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- Tasks: Lead and mentor engineering teams to deliver critical public services at scale.
- Company: Join one of the UK's largest tech organisations with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous pension contributions, hybrid working, and flexible hours.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth in a dynamic, safety-critical environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on services that support millions of citizens every day.
- Qualifications: Experience in leading teams, modern tech knowledge, and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 92522 - 92522 £ per year.
Pay up to £92,522, plus 28.97% employer pension contributions, hybrid working, flexible hours, and great work life balance.
Please read the following job description thoroughly to ensure you are the right fit for this role before applying.
Are you ready to lead at scale - shaping how complex digital services are built, mentoring engineers and influencing senior leaders across one of the UK's largest technology organisations? As a Lead Software Engineer, you'll join our Engineering community, providing technical leadership across multiple agile teams delivering critical public services. You'll sit at the intersection of deep technical expertise and strategic leadership, helping define engineering direction while remaining close to the realities of delivery.
You'll work on high-profile, business-critical services that support millions of citizens every day - from core benefit systems like Universal Credit and Working Age Services, to Digital Payments Services, which process around £230bn in payments annually. This is a rare opportunity to influence how modern software engineering is done at true national scale, within a complex, safety-critical environment where quality, resilience and trust really matter.
What skills, knowledge and experience will you need?
- Experience leading and influencing multiple engineering teams, setting direction and supporting engineers to do their best work
- Ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders, including senior leaders, and influence decisions at that level
- Strong, hands-on knowledge of modern open-source technologies, such as Java, JavaScript and Node.js
- Deep experience building and running systems in cloud environments (AWS or Azure), including APIs, RESTful services and microservice architectures
- Strong practical experience using Test-Driven Development (TDD) to build reliable, maintainable software
- Experience working with SQL and NoSQL databases, such as Postgres, MySQL or MongoDB
You and your role
As our Lead Software Engineer, you'll provide technical leadership across a portfolio of teams and products, shaping how we design, build, test and run software across DWP Digital. You'll work closely with architects, product managers and delivery leaders to define medium- to long-term strategies for our services, ensuring they are resilient, secure and fit for the future.
You'll be working on either:
- Working Age Services Digital - supporting some of the UK government's most high-profile citizen-facing services, including Universal Credit and the green-field Jobs and Careers Service.
- Digital Payments Services - responsible for
Lead Software Engineer in Benton employer: DWP Digital
Contact Detail:
DWP Digital Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Software Engineer in Benton
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at the company through LinkedIn or other platforms. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for landing the Lead Software Engineer role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your coding skills and understanding the latest technologies mentioned in the job description. Practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms, as you'll need to communicate effectively with non-technical stakeholders.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership experience! Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've influenced engineering teams and driven projects to success. Highlight your ability to mentor others and set direction for teams.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in joining our team and contributing to impactful projects.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Software Engineer in Benton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Read the Job Description Carefully: Before you dive into your application, take a good look at the job description. Make sure you understand what we're looking for in a Lead Software Engineer and how your skills align with our needs.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: We want to see how you've led teams and influenced decisions in your past roles. Highlight specific examples where you've set direction and supported engineers to excel in their work.
Be Clear and Concise: When explaining your technical expertise, especially to non-technical stakeholders, clarity is key. Use straightforward language to describe complex concepts, so we can easily grasp your experience.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at DWP Digital
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
As a Lead Software Engineer, you’ll need to showcase your deep knowledge of modern open-source technologies like Java, JavaScript, and Node.js. Brush up on these languages and be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with them, especially in cloud environments like AWS or Azure.
✨Communicate Like a Pro
You’ll be explaining complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, so practice simplifying your language. Prepare examples where you've successfully influenced decisions at a senior level, demonstrating your ability to bridge the gap between tech and business.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Highlight your experience leading multiple engineering teams. Be ready to discuss how you’ve set direction and supported engineers in their work. Think of specific instances where your leadership made a tangible difference in project outcomes.
✨Emphasise Quality and Resilience
Given the safety-critical nature of the role, be prepared to talk about your experience with Test-Driven Development (TDD) and how it contributes to building reliable software. Share examples of how you’ve ensured quality and resilience in past projects, especially in high-profile services.