Senior Developer - IT Services - 103634 - Grade 7

University of Birmingham; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading university in the UK seeks a Senior Developer for its IT Services team. This role involves designing and maintaining secure software solutions while collaborating with cross-functional teams. Candidates should have a degree in Computer Science and extensive experience in full-stack development, SharePoint, and WordPress. Benefits include a generous holiday allowance and opportunities for development within a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Benefits

40 days paid holiday

Occupational sick pay

Pension scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Educated to Degree level in Computer Science, Software Engineering or related discipline.
• Extensive experience in full-stack web development and strong SharePoint development experience.
• Proven skills in hosting, configuration and administration of WordPress.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test and maintain technical solutions for the University’s systems and applications.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather requirements and troubleshoot technical challenges.
• Lead code reviews and mentor junior developers in the IT department.

Skills

Full-stack web development

SharePoint development

WordPress administration

JavaScript frameworks

.NET framework

SQL Server

Agile development

DevOps processes

User experience design

Education

Degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

.NET Core

Power Automate

React

PowerShell

Job description

Position Details

IT Services

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Grade: 7

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 9th December 2025

UK travel may be required for this role

Our Offer to You

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector‑leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University. Depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements and welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state‑of‑the‑art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about benefits of working for the University of Birmingham

Background

The role of IT Services is to ensure that the University of Birmingham community has access to responsive, resilient, secure and accessible systems and support. Our technologies enable our students, staff, researchers, visitors and partners to confidently and creatively use digital services, technology and data for the benefit of their learning, teaching, research or work.

IT Services are building a culture of innovation, collaboration, openness and inclusivity, and we apply the principles of customer focus and continuous improvement to everything we do. Our IT Services division has an active People and Culture network and Women in IT group, bi‑annual making IT happen awards recognition programme and Social Committee which arranges regular activities and events for colleagues.

With a new Digital Strategy, this is an exciting opportunity to join the team making IT happen at the University of Birmingham.

Role Summary

The successful candidate will design, develop, test and maintain technical solutions for the University’s systems and applications. This role involves collaborating with cross‑functional teams to gather requirements, troubleshooting complex technical challenges and ensuring robust delivery of scalable and secure software products. The Senior Developer will also lead code reviews, mentor junior developers, and contribute to innovation within the IT department.

Staff and students expect seamless, high‑quality digital experiences. With the growing reliance on mobile devices, cloud platforms and online services, users demand access to information and tools anytime and anywhere. Meeting these expectations directly affects the University’s reputation, student satisfaction and NSS results. The Senior Developer (Web and Digital) will support the University’s digital presence, enable better self‑service, collaboration and efficiency, and help attract students, modernise operations and improve staff and student engagement.

