Lead Software Engineer in Sheffield

Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. For further information, please see 'Selection process details'. Are you capable of leading & mentoring engineering teams while helping to shape and deliver services? Are you an experienced Software Engineer looking to take the next step in your career?

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Digital and Transformation Group is seeking two exceptional Lead Software Engineers to drive the next phase of one of the UK’s largest and most complex digital transformations. This is a rare opportunity for highly experienced engineers to step into a senior, influential role where deep technical expertise meets strategic leadership.

You’ll lead and inspire multiple engineering teams, work shoulder‑to‑shoulder with senior leaders, and translate complex technical concepts into clear, compelling outcomes for non‑technical stakeholders, all while building modern, cloud‑native services using open‑source technologies such as Java, JavaScript and Node.js, AWS and Azure, TDD, robust CI/CD pipelines, API‑driven microservice architectures, and SQL and NoSQL data platforms.

If you thrive in complex environments, enjoy setting technical direction, and want your work to have national scale and purpose, this role offers influence, challenge and genuine impact. We are looking for outstanding Lead Software Engineers who can make a positive impact and want to contribute to one of the most demanding and important Government services for the UK.

Let’s be clear about the impact of your work – the products we build are changing the face of public services with the potential to dramatically transform the future of millions of people. Our Lead Software Engineers are experts in their field, skilled in multiple disciplines, role models in software craftsmanship and have proven experience in the design, development and support of software products.

Responsible for defining medium to long term strategies for product lines, defining guidelines for the Engineering community and leading their adoption across teams in order to deliver quality software products. You will lead the design of complex software products that make up citizen services in collaboration with Architecture.

There are two teams that successful candidates might join:

• Within Working Age Services Digital, we support a range of critical services, including the Department’s highest profile benefit service, Universal Credit. These services sit at the heart of society, helping millions of people every day. In addition, we have the green field Jobs and Careers Service which is the government’s new 'Get Britain Working' initiative which moves DWP to having a customer base beyond benefit claimants. Through all of this we need the highest skilled engineers guiding the teams through cutting edge technology decisions working with Product and Delivery leads throughout.
• Digital Payment Services: Payments are core to DWP. They are the biggest payer in the UK, serving 22m citizens which is 34% of the total UK population and make circa £230bn in payments annually generating a third of the UK’s BACS (Bankers’ Automated Clearing System) traffic. We are delivering an ambitious transformation programme to reimagine and make best use of emerging future technologies in the banking industry to continue to ensure that people who get paid by DWP receive the right amount of money, at the right time into the right bank account.

Please note: As part of the role, you may be required to travel regularly to the other digital hubs. The frequency of this will be discussed further should you be successful.