At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team in developing innovative software solutions for compliance.
- Company: Join a multi-award winning tech company with a supportive culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, private medical insurance, and a cycle to work scheme.
- Other info: Great progression opportunities and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while growing your skills in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Strong background in software development and leadership experience required.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 £ per year.
Location: Hybrid / Ilkley LS29, UK
Job type: Permanent / Full-time
Sector and subsector: Technology | Software Development
Salary: Competitive salary
SmartSearch’s distinctive Anti-Money Laundering verification software protects our clients by offering the most advanced and comprehensive features available from an AML provider. SmartSearch has grown rapidly by fostering an incredibly collaborative and supportive culture. As we continue our ambitious growth plans, we will strive to remain a truly exciting, rewarding, and unique place to work.
HOW WILL YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
We’re looking for a Lead Developer to join our team and play a key role in building, maintaining, and improving the software that powers our compliance platform. This is a hands-on leadership role, where you’ll work closely with Product, QA, Architects, and other developers/technologists to deliver reliable, scalable, and secure features. Each member of our team brings their own qualities to SmartSearch. Make sure you highlight your strengths and aspirations — they are important to us!
The successful candidate will be a proactive, approachable technical leader and people manager with a strong development background and a passion for high-quality engineering. You will be responsible for leading technical initiatives, mentoring team members and ensuring high-quality software development through problem solving and strategic thinking, taking technology, time and budgets into consideration.
VARIED DAY TO DAY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Technical Leadership
- Lead technical delivery within the team, ensuring solutions are scalable, secure, maintainable, and aligned to business needs.
- Collaborate with software architects and team to develop robust software solutions influencing non-functional requirements such as performance, security, usability and accessibility.
- Drive and uphold engineering standards including clean code, testing practices, and secure development.
- Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues/bugs independently and as a team.
- Provide regular engineering metrics, summary reports and trend analysis.
- Identify areas for continuous improvement in existing systems and processes, and work with teams to implement enhancements.
- Work with wider team to create and maintain documentation for software development processes, code, and system architecture.
- Willingness to explore new areas, tools, and technologies to enhance project outcomes and personal growth.
- Effectively communicate with stakeholders, understanding needs and managing expectations.
- Work cross-functionally with Product, QA, and wider business teams to deliver high-quality software outcomes.
- Support planning and estimation by balancing technical quality, timelines, and budget constraints.
- Line Management & People Development
- Provide line management for developers within the team, including regular 1:1s, feedback, coaching, and support.
- Support performance management processes, including objective setting, development plans, and review cycles.
- Help team members grow through mentoring, technical guidance, and identifying learning opportunities.
- Foster a positive, collaborative team culture, encouraging ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Support recruitment activities where required (e.g. interviews, onboarding, supporting new starters).
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR IN A CANDIDATE?
- Strong technical background in multiple development languages and frameworks (ideally PHP Symfony or .NET)
- Competent with MySQL or MSSQL, and experience of large datasets
- Experience with Git, Docker and modern development workflows
- Familiarity with CI/CD tooling, release automation and test frameworks (e.g. PHPUnit)
- Able to write and maintain automated tests as part of your development work
- Able to conduct code reviews and recommend improvements
- Knowledge of cloud technologies, especially Azure
- Understand and use Secure by Design practices
- Experience building and consuming APIs
- Proven ability to mentor, coach, and upskill other developers
- Experience supporting team performance, feedback, and personal development
- Excellent communication, presentation and interpersonal skills
- Have a desire to keep up to date with technology changes
WHAT IS LIFE LIKE AT SMARTSEARCH?
We are a multi-award winning Tech company with an aspirational mentality. Some of our most recent recognitions include: named in the renowned RegTech100 list for 2024, listed in the Top 100 Fastest Growing Tech Companies by Northern Tech Awards 2024, as well as being named Technology Provider of the Year by Corporate Finance Awards 2024. We have been Great Place To Work Certified since 2022. There are excellent progression opportunities due to our growth and you will have personal development goals, regular feedback and support. We are a diverse and inclusive team committed to promoting Diversity & Inclusion and Social Responsibility. Through our DE&I group, charitable initiatives and support for local schools, we actively foster a positive impact on our community.
COMPANY BENEFITS
- 25 days holiday rising to 30 with each year of service
- Private Medical Insurance covering dental and optical
- Company pension scheme
- Life Assurance – 4x your annual salary
- 1 day paid volunteering per year
- Enhanced maternity / paternity offerings
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Cycle to work scheme
Lead Developer in Ilkley employer: Hollybank Trustees Ltd
SmartSearch is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and collaborative work environment in Ilkley, where innovation meets support. With a strong focus on employee growth, we provide ample opportunities for personal development, mentorship, and career progression, alongside competitive benefits such as private medical insurance and generous holiday allowances. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion, coupled with our recognition as a Great Place To Work, makes SmartSearch a truly rewarding place to build your career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Developer in Ilkley
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at SmartSearch on LinkedIn or attend tech meetups. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your technical skills. Be ready to discuss your experience with PHP Symfony or .NET, and have examples of your problem-solving prowess at hand.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your leadership skills! Think about times you've mentored others or led projects. We love candidates who can inspire and uplift their teams, so share those stories!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our awesome team!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Developer in Ilkley
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Technical Skills:Make sure to highlight your technical background in your application. We want to see your experience with development languages, frameworks, and tools like PHP Symfony or .NET. Don’t forget to mention any relevant projects that showcase your skills!
Be Personal and Authentic:We love getting to know the real you! Share your strengths, aspirations, and what makes you tick. This helps us understand how you can fit into our collaborative culture and contribute to our team.
Tailor Your Application:Take a moment to tailor your application to the Lead Developer role. Mention specific responsibilities from the job description that excite you and how your experience aligns with them. This shows us you’re genuinely interested!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hollybank Trustees Ltd
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially PHP Symfony or .NET, MySQL or MSSQL. Brush up on your knowledge of Git, Docker, and CI/CD tooling, as these are crucial for the Lead Developer role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your experience in mentoring and coaching other developers. Discuss how you've fostered a collaborative team culture and supported team performance in previous roles. This will demonstrate your fit for the hands-on leadership aspect of the position.
✨Communicate Effectively
Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and confidently. Since the role involves working cross-functionally with various teams, being able to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders is key. Think of scenarios where you’ve successfully managed expectations and communicated needs.
✨Emphasise Continuous Improvement
Be ready to discuss how you’ve identified areas for improvement in past projects and the steps you took to implement enhancements. This aligns with SmartSearch’s focus on high-quality software development and continuous growth, so showcasing this mindset will set you apart.
