in the London office
• Opportunity to join at a pivotal scaling moment with rapid career progression potential
• Work on diverse projects from legacy optimisation to cutting-edge AI deployment
• This is your chance to step into a leadership role where you can directly influence both technology direction and team culture.

As the successful candidate, you will thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy mentoring senior developers, and want to be part of building something transformational.

APPLY TODAY for immediate consideration.