At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop our core banking platform in a collaborative, agile environment.
- Company: Join Newcastle Strategic Solutions, a member-owned mutual focused on community financial futures.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, 25 days holiday, bonus scheme, and wellbeing benefits.
- Other info: Inclusive workplace with excellent career development and recognition initiatives.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in tech while learning and growing your skills.
- Qualifications: Passion for technology, problem-solving skills, and experience in Agile environments.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 70000 £ per year.
About the Role
As a Junior Software Developer, you'll play an important role in designing, developing and supporting our core banking platform to meet the evolving needs of Newcastle Building Society Group. Working in a collaborative and agile environment, you'll be involved throughout the full development lifecycle, from understanding business requirements and shaping technical solutions to coding, testing, implementation and ongoing support.
You'll work closely with colleagues across the business to analyse requirements, assess the impact of proposed changes and contribute to the design and specification of enhancements to our core banking platform. Combining strong technical expertise with a customer-focused mindset, you'll ensure solutions are delivered to a high standard, in line with agreed timescales, governance requirements and development best practices.
The role offers the opportunity to partner with project teams, squads and end users to gain a detailed understanding of business needs, helping to translate these into effective and scalable technical solutions. You'll also play a key part in identifying potential risks, resource requirements and any associated costs, ensuring proposed changes are fully assessed before implementation.
About You
We're looking for a motivated and inquisitive software professional who is passionate about technology and enjoys solving complex problems. You will bring a strong technical foundation, ideally supported by a degree in a relevant subject or equivalent experience, along with an eagerness to learn and develop within a collaborative environment. You'll have experience working within a development team and be comfortable contributing to projects in Agile or Scrum-based environments.
With strong analytical and problem-solving skills, you'll be able to assess requirements, identify effective solutions and understand the wider impact of technical change on systems, users and business processes. The ideal candidate will be well organised, capable of managing competing priorities and able to deliver high-quality work within agreed timescales. You'll also possess excellent communication skills, enabling you to work effectively with technical colleagues, project teams and business stakeholders alike.
A good understanding of software development principles, programming languages, frameworks and design patterns is essential. Experience of database and application technologies would be advantageous, while knowledge of the IBMi operating system would be beneficial. Exposure to financial services technology environments and an appreciation of working within a managed risk framework would also be advantageous.
About Us
The Newcastle Building Society Group comprises of Newcastle Building Society, Manchester Building Society, Newcastle Financial Advisers and Newcastle Strategic Solutions. Our purpose, connecting our communities with a better financial future inspires and directs our activities.
As an inclusive employer and member owned mutual, we aim to reflect the diverse communities we serve and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We believe everyone should feel valued, respected, and celebrated for who they are, we want colleagues to feel this is a place they belong. A place to be you.
What do you get in return?
- A 35 hour weekly contract
- 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays (increasing with length of service - pro rata)
- Bonus Scheme (paid annually) - On target 5%, up to 10% depending on performance
- Colleague mortgage scheme and access to our financial advisors
- Pension scheme – up to 9% employers’ contribution
- Life assurance (4x salary) and income protection
- Access to a range of wellbeing benefits, including medicash scheme
- Electric car salary sacrifice scheme
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Above statutory family leave entitlement - 3 months full pay, 3 months half pay regardless of gender or route to parenthood
- An extra day’s holiday for your birthday
- The option to buy and sell holidays
- Two paid volunteering days each year
- A broad range of learning and development opportunities
- Access to a range of high street and online discounts
- Access to a range of discounted/subsidised gym memberships nationwide
- A wide range of recognition initiatives to recognise and reward great performance
Recognising there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to recruitment, we’re committed to ensuring every candidate has the opportunity to showcase their full potential throughout the recruitment process. We strive to make our processes as accessible as possible, if there are any ways in which we can provide support or make adjustments, we would love to discuss this with you, you can contact your Recruiter for this vacancy at dave.cowell@newcastle.co.uk
Contact Details:
Newcastle Building Society Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Junior IBMi Software Developer
✨Join Developer Communities
Get involved in online developer communities like GitHub or Stack Overflow. We can showcase our skills by contributing to open-source projects – it’s a great way to network, learn, and possibly catch the eye of a recruiter while doing something we love!
✨Attend Coding Meetups and Hackathons
Check out local coding meetups and hackathons. These events are fantastic for meeting other developers and potential employers, plus they're a great way to get some hands-on experience and showcase our problem-solving skills in real-time.
✨Set Up a Public Portfolio
We should create a public portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing our projects and code. This not only demonstrates our technical skills but also gives employers a peek into our creative process and problem-solving abilities.
✨Utilise University Career Services
If we're fresh out of uni, let's not forget about our university’s career services! They often have tailored resources and connections in the software development field. Plus, internships can lead to entry-level roles – a true win-win!
We think you need these skills to ace Junior IBMi Software Developer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Coding Skills:As this is an entry-level role in software engineering development, make sure to include your coding projects. Whether it's a cool school project, a personal website, or even contributions to open-source, it all counts! Link to your GitHub or any platforms you've showcased your code on – we want to see what you've got!
Tailor Your CV to Highlight Relevant Skills:Make your CV work for you by focusing on the programming languages and frameworks you've learned. If you've dabbled in JavaScript, Python, or any specific frameworks, be sure to include those. Plus, showcasing any relevant coursework or certifications can really help us get a clearer picture of your skill set.
Craft a Motivating Cover Letter:Since you're applying for an entry-level position, your cover letter is your chance to shine. Tell us why you’re passionate about software engineering and what excites you about working with Newcastle Building Society. Highlight any internships or projects that shaped your interest in coding – it’s all about your motivation!
Use Your Network:Don't hesitate to mention any connections you might have to Newcastle Building Society in your application. If you know someone who works there or have attended any events they hosted, slip that into your cover letter. It shows your genuine interest and can give you that extra edge in your application!
How to prepare for a job interview at Newcastle Building Society
✨Know Your Code: Prepare for Technical Questions
For a role in software engineering, you can bet your Interviewer might throw some coding problems your way. Brush up on common algorithms and data structures, and practise coding on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank. That way, you're ready to showcase your problem-solving skills confidently!
✨Portfolio Power: Show Off Your Projects
As an entry-level candidate, your portfolio is your secret weapon. Make sure you have a few solid projects on GitHub that demonstrate your coding skills and understanding of software development processes. Be ready to walk through your code and explain your thought process during the interview.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Agile and Development Tools
Understanding Agile methodologies can really set you apart from other entry-level candidates. Get familiar with tools like JIRA or Trello, and be prepared to discuss how you've used them in your projects or studies. This shows you're not just a coder but also a team player.
✨Demonstrate Your Learning Mindset
Since you're applying for an entry-level position, it's important to show your eagerness to learn. Be ready to discuss how you’ve tackled challenges in your studies or projects, what new skills you’ve picked up recently, and how you plan to continue developing in this fast-paced field.
