Lead Java Developer - Central Government

Spinwell Global; Manchester; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Spinwell is recruiting a Lead Java Developer for a key public sector project. The role is hybrid with attendance in Manchester, Leeds or Birmingham (60% office). Two contracts: 12 months and 6 months, inside IR35, BPSS and SC-eligible. You will drive technical strategy, lead engineers, and shape reusable services.

Responsibilities span coding leadership, risk management, and collaboration with senior stakeholders to implement secure, scalable solutions.

Qualifications

• Advises and sets team standards, tool choices and how to apply them, ensuring compliance.
• Directs on which tools to use and aligns user needs with technical delivery.
• Coaches others and applies modern standards across projects.
• Ensures plans reflect wider strategic priorities and public service delivery considerations.
• Demonstrates customer-focused service delivery with accessible, secure solutions.

Responsibilities

• Champion technical evolution and adopt emerging technologies.
• Lead the software engineering team to deliver the strategic vision of products.
• Provide 3rd line support on products, including out-of-hours when required.
• Design and lead strategies for reusable libraries and services.
• Collaborate with large teams to define the technical direction and standards.
• Identify skills gaps and dependencies within product teams.

Skills

Spring Boot

AWS

Kafka

MongoDB

Job description

Role: Lead Java Developer x 2 REF 105065
Contract Length: 1 x 12 months and 1 x 6 months
Location: Hybrid/Manchester, Leeds or Birmingham - 60% office attendance
IR35: Inside
Pay Rate to Intermediary: Market Rate
Security Clearance: BPSS and SC eligible requested

Spinwell is recruiting for a Lead Java Developer for an excellent opportunity within the public sector.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LEAD JAVA DEVELOPER

• Champion technical evolution within the organisation, find, test, agree and adopt emerging technologies;
• Champion the latest Software Engineer best practices, principles and processes;
• Manage and mitigate risks through effective planning;
• Design and lead the strategies for building reusable libraries and services;
• Prevent and diagnose infrastructure issues. Ensure all requests for support are dealt with according to set standards and procedures;
• Provide 3rd line support on products developed, including out of hours support as and when required;
• Collaborate with large teams of Software Engineers and key technical decision makers to define the strategic vision for our products;
• Lead the Software Engineering community to deliver the strategic vision;
• Develop our Software Engineering capability by rewarding high; performers, shaping career paths and recruiting talent to the organisation;
• Collaborate with the Principal Software Engineering community to ensure usability, accessibility, security, stability and capacity are embedded in the development of our citizen services;
• Identify skills gaps and key dependencies within our product teams.

SKILLS/EXPERIENCE OF THE LEAD JAVA DEVELOPER

Tech stack

• Spring Boot Framework, AWS Experience, Kafka, Mongo DB

Core Fundamental Criteria

• Advises and sets local or team-based standards, tool and techniques and how to apply standards and methods, ensuring compliance, and maintains technical responsibility for all the stages and iterations of a project. Selects appropriate development methods. Provides technical advice and guidance to stakeholders.
• Gives direction on which tools or methods are to be used. Able to bring insight and expertise to how user needs have changed over time and ensure these are met across a variety of channels. Applies strategic thinking in how to provide the best service for the end user. Considers the political strategy and implications of any analyses and insights. Able to bring insight and expertise in how user needs have changed over time to ensure these are met by the business.
• Strong understanding and application of the most appropriate modern standards and practices. Takes responsibility for coaching and guiding others.
• Develop and maintain an understanding of economic, social, political, environmental and technological developments to ensure activity is relevant. Ensure plans and activities in your area of work reflect wider strategic priorities and communicate effectively with senior leaders to influence future strategies. Adopt a government-wide perspective to ensure alignment of activity and policy. Bring together views, perspectives and diverse needs of stakeholders to gain a broader understanding of the issues surrounding policies and activities.
• Demonstrate positive customer service by understanding the complexity and diversity of customer needs and expectations. Deliver a high quality, efficient and cost effective service by considering a broad range of methods for delivery. Ensure full consideration of new technologies, accessibility and costings. Make clear, practical and manageable plans for service delivery. Ensure adherence to legal, regulatory and security requirements in service delivery. Proactively manage risks and identify solutions. Establish how the business area compares to industry best practice. Create regular opportunities for colleagues, stakeholders, delivery partners and customers to help improve the quality of service.
• Encourage, recognise and share innovative ideas from a diverse range of colleagues and stakeholders. Give people space to take initiative and praise them for their creativity. Create an environment where people feel safe to challenge and know their voice will be heard. Make changes which add value and clearly articulate how changes will benefit the business. Understand and identify the role of technology in public service delivery and policy implementation. Consider the full impact of implementing changes on culture, structure, morale and the impacts on the diverse range of end users, including accessibility needs. Identify early signs that things are going wrong and respond promptly. Provide constructive challenge to senior management on change proposals.
• Designs systems characterised by high levels of risk, impact and business or technical complexity. Controls system design practice within an enterprise or industry architecture. Influences industry based models for the development of new technology applications. Develops effective implementation and procurement strategies, consistent with business needs. Ensures adherence to relevant technical strategies, policies, standards and practices.
• Establishes standards and procedures across a service lifecycle including the development lifecycle and ensures that practitioners adhere to this. Manages resources to ensure that the systems integration function works effectively.

We welcome all applications regardless of background, in line with our commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.

Applying to this or any other vacancy advertised by Spinwell Ltd constitutes an agreement for Spinwell Ltd to hold your details for 24 months for the purpose of assessing suitability for the advertised position and to make you aware of any other positions deemed suitable of which You will make you aware by means of either email, text or phone. In line with GDPR regulations you are able to request your details be removed from the company data at any time by emailing us

Disability Confident

As a member of the disability confident scheme, the client guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.

Armed Forces Covenant

The client is proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant and as such, we guarantee to interview all veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.

We will be in touch to discuss your suitability and arrange your Guaranteed Interview.

Should you require reasonable adjustments at any point during the recruitment process or if there is a more accessible way for us to communicate, please do let us know.