Lead Software Developer

As a Lead Developer you will turn the technical direction set by the Technical Architect into clear and deliverable designs, and lead a group of developers to build secure and accessible software that meets HMRC standards. You will take ownership of delivery through the full software development lifecycle and ensure the team works at pace to meet agreed outcomes. You will set expectations with stakeholders, identify risks early, and make sure the product remains aligned to the technical blueprint. You will provide strong technical leadership by writing high quality software, guiding developers through complex work, and promoting consistent engineering practices. You will invest in your own learning and support the growth of others and you will help HMRC move from legacy systems to modern web, microservice and cloud based solutions. You will apply a sound understanding of Business Developed Applications and their role in HMRC’s wider technology landscape to ensure each solution is stable, maintainable and aligned with organisational needs.

Lead the design, development and delivery of BDApp products using the blueprint set by the Technical Architect. Provide hands on development and ensure all solutions meet security, accessibility and coding standards. Set direction for the development team day to day and model effective Leadership behaviours. Work with stakeholders to clarify scope, manage expectations and maintain a steady delivery pace. Mentor developers and support skills growth in line with Developing Self and Others. Identify risks or deviations from design principles and act quickly to keep delivery on track. Produce clear documentation and work with support teams to resolve complex issues.

Illustrative Technical Skills

• Strong experience of delivering software across the full software development lifecycle.
• Skilled in C# or another high level programming language.
• Experience of web, API, microservice or cloud based development.
• Understanding of Business Developed Applications and how they sit within HMRC’s technology stack.
• Ability to design and maintain detailed test scripts and support technical and user acceptance testing.
• Experience of modern development tooling including automation, robotics or low/no code where appropriate.
• Ability to produce clear technical documentation and support transition of products into live operations.

Essential Criteria

• Proven experience leading the design, development and delivery of software products across the full software development lifecycle, translating architectural direction into working solutions delivered by a development team.
• Significant hands on experience developing in a high level programming language such as C# or Java, with practical experience of modern frameworks and technologies including .NET, Blazor, web front ends and service based architectures.
• Strong understanding of software engineering principles and practices, including SOLID principles, test driven development, and common design patterns such as MVC or MVVM, with the ability to apply these consistently across a team.
• Experience working with data persistence technologies, including relational and non relational databases, ORM tools such as Entity Framework, and an understanding of data integrity, performance and security considerations.
• Good knowledge of modern application architectures, including web applications, APIs, microservices and containerised solutions and experience supporting the transition from legacy systems to cloud based services.
• Demonstrable ability to lead and support developers, providing task leadership, mentoring and coaching, sharing knowledge and best practice, and contributing to the development of others through constructive feedback and code review.
• Experience delivering software at pace in an agile environment, managing competing priorities, identifying risks early, and adapting plans to maintain delivery while protecting quality and standards.
• Strong awareness of security and accessibility requirements, including WCAG standards, and experience ensuring solutions meet HMRC policies for data protection, security testing and inclusive design.
• Ability to communicate clearly with technical and nontechnical stakeholders, explaining design decisions, progress, risks and issues, and providing assurance through demonstrations, documentation and evidence based updates.
• Experience supporting live services, including providing senior technical input to incident resolution, supporting 3rd line issues where required, and working with support teams to improve resilience and reduce operational risk.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience working alongside Technical Architects or enterprise design authorities, contributing to solution design reviews and translating architectural blueprints into effective delivery plans.
• Experience supporting large‑scale legacy estates, including modernisation, migration or rationalisation activities, and managing technical risk during transition to SaaS or PaaS solutions.
• Experience of influencing engineering practice beyond an immediate team, for example through communities of practice, shared tooling, coding standards or cross‑programme collaboration.
• Previous line management experience.

Please note: Security Check (SC) clearance level, either already held or willing to obtain, is a requirement of this role.