Senior Software Developer

Northern Advisory Council for Further Education; North East; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A forward-thinking educational organization is seeking a Senior Software Developer (PHP) to enhance their software delivery team. This hybrid role involves leading an agile team to create optimal software solutions, mentoring developers, and ensuring high-quality outcomes. Candidates should possess strong PHP and related technology skills. A competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, including generous annual leave and flexible working hours, are offered.

Benefits

Annual leave starting at 25 days

8 bank holidays

Early finish on Fridays

Health cash plan

Learning and wellbeing fund

Volunteering hours

Qualifications

• Experience leading on architecture definition and system structure.
• Experience providing support and coaching on software development principles.
• Good working knowledge of industry-standard tools and technologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead development within the software delivery team.
• Produce high quality code using engineering best practices.
• Mentor and coach other developers.
• Work with stakeholders to prioritize workload.

Skills

Strong PHP

Laravel

Javascript

Web API skills

XML

JSON

My SQL

Azure DevOps

AWS

Visual Studio

Git repository

Job description

Overview

Contract: Permanent

Location: Hybrid (Head office: Quorum Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne)

This is a hybrid working role, so you’ll need to be able to work from our Head Office once a quarter

Hours per week: 37

Salary: Up to £50,000 depending on experience

About the role

We’re excited to be looking for aSenior Software Developer (PHP)to join ourSoftware Delivery team to lead development within resulting and certification.

In this role, you’ll be leading an agile team of software developers and testers, ensuring that our hundreds of thousands of learners get the right results at the right time.

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Senior Software Developer (PHP) who can guide the team to develop optimal software solutions in a timely fashion while working closely with Business Analysts, the Product Owner and internal stakeholders to ensure we’re delivering the right solutionswhile meeting our regulatory deadlines.

How you’ll make an impact:

• Producing high quality code using the latest engineering best practices and tools
• Working with internal customers to identify solutions that meet their requirements
• Working with the development team on software design, and choosing application stack, databases, libraries, frameworks, and technology
• Working with internal stakeholders to prioritise workload
• Mentoring and coaching other developers

We’d love to hear from you if you offer the following:

• Strong PHP, Laravel, Javascript, Web API skills, XML, JSON.
• A good working knowledge of My SQL, Azure DevOps, AWS, Visual Studio and Git repository
• Experience of leading on architecture definition, system structure, and security
• Experience of providing support, advice and coaching to IT colleagues on software development principals and approach

Feeling inspired? Read the full Job Descriptionto find out more.

What will we offer you in return?

Below are just some of the fantastic benefits we’ll offer you to support you both professionally and personally. You can also visit our Benefits page which covers financial, physical and mental health support, time off and your development.

• Annual leave starting at 25 days and increasing up to 30 days with length of service

• 8 bank holidays and an additional 3 days off during the Christmas closure

• YOU celebration day to celebrate your birthday or another life event

• YOU hour allowing you one hour per month to spend time on something that promotes your wellbeing

• Learning and Wellbeing fund of up to £200 per year

• £400 towards any NCFE accreditedqualificationsper year

• Up to 20 Volunteering hours per year

• Flexible working culture with a hybrid working approach

• Early finish on a Friday at 4:30pm to start your weekend early

• Health cash plan through Westfield to claim towards health costs such as dental and optical

• Tech and Home scheme with savings at Currys and IKEA

• Employee Assistance Programmewith a confidential helpline and access to face to face and telephone counselling

• Pension of up to 9% employer contribution when you contribute 3%
• Death in service payment worth 4 x your salary

In addition to our benefits package, Our Colleague Experience Charter sets out the unique experience you can expect when working at NCFE, to enable a thriving, engaged culture. You can find out more about our Colleague Experience Charter and working life at NCFE.

Shape real change with an NCFE career

Imagine a career where your contributions affect not only what people learn, but the way that learningis developed and delivered.

With over 170 years of education experience our core purpose remains at the heart of the organisation – to promote and advance learning to create a fairer, more inclusive society, making sure no learner is left behind.

Want to know more? Take a lookat our websitehttps://www.ncfe.org.uk/

How to apply

Before applying, please note that we require all candidates to be able to demonstrate proof of Right to Work in the UK.

Ready to join us and shape real change? Apply with your CV if you have the commitment to excel in this position.

Closing Date: Monday 18 August 2025

Interview Date: w/c 25 August 2025

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) statement

We're committed to building rich diversity into our workforce at all levels, to ensure that we understand and are representative of the communities and customers we serve.

We do not discriminate against anyone due to their gender, sexuality, race, age, religion, beliefs, identity, social background, visible or hidden disability, or neurodiversity. Instead, we pride ourselves on our collaborative, vibrant and high-performance culture which embraces everyone, celebrates uniqueness, and enables everyone's voice to be heard.