At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a development team while actively coding and mentoring fellow developers.
- Company: Join a supportive tech team making a real difference for churches and charities.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, learning days, birthday off, and professional training subscriptions.
- Other info: Work hybrid in Solihull with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Combine technical leadership with hands-on development in a collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: 5+ years software development experience and strong mentoring skills required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 70000 £ per year.
Location: Hybrid (3 days in our Solihull office per week)
Contact: 0121 651 11 25
Email: careers@iknowchurch.co.uk
Salary: £60,000 - £70,000 depending on experience
Full Time: 8.30 - 17.00 Monday to Friday
Holidays: 26 days per year + Bank Holidays
Start Date: October 2026
We’re looking for an experienced Development Manager to lead our development team while remaining actively involved in software development. This is a hands‑on role for someone who enjoys writing code as much as helping others succeed. You'll spend part of your week developing new functionality and part mentoring developers, reviewing code, improving processes and helping shape the future of our products. We’re looking for someone who leads by example rather than title. Someone who enjoys solving problems, sharing knowledge and creating an environment where developers can produce their best work. We don't believe great software is built by individuals working in isolation - it comes from teams that trust each other, challenge ideas respectfully and continually improve together.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Leading and supporting a small team of developers, helping them grow and do their best work
- Coaching and mentoring developers through constructive feedback and support
- Planning and shaping new features, from whole‑team UI discussions through to task allocation
- Ensuring code reviews are thorough and maintain a high standard of quality
- Actively coding and contributing to the platform alongside the team
- Refining existing features and developing new modules that solve real customer problems
- Helping the team make effective, secure and responsible use of AI to improve productivity and software quality
- Working closely with other teams to ensure our software meets the needs of churches and charities
- Creating an environment where developers enjoy coming to work and are able to do their best work
- Encouraging healthy technical debate whilst ensuring decisions are made collaboratively
- Helping continually improve our development practices, tooling and deployment processes
- Participating in a shared on‑call rota for critical hosting or platform availability issues.
About You:
- Has significant commercial software development experience, ideally with at least five years in a professional environment.
- Has experience leading or mentoring developers
- Is technically strong and comfortable remaining hands‑on
- Builds trust easily and communicates clearly
- Is approachable, humble and generous with their knowledge
- Can challenge ideas without creating conflict
- Is comfortable saying "I don't know" and enjoys learning from others
- Cares deeply about software quality and user experience
- Has high standards but understands that people learn in different ways
- Is motivated by building products that make a meaningful difference
- Has experience managing cloud infrastructure, ideally within AWS
- Demonstrates unquestionable integrity and professionalism.
Technical Environment:
Our platforms are hosted on AWS, so experience working with modern cloud infrastructure is important.
- PHP (Laravel)
- React / React Native
- Docker
- Legacy system in CodeIgniter and jQuery (this still has some development but will be migrated to Laravel over time)
We also make extensive use of Git, GitHub, code reviews and AI‑assisted development to help us deliver high‑quality software.
Our Culture:
We're a small team and we work closely together. We value people who are collaborative, respectful and willing to help each other. We believe the best ideas can come from anyone, regardless of role, and we encourage open discussion and healthy technical debate. We're looking for someone who enjoys building people as much as building software - someone who can raise standards while remaining approachable, supportive and humble. If you enjoy mentoring others, sharing knowledge and celebrating team success rather than personal recognition, you'll fit in well here. Our 5 values are: Integrity, Excellence, Innovation, Working Together and Fulfilment.
You’ll also enjoy:
- 1 Day per Month Dedicated to Learning - A paid Friday each month to explore new technologies, skills, or passion projects.
- Your Birthday Off - If it falls on a working day, it’s yours to enjoy.
- Subscription to Online Training - Access to professional learning resources.
- Complimentary Car Valet (Every 2 Months) - Professional car cleaning at our car park.
- Annual Eye Test - Plus a £49 contribution towards glasses if required.
Your work will support organisations across the UK, helping them communicate better, care for their contacts, and fulfil their mission. If you're looking for a role where you can combine technical leadership with hands‑on development, help shape products that genuinely make a difference, and work alongside a supportive, experienced team, we'd love to hear from you. This role is Hybrid with 3 days per week based in our Solihull Office.
Software Development Manager employer: Churchedit
At I Know Church, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and supportive work culture. Our hybrid model allows for flexibility while working in our Solihull office, where you will have the opportunity to lead a passionate team of developers, engage in hands-on coding, and contribute to meaningful projects that support churches and charities across the UK. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, we offer dedicated learning days, professional training resources, and a culture that values integrity, excellence, and innovation.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Software Development Manager
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Churchedit or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Churchedit.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Churchedit.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Churchedit that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Software Development Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Churchedit.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Churchedit and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Churchedit
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Churchedit uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
