At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead software development and improve processes in an agile environment.
- Company: Join Companies House, a top employer transforming digital services with cutting-edge technology.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, 30 days leave, and a generous pension scheme.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of continuous improvement and innovation with dedicated time for personal projects.
- Why this job: Shape the future of digital services while fostering innovation and collaboration.
- Qualifications: Significant experience in software development and leadership, with knowledge of NodeJS and AWS.
The predicted salary is between 44000 - 62000 £ per year.
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We are recruiting for a Principal Software Developer to provide additional leadership to the Software Development profession during a time of growth.
- Are you someone who could help encourage our profession to be the best it can be?
- Are you enthusiastic about making change and ensuring all our teams have the skills and knowledge they need to succeed?
These are exciting times at Companies House as we continue our transformation journey, developing new digital services that are used nationally at scale. Our services are built using the latest technology and cloud services, with a focus on microservice development on AWS.
This role is a unique opportunity to shape how we develop and secure our digital services. Working within an embedded agile delivery structure you will be empowered to define the processes and technology we use to produce software.
Watch this video to find out more about working in Digital at Companies House
Companies House offers a flexible and welcoming culture that promotes a healthy work life balance as well as a proactive approach to wellbeing that allows us to be our best at work. We recognise that people are the key to our success so offer a fantastic benefits package including flexible working with no core hours, 30 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays and 1 privilege day as well as enrolment into the Civil Service Pension scheme with a contribution rate averaging 28%.
Find out more about what a great place Companies House is to work
You’ll work closely with the Head of the Development to produce, lead and implement strategies to:
- Improve the flow of software into production and meet users needs.
- Ensure high quality software is delivered within an agile delivery environment through the constant improvement of standards and processes.
- Establish communities of practice both internally and externally, in order to share knowledge and help.
- Raise the profile of Development and Companies House both internally and externally through knowledge sharing and supporting others to create a culture of innovation and experimentation.
- Keep up to date with emerging technologies and lead the introduction into the development community when appropriate, ensuring that legacy technologies and services are constantly improved or removed as necessary.
We want our profession to:
- Be passionate about meeting user needs by releasing software as often as possible.
- Be enthusiastic about clean maintainable code, well designed software and coaching others with it.
- Love helping and mentoring others to enable them to work at their best.
We would love you to be part of our team and help us get to a point where the following are part of the culture. We want to:
- Have many releases per day automatically into production.
- Have automated test coverage for everything from accessibility to security and performance.
- Be constantly innovating and running iterations of our services to meet and exceed user needs.
- Be publicly recognised as an organisation that works openly on interesting things.
- Ensure we are meeting the needs of our users by ensuring we have diversity in thought and ideas.
Person specification
We're looking for the following, which will be assessed at sift and at interview. The successful candidate will be someone who:
- Values working in the open, and are comfortable sharing ideas early.
- Is optimistic and will lead the teams according to the Companies House values by being Adaptable, Bold and Curious.
- Is proactive, and encourage others to take practical action.
- Recognises that diverse views make our services better. You’ll communicate across borders, whether that’s teams, directorates or government agencies.
- Enjoys learning and experimenting with new approaches and tools.
- Relishes helping others to work at their best.
- Is confident using a coaching or mentoring approach to provide leadership within projects.
Technical
Knowledge of the following technologies:
- NodeJS, Java, AWS
And ideally some knowledge of these technologies:
- Go, API's, GitHub, Concourse
Experience
You’ll have significant experience as a developer and leading developers.
- Experience of improving the development practice ensuring that the engineering function is delivering software in its most optimum way.
- Experience of working using agile methodologies.
- Experience of setting and delivering strategic direction for the engineering function including the management of all necessary stakeholders.
About us
Companies House is an award-winning employer, building brilliant services on cutting edge technology. You’ll join our digital team at a time of transformation, and you will be a part of shaping the future of our department. We use Agile methodologies and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
We currently have 15 cross functional agile software development teams. Each containing developers, testers, business analyst, product owner, user researcher, user experience and agile delivery manager.
The teams are supported by a platform team who have already automated large parts of our development pipeline using Concourse CI, SonarQube, AWS, Terraform, Ansible, Artifactory & Docker. We also have a dedicate Research and Development driving Innovation at the heart of Engineering.
We’re migrating our current legacy systems into a Microservice architecture. All new services are hosted on AWS and we’re using trunk-based development and Continuous Integration.
We're working with data that is estimated to be worth £3 billion to our users. There are over 4 million companies on the register. Over 6 billion searches of the free register are made every year (excluding API calls). We register approximately 2,800 new companies every day.
What it is like to work in Companies House
Inclusive and diverse teams are important to us. Wherever possible we offer flexible working arrangements. We'll support you to meet other commitments and help you strike a better work-life balance. We’re keen to create an environment that works for everyone, and we particularly encourage applications from different underrepresented demographics.
Half a day a week is devoted to Innovation time where everyone in digital can work on whatever they choose, be that building new applications, trying new technologies or working towards certifications, it’s up to you. In addition to this we offer lots of opportunities to have training as and when it is needed. We trust and empower our staff to work in a way which best suits them.
Companies House is an award-winning employer, with an Investors in People Platinum Award we are at the forefront in ensuring our staff reach their full potential in building brilliant services on cutting-edge technology. You’ll be joining our Software Engineering Profession at a time of transformation and you will be a part of shaping the future of our department. We use Agile Methodologies and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
Alongside your salary of £51,854, Companies House contributes £15,022 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
We offer an excellent benefits package that includes:
- a generous 30 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays and 1 privilege day
- enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme with a contribution rate of averaging 28%
- a range of recognition schemes including instant awards to thank and recognise each other's efforts and contributions
- strong ethos of equality, diversity and inclusion
- great work life balance with flexible and mobile working available for many roles
- a pro-active approach to employee wellbeing that allows our employees to flourish and be their best at work and has enabled us to become an Investors In People platinum accredited employer
- online financial support and advice
- seasonal flu jabs
- generous maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave allowances
- a focus on career development and progression
- a number of inclusive network groups to support our colleagues and a great sports and social society
- cycle to work scheme
Next Steps
Click 'Apply Now' to be taken to our main advert Civil Service Jobs where you can see more details regarding the role, the incredible benefits we have to offer and what it's like to work in Companies House.
If you have any questions about the role or process, please reach out to kjones6@companieshouse.gov.uk.
This role closes on 1 June 2025.
Seniority level
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Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
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Employment type
Full-time
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Job function
Information Technology, Engineering, and Other
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Industries
Government Administration
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Principal Software Engineer in Cardiff employer: Companies House
Companies House is an exceptional employer, offering a flexible and inclusive work culture that prioritises employee wellbeing and work-life balance. With a strong commitment to career development, employees benefit from a comprehensive package that includes generous annual leave, a robust pension scheme, and opportunities for continuous learning and progression within a supportive community. Located in vibrant Cardiff or Edinburgh, this role allows you to be part of a significant digital transformation, contributing to meaningful public services while enhancing your technical and leadership skills.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Software Engineer in Cardiff
✨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 Companies House 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 Companies House.
✨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 Companies House.
✨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 Companies House 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 Principal Software Engineer in Cardiff
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 Companies House.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Companies House 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 Companies House
✨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 Companies House 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.
