Senior Software Engineer (WordPress)

News UK; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading media company is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to lead software feature development and mentor junior team members. The ideal candidate will possess deep software development experience, particularly in WordPress, PHP, and JavaScript frameworks. This role is crucial for ensuring scalable software solutions that align with the company's innovative initiatives. The successful candidate will thrive in a dynamic environment and contribute significantly to the team's success.

Benefits

Private medical insurance

Discounted gym memberships

Generous pension scheme

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Qualifications

• Proven experience in software development with complex systems.
• Experience in modern WordPress development including Gutenberg blocks.
• Strong understanding of software architecture and algorithms.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end development process of software applications.
• Collaborate with teams to define project requirements.
• Conduct code reviews and contribute to processes improvement.

Skills

Software development experience

WordPress development

PHP proficiency

JavaScript proficiency (React)

Strong communication skills

Mentorship experience

Job description

Job Description

News UK is one of the leading media businesses in the UK and Ireland. Our newsbrands include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun, The Sun on Sunday and the TLS. Our national broadcast brands include talkSPORT, Times Radio and Virgin Radio UK, and we have market‑leading local stations across Ireland. Our world‑famous brands provide news, analysis, opinion and entertainment to almost 40 million people each month. Spanning print and pixel, audio and video, events and experiences, our multi‑format brands are home to a plurality of opinion, representing the diverse communities we serve. Driven by passion, guided by principles and acting with purpose, we exist to promote a fair society, freedom of speech and a little bit of fun. Rethinking continually the business of storytelling, we represent, reflect and reach the nation, telling the stories that matter.

Your Team

We are the Rich Article Tribe, working on The Times as part of News UK Tech. We are a dynamic team of 20+ people working across three time zones, solving crucial problems and building editorial tools for TheTimes.com – one of the most visited news websites in the country.

Your Role

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will be responsible for leading the development of features, as well as providing technical guidance and mentorship to junior and mid‑level team members. Your expertise will be crucial in implementing and maintaining scalable and high‑performance software solutions that meet the needs of our stakeholders.

Day to day you will

• Lead the end‑to‑end development process, including design, implementation, testing, and deployment of software applications.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to define project requirements and ensure timely and successful delivery of software solutions.
• Provide technical expertise and guidance to team members, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.
• Conduct code reviews and contribute to the improvement of development processes and best practices.
• Identify and address technical challenges, ensuring the scalability, security, and performance of software applications.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues, ensuring the stability and reliability of software products.
• Participate in the recruitment and onboarding process of new team members, contributing to the growth and development of the engineering team.

What we’re looking for from you

• Proven experience in software development, with a focus on designing and implementing complex software systems.
• Experience in modern WordPress development including Gutenberg blocks.
• Proficiency in PHP and Javascript, with a focus on React, or other modern development frameworks and tools.
• Strong understanding of software architecture, data structures, and algorithms, with a focus on delivering scalable and efficient solutions.
• Demonstrated leadership abilities, with experience in mentoring and guiding junior team members.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams and stakeholders.
• A passion for technology and a commitment to continuous learning and professional development.

Life at News

Driven by passion, guided by principles and acting with purpose. We represent, reflect and reach the nation, telling the stories that matter. We inform our audiences so that they can make decisions based on trusted information.

We represent, reflect and reach the nation, telling the stories that matter most. To ensure these stories resonate with as broad an audience as possible, it is essential that our organisation reflects the diversity of the people we reach. Whether through age, gender, ethnicity, disability, social class or sexuality, we are committed to representing the rich variety of voices that make up our society. And we champion a culture where everyone has the opportunity to contribute and thrive as we continue to innovate and drive long‑term sustainable growth. This is done through our Diversity Strategy.

At News UK, we take pride in our exceptional employee‑led networks that bring together individuals with shared interests and create a vibrant sense of community. We believe our networks play a vital role in fostering a collaborative and supportive work culture at News UK. Groups that we support include the African & Caribbean Network, Parents and Carers, and LGBTQ+ group News Is Out, and Next Gen.

Benefits

Some of our benefits include:

• Private medical insurance including coverage for pre‑existing conditions
• Discounted gym memberships, free ClassPass at Home, weekly in‑person/virtual exercise classes
• 'Bikes for Work' and 'Electric Car' scheme
• Up to 60% discount on Harper Collins books
• Up to 18 weeks maternity leave on full basic salary & up to 2 weeks paternity leave
• Access to exclusive events and competitions with exciting brands such as talkSPORT, Virgin Radio UK & The Times. Weekly virtual panel chats with top journalists and celebrities
• Access to wellbeing benefits such as EAP, physio/massage and counselling
• A generous pension scheme with employer contributions of up to 5%
• Wide range of training available, plus full LinkedIn Learning access
• 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays and up to 4 volunteering days per year

We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to perform to their best when applying for a role. If you would like to receive any information in a different way or for us to do anything differently to support you to apply for any of our roles please contact us on [email protected].