Lead Web Developer, WordPress (Remote, Pretoria)

Blacksmith Agency; South Africa; Remote; ZAR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Blacksmith Agency seeks a senior Lead Web Developer, WordPress at Blacksmith, to guide end-to-end WordPress builds for US and global clients. You’ll scope work to client objectives, lead teams, and ensure fast, clean, highly customized sites.

You’ll also drive efficiencies with AI and maintain strong client communication in English. This is a senior, client-facing role where you own the development lifecycle, write and review real code, and help shape best practices across projects.

Qualifications

• Strong custom WordPress and PHP development experience.
• Proven ability to scope client work to business goals.
• Fluent English communication with clients and teams.

Responsibilities

• Scope client work against business objectives and set the build approach.
• Lead custom WordPress builds: themes, templates, plugins and blocks.
• Drive efficiency with AI across the development process.
• Be the development voice the client hears and keep sites healthy.

Skills

WordPress

PHP

Frontend

AI in dev

Client-facing

Leadership

Job description

• Remote (USA, Canada, Latin America or South Africa)

Blacksmith Agency

• Engineering
• Full time
• Remote (USA, Canada, Latin America or South Africa)

About The Role

Blacksmith Agency builds high-performance custom websites for clients across the US. As Lead Web Developer, WordPress at Blacksmith, you lead custom WordPress work end to end. You are the face of development for your clients. You scope the build, understand the client's business objectives and tie the work back to them, drive efficiencies with AI, and lead builds that are fast, clean and custom. You still write and review real code. This is a senior, client-facing lead for a strong developer who can also talk to clients. Excellent English required.

What You Will Own

• Scope client work against business objectives and set the build approach.
• Lead custom WordPress builds: themes, templates, plugins and blocks.
• Drive efficiency with AI across the development process.
• Be the development voice the client hears, and keep their sites healthy.

What You Bring

• Strong custom WordPress and PHP, plus modern HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
• The ability to scope work and tie it to a client's business goals.
• Real fluency using AI to drive development efficiency.
• Client-facing communication and excellent English.
• Experience leading or owning builds, not just closing tickets.