At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop business applications on the IBM i platform using RPG and related technologies.
- Company: Join Fred Perry, a global brand with a rich heritage and vibrant community.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, performance bonuses, generous leave, and private healthcare.
- Other info: Flexible working hours and a mix of office and remote work for a balanced lifestyle.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team, working on innovative projects that make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in IT or relevant experience; RPG programming skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 51750 - 63250 £ per year.
The RPG Developer is responsible for designing, developing, testing, and maintaining business applications on the IBM i (AS/400) platform using RPG, CL, and related technologies. The role involves analysing user requirements, creating efficient and reliable programs, and ensuring smooth integration with other enterprise systems.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Maintain and enhance existing IBM i applications to meet changing business needs.
- Analyse, design, code, test, and implement programs using RPG (RPG IV / ILE RPG / Free-Format RPG) on IBM i.
- Develop and optimize CL programs, SQL queries, and data access routines.
- Collaborate with systems analysts, business users, 3rd party vendors and other developers to gather and refine requirements.
- Perform system analysis and debugging to resolve production issues and improve performance.
- Develop and maintain technical documentation including program specifications and change logs.
- Support integration between IBM i applications and other enterprise systems (e.g., ERP, CRM, web services).
- Participate in system upgrades, migrations, and modernization projects.
- Ensure compliance with security, data integrity, and change management policies.
- Provide user support and training for IBM i–based applications.
- Document Support Ticket resolutions in the IT centralised knowledge base repository.
THE PERSON:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or related field (or equivalent work experience).
- Willingness to learn and adapt to evolving IBM i technologies.
- IBM or relevant professional certifications (e.g., IBM Certified RPG Developer) are advantageous.
- Proven experience with ILE RPG, RPG IV, RPG Free, CL, and SQL.
- Experience with DB2/400 database design and optimization.
- Familiarity with DDS, ILE concepts (modules, service programs, binding directories), and subfile programming.
- Exposure to modernization tools (e.g., RDi, VS Code for RPG, API/web service integration) is a plus.
- Experience in working with ERP or business-critical applications such as finance, manufacturing, or logistics systems.
TECHNICAL SKILLS:
- Strong programming skills in RPG IV, ILE RPG, Free-Format RPG, CL, and SQL.
- Solid understanding of IBM i operating system, DB2/400, and DDS-based files.
- Experience with change management tools.
- Familiarity with RDi (Rational Developer for i) or other modern development environments.
- Knowledge of APIs, web services, or data exchange (JSON, XML) for integration.
HOURS:
We actively encourage our teams to have a good work/life balance and so we are pleased to offer flexible working shifts at Fred Perry HQ. Our core shift hours are from 10am – 4.30pm and so employees can choose to start and finish early, or start and finish late. (i.e. work 8:00am-4:30pm, or 10:00am-6:30pm etc). We also have 30-minute early finish on Fridays. As we continue to work in a more flexible way, the Head Office acts as a brand hub, where we can all connect and collaborate with one another. This role is a mix of office based (London) and remote working. We will expect the employee to come into the office regularly for face-to-face meetings and to work alongside their team on collaborative projects.
BENEFITS:
We are proud to offer a wide range of benefits to all our staff, and continue to reassess what our community needs from us to thrive. We don’t want to be a good company to work for, we want to be a great one. Here are some things we currently offer:
- Annual performance-related bonus
- Competitive salary
- Generous staff discount and regular sample sales
- Generous pension scheme with 8.5% company contribution
- Option to buy an extra 5 days holiday annually
- Enhanced maternity and paternity packages
- Life insurance
- Private healthcare
- Cycle to work scheme
- Early finish Fridays
- Season ticket loan
- Additional benefits with long service
- 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
- Annual Birthday vouchers
- EAP
- Social Events
We actively welcome applications from people of all different backgrounds. Your CV will be submitted to hiring managers with all personal details hidden to ensure anonymity.
RPG Developer in London employer: Fred Perry
At Fred Perry, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a vibrant and inclusive work culture. As an Assistant Manager, you will not only lead a passionate team but also benefit from ongoing training and development opportunities that empower your career growth. Located in a dynamic retail environment, we offer a unique chance to be part of a brand with a rich heritage, where creativity and customer focus are at the heart of everything we do.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land RPG Developer in London
✨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 Fred Perry 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 Fred Perry.
✨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 Fred Perry.
✨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 Fred Perry 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 RPG Developer in London
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 Fred Perry.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Fred Perry 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 Fred Perry
✨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 Fred Perry 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.
