At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of our in-house reservation system and mentor a dynamic team.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking online tour operator group with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, generous holiday, and learning opportunities.
- Other info: Friendly atmosphere with casual dress code and exciting company events.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in travel tech while growing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in .NET, Agile methodologies, and team management required.
The predicted salary is between 56700 - 69300 £ per year.
The Development Manager (Platform) is responsible for leading the day-to-day development and delivery of SHG’s in-house reservation system, Hermes, built primarily in .
NET.
The role ensures highquality engineering, effective Agile ways of working, and the smooth delivery of enhancements, maintenance and integrations across the platform.
The post-holder will manage and develop a team of software engineers, inherit and strengthen an established team culture, and work closely with the Solution Architect to ensure all development aligns with architectural standards and the wider technology strategy.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage the planning, delivery and quality of all development work on the Hermes platform.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of developers, supporting skills growth, performance and career development.
- Work in close partnership with the Solution Architect, translating architectural direction into actionable development tasks and ensuring adherence to technical standards.
- Oversee Agile delivery processes (Scrum/Kanban), including sprint planning, stand-ups, estimation, retrospectives, and demos.
- Ensure high-quality code, effective peer reviews, secure coding practices, and reliable CI/CD pipelines.
- Support the stability, scalability, and performance of Hermes, managing technical debt and addressingate with Product Owners, QA, Infrastructure and Integration teams to ensure clear requirements and successful end-to-end delivery.
- Manage workload distribution, track team velocity, and ensure predictable delivery outcomes.
- Maintain documentation related to development processes, technical decisions and platform components.
- Ensure compliance with Info Sec, GDPR and internal governance standards.
- Promote continuous improvement in engineering practices, tooling, and ways of working.
Key Performance Indicators
- Delivery Predictability: Achievement of sprint commitments and roadmap milestones.
- Quality & Stability: Reduction in production incidents, defects, and rework.
- Engineering Improvement: Increased adoption of CI/CD, automation and coding standards.
- Team Performance & Engagement: Improved capability, retention, and feedback from the development team.
Experience
- Proven experience as a Development Manager, Lead Developer or Senior Engineer managing a development team.
- Hands‑on experience with . NET (C#, . NET Core), Angular, API development and SQL Server.
- Experience inheriting and developing an established engineering team.
- Strong track record of delivering software using Agile methodologies.
- Experience of establishing Agile practices within a team.
- Experience collaborating with Solution Architects or architecture functions.
- Demonstrated success improving engineering standards, delivery processes or team performance.
- Experience in travel, reservations, booking platforms, or high‑availability transactional systems.
- Exposure to cloud technologies (AWS, Azure), microservices or event‑driven architectures.
- Experience in integration‑heavy environments or API/middleware ecosystems.
- The Person
- The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following attributes:
- Supportive, empathetic leader who builds trust with established teams.
- Strong communicator able to explain technical issues clearly to varied audiences.
- Calm, pragmatic decision‑maker able to prioritise effectively under pressure.
- Passionate about continuous improvement and modern engineering practice.
- Collaborative, team‑focused mindset with a desire to deliver high‑quality outcomes.
Skills and Knowledge
- Strong technical understanding of the Microsoft development stack.
- Good knowledge of Agile SDLC frameworks and team delivery practices.
- Ability to convert architectural direction into detailed delivery tasks.
- Competence with CI/CD workflows, version control (Git), automated testing and Dev Ops principles.
- Strong problem‑solving and analytical thinking skills.
- Ability to coach and develop team members at varying skill levels.
- Understanding of secure coding, data protection and compliance requirements.
Qualifications (Desirable but not essential)
- Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or related discipline.
- Microsoft development or cloud certifications (e. g., Azure Developer/Administrator).
- Leadership or management training certifications.
This is a Full‑Time position where you will be required to work 37.5 hours per week, Monday – Friday
In return for your hard work and commitment we will offer
- Core Benefits*
- Company Pension Scheme
- 22 days holiday rising 1 day per year (up to 25)
- Enhanced Pension
- Enhanced Maternity & Paternity
- Learning & Development Funding
- Life Insurance
- Additional Benefits*
- Long Service Awards
- Staff Travel Discounts
- Company social events
- Employee Discounts Platform
- Eye Care e Vouchers
- Friendly working atmosphere
- On‑site parking
- Casual dress code
Destination2 Ltd, Holiday Gems Ltd, Citalia, Sovereign and American Holidays are part of the Travcorp Holdings Ltd group and are the most innovative and progressive Online Tour Operators in the UK selling holidays nationwide to a variety of long and short haul destinations.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
IT Development Manager / Lead (Platform) in Belfast employer: Holiday Gems Limited
As an IT Development Manager at Travcorp Holdings Ltd, you will be part of a dynamic and innovative team dedicated to delivering high-quality software solutions in a supportive and collaborative environment. With a strong focus on employee growth, we offer extensive learning and development funding, alongside a friendly work culture that values continuous improvement and teamwork. Located in the heart of the UK travel industry, our company provides unique opportunities for career advancement while enjoying benefits like staff travel discounts and a casual dress code.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land IT Development Manager / Lead (Platform) in Belfast
✨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 Holiday Gems Limited 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 Holiday Gems Limited.
✨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 Holiday Gems Limited.
✨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 Holiday Gems Limited 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 IT Development Manager / Lead (Platform) in Belfast
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 Holiday Gems Limited.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Holiday Gems Limited 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 Holiday Gems Limited
✨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 Holiday Gems Limited 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.
