Apple Recruitment are recruiting for a Temporary Lead Software Developer on behalf of the NI
Assembly. This role’s expected duration is 12 months. Hourly rate is based on £44039 (+£10445
salary supplement) £28.32 per hour. Hours: 37 hours per week and limited hybrid working is
available.
Job Description:
The main duties and responsibilities of the post are to: Leading and managing a software
development team
• Coach, develop and manage a team of software developers using Agile processes
and reporting;
• Provide expert technical advice and leadership in all aspects of Agile software
development processes;
• Provide technical advice to the Deputy Head of IS Office/Principal Developer to
assist them in managing, evaluating and prioritising software development requests received
through the IS Request System and delegate appropriately to staff in the Application
Development Team;
Leading software development project
• Meet with system stakeholders throughout the duration of a project to gather,
develop and evaluate business requirements, agree on user and technical specifications,
regularly update through review meetings and system demonstrations and seek final project
sign-off;
• Manage work to agreed plans and objectives with Assembly Members, Party
Support and Assembly Commission staff;
• Work collaboratively with the Business Relationship team to gather customer
requirements;
• Translate business requirements into technical specifications, user stories and work
tasks for the Application Development Team;
• Plan and lead the analysis of application features and groups of user stories using
Agile processes;
• Using Azure DevOps, plan and lead feature delivery in Agile sprints;
• Plan and lead the design of software features, user stories and components using
modelling techniques such as conceptual models, Data Flow diagrams and Object-Oriented
Design Principles to agreed technical specifications;
• Plan and lead the implementation and development of software features, user
stories and components using the latest Microsoft technologies;
• Plan and lead the testing of software components;
• Use Azure DevOps Test to create user acceptance and performance testing plans;
• Plan and lead the review and documentation of software components using Azure
DevOps;
• Quality assuring the work of the Application Development Team to ensure they
write clean, secure and effective code that adheres to software development policies,
standards, and best practice guidelines, including version control management;
• Oversee system integration of software components, including integration testing;
• Using Azure DevOps Pipelines, create and manage build & release definitions to
manage software builds and releases;
• Work collaboratively with team members to share knowledge and experience in
developing software components;
• Work collaboratively with IT professionals in the Infrastructure and Service Desk
teams to ensure the software is securely provisioned;
• Assist the Deputy Head of IS Office/Principal Developer with capacity and resource
planning through project assessments and regular project progress reports;
• Using Azure DevOps, provide regular progress updates to the Deputy Head of IS
Office/Principal Developer;
• Provide technical advice, training and support on the use of bespoke business critical
procedural applications, third-party software solutions and software packages to Assembly
Members, Party Support and Assembly Commission staff to ensure the smooth running of
Plenary and Committee business;
• Provide first-line technical support of bespoke systems, corporate ICT systems and
3rd party software, prioritising business-critical procedural systems to ensure the smooth
running of Plenary and Committee business by diagnosing and resolving bugs and software
related issues effectively and efficiently to ensure full resolution of issues;
• Perform project management duties for corporate and directorate software projects
by fulfilling the role of technical assurance and project manager;
Database design
• Oversee the design of database tables and relationships using EntityRelationship models;
• Oversee the implementation of database designs using the latest Microsoft SQL Server,
Management Studio and SQL code;
Technical Support
• Manage, develop and provide technical support and advice for cloud services such as
Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Teams and SharePoint Online, ensuring the business needs of
Assembly Members, Party Support and Assembly Commission staff are met;
• Perform the role of contract manager for software support contracts with 3rd party
suppliers in line with procurement guidelines;
• Investigate and analyse new software products, including the production of assessment
reports and recommendations;
• Provide consultancy for a wide range of ICT enabled activities within the organisation,
including acting as an ICT expert on corporate & interParliamentary working groups;
• Establish, develop and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders, including
Assembly Members, business areas across the Assembly Commission and other ICT staff from
the Northern Ireland Civil Service, non-departmental public bodies and other legislatures;
• Assist the Head of IS Office and Deputy Head of IS Office/Principal Developer in the
development and implementation of relevant IT policy, standards and procedures;
• Assist the Head of IS Office and Deputy Head of IS Office/Principal Developer in the
development, implementation and monitoring of IT security measures
• Liaise with other IS Office staff in maintaining effective ICT services;
• Provide technical support and advice for IS Office Service Desk staff when dealing with
software-related problems;
• Comply with all of the Assembly Commission’s staff policies and procedures, including Equal
Opportunities and Dignity at Work policies and procedures; and
• Undertake other duties that the Assembly Commission reasonably requires of you.
If you wish to apply or would like more information, please email your CV in Microsoft word
format to Caroline Parker by Monday 17 th August 2026 @ 10am. You must also include a bullet
pointed synopsis at the top of your CV demonstrating how exactly you meet the Essential Criteria
below.
Essential Criteria:
Applicants for the post must, by the closing date for applications, have:
1. A Bachelor’s (or higher) degree, in Computing, Computing Science, Software Engineering or other
discipline relevant to Information Systems / Information Technology*.
AND
At least 1 year’s experience in leading and managing an application development team.
AND
At least 2 years’ experience in each of the following areas:
i. Application Development, including Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 or later and C#.NET (or
equivalent technologies) and ASP.NET programming skills.
ii. Agile development using Azure DevOps.
iii. Database Design based on Microsoft SQL Server 2012 or later.
OR
2. An HND or Foundation Degree in Computing or other discipline relevant to Information Systems /
Information Technology*.
AND
At least 1 year’s experience in leading and managing an application development team.
AND
At least 3 years’ experience in each of the following areas:
i. Application Development, including Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 or later and C#.NET (or
equivalent technologies) and ASP.NET programming skills.
ii. Agile development using Azure DevOps.
iii. Database Design based on Microsoft SQL Server 2012 or later
*NB Only those courses with a computing content of 50% or more will be considered and applicants
must give full details on the application form of how the content of the course meets this
requirement.
Further Details:
Hourly Rate: £28.32
Duration: 12 months
Date of informal discussions: Monday 17 th August via Teams (afternoon)
This business area offers limited hybrid working
Closing date for CV submission to Apple: Monday 17 th August @ 10am.
If you wish to apply or would like more information, please email your CV in Microsoft word format
to Caroline by Monday 17 th August 2026 @ 10am.
Applicants must ensure their CV is accurate and up to date. The CV should include your full
employment history inclusive of dates, all academic achievements and full personal contact details.
Please note only applicants that match these criteria can be considered for the role.
Apple Recruitment Services is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy. Apple
Recruitment Services is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
Lead Software Developer in Belfast employer: Apple Recruitment
The NI Assembly offers a dynamic and inclusive work environment for Visitor Experience Officers, where you will play a vital role in welcoming and engaging with a diverse range of visitors. With a strong emphasis on professional development, employees are encouraged to contribute ideas and feedback to enhance the visitor experience, while enjoying competitive pay and a supportive team culture. Located in the historic Parliament Buildings, this role provides a unique opportunity to be part of a significant institution, fostering connections and delivering exceptional service.