Main Duties

• Solution architecture:
  • Contributes to the development of systems architectures using appropriate tools and models.
  • Produces detailed component specifications and translates them into designs for implementation.
  • Provides architectural guidance for web, API, database, SharePoint and WordPress solutions, ensuring scalability, performance and compliance with University policies.
  • Advises on integration between SharePoint, WordPress and enterprise systems within Microsoft 365 and Azure environments.
• Systems design:
  • Designs system structures that meet business and user needs, considering security, performance and existing infrastructure.
  • Produces detailed design documentation for web, SharePoint and WordPress implementations.
  • Designs SharePoint site collections, lists, libraries and permissions for both Modern and Classic environments.
• Programming/software development:
  • Designs, codes, tests and documents complex full‑stack applications using .NET Core, REST APIs and modern front‑end frameworks.
  • Develops SharePoint solutions including SPFx web parts, Power Automate flows, Power Apps and PowerShell automation.
  • Customises and supports WordPress themes, plugins and integrations, following accessibility and security standards.
  • Builds reusable components and ensures consistency across platforms.
• Testing:
  • Creates and executes test cases, including automated tests where possible.
  • Performs integration, regression and performance testing across web, API, SharePoint and WordPress systems.
  • Ensures accessibility and compliance with institutional and legal standards.
• Software release and deployment:
  • Im controlled release processes using CI/CD pipelines for web and SharePoint systems.
  • Manages deployment and updates of WordPress instances, ensuring version control, plugin management and rollback readiness.
• Porting/software configuration:
  • Configures software, databases and hosting environments to agreed standards.
  • Maintains WordPress hosting environments, user accounts, security certificates and backups.
  • Configures SharePoint environments for both on‑premises and Microsoft 365 cloud deployments.
• User experience analysis and design:
  • Works with designers and business stakeholders to define intuitive user interfaces and information structures.
  • Applies UX and accessibility principles to SharePoint, WordPress and custom web solutions.
• User experience evaluation:
  • Conducts usability and accessibility testing across platforms.
  • Evaluates user feedback and analytics to inform design improvements.
• Technical specialism:
  • Maintains advanced technical knowledge and provides expert advice in:
    • .NET and web API development
    • JavaScript, TypeScript, React and responsive front‑end design
    • SQL Server and relational database optimisation
    • SharePoint (Modern and Classic), SPFx, Power Automate, Power Apps, PowerShell
    • WordPress development, hosting and administration
    • Mobile app development (Flutter or equivalent)
    • Contensis CMS
    • Integration with Azure, Microsoft Graph and Power Platform
    • Source control, CI/CD and DevOps processes
  • Responsible for development, maintenance and third‑line support across:
    • Single sign‑on and authentication services
    • University web applications and APIs
    • My.bham and intranet systems
    • SharePoint intranet and collaboration sites
    • WordPress blogs and hosted websites
    • Contensis templates and public web pages
    • Power Platform automations
    • Mobile and responsive web applications
• Web and digital development methods and tools:
  • Promotes use of modern development frameworks, source control, Agile delivery and continuous integration practices.
  • Ensures consistent environments for web, API, SharePoint and WordPress systems.
• Emerging technology monitoring:
  • Keeps abreast of new developments in cloud, Microsoft 365, WordPress and modern web technologies.
  • Assesses opportunities for adoption and advises on future digital direction.
• Technology leadership and innovation:
  • Leads by example in delivering robust, maintainable and efficient solutions.
  • Drives innovation in automation, performance improvement and digital user experience.
• Supplier management and sourcing:
  • Supports evaluation and procurement of third‑party tools, plugins or services for WordPress, SharePoint or web hosting.
  • Monitors supplier performance and maintains service standards.
• Risk and sustainability management:
  • Identifies technical and information security risks across all web platforms.
  • Ensures compliance with accessibility, GDPR and institutional security standards.
• Project management:
  • Leads small to medium‑scale development or migration projects.
  • Plans and tracks progress, manages risks and ensures delivery to time and quality.
• Promotes equality and values diversity, acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
• Supports the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Educated to Degree level (or equivalent qualifications) in Computer Science, Software Engineering or other related discipline, or relevant technical qualification and considerable relevant experience. Where no equivalent qualification is held, significant practical relevant experience and expertise in a series of more demanding roles will be required demonstrating the conceptual understanding required.
• Expert understanding of full‑stack web and digital development.
• Strong SharePoint development experience across Modern and Classic environments.
• Proven WordPress hosting, configuration and administration skills.
• Knowledge of .NET, SQL Server, JavaScript frameworks and Power Platform integration.
• Familiarity with Azure hosting, DevOps pipelines and version control systems.
• Transferable full‑stack skills:
  • Front‑end: React, TypeScript, HTML5, CSS, accessibility compliance.
  • Back‑end: .NET Core, RESTful API design, microservices.
  • Database: SQL Server, data modelling, stored procedures, query optimisation.
  • Integration: Microsoft Graph, Power Automate, REST APIs and third‑party connectors.
  • WordPress: plugin configuration, theme management, multisite administration, backups and updates.
  • DevOps: Git, CI/CD pipelines, automated testing and deployment management.
  • Collaboration: cross‑functional teamwork, peer review, mentoring and stakeholder communication.
• Able to explain technical solutions clearly to non‑technical audiences.
• Works collaboratively with designers, analysts and infrastructure teams.
• Analytical approach to identifying and resolving complex issues across web, SharePoint and WordPress systems.
• Able to assess technical dependencies and propose balanced, sustainable solutions.
• Plans and prioritises multiple initiatives effectively.
• Ability to provide mentoring and guidance to less experienced developers.
• Extensive experience in full‑stack web development.
• Proven track record in SharePoint and WordPress development and administration.
• Experience working with Agile delivery and DevOps workflows.
• Familiarity with cloud hosting and hybrid environments.
• Evidence of literacy and numeracy.
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

DBS required

The University is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice, therefore all associated pre‑employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory DBS clearance prior to appointment.

BPSS Required

Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role, all successful applicants will be subject to a BPSS check prior to appointment.

Informal enquiries to Fawad Bhatti, email: [e-mail]

View our staff values and behaviours here

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.