Lead Software Developer

We are seeking an experienced and driven Lead Software Developer to spearhead the development and optimisation of our Learning Management System (LMS). As the technical leader of the team, you will oversee a team of Senior and Junior Developers, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, scalable, and secure solutions. You will have a proven track record in modern software development practices, DevOps, and team leadership, with deep technical expertise in front-end, back-end, and cloud-based architectures.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and maintenance of our LMS, with a focus on modernising legacy systems and implementing scalable solutions.

• Mentor and guide a team of developers, ensuring technical excellence and professional growth.

• Design and enforce software development standards, including the implementation of testing frameworks and pipelines (TDD/BDD).

• Optimise application performance, database queries, and system architectures to ensure high availability and fault tolerance.

• Collaborate with stakeholders to define technical requirements and ensure alignment with business goals.

• Oversee DevOps practices, including deployment pipelines, AWS security, and scalable infrastructure.

• Lead the implementation of Agile workflows, including planning, retrospectives, and iterative improvement processes.

• Champion secure coding practices and ensure compliance with industry standards (e.g., OWASP, GDPR).

• Keep up-to-date with modern development practices and tools, bringing innovative solutions to the team.

Key Skills and Experience

Front-End

• Vue.js: 5+ years of experience, with expertise in Vue design patterns and architecture.

• jQuery: 5+ years of hands-on experience.

• HTML5: 5+ years.

• SCSS: 3+ years.

• Pinia / Vuex: 3+ years of state management experience.

• Experience with Webpack for managing and optimising build tools.

• Chart.js: 1+ year of creating dynamic visualisations.

• Blade: 3+ years of templating with Laravel.

• Strong background in UX/UI design, with a focus on creating accessible and user-friendly interfaces.

Back-End

• PHP > 7.3: 7+ years.

• Laravel 7: 7+ years of deep expertise in the Laravel framework.

• Proven experience upgrading legacy systems to modern architectures (4+ years).

• Strong understanding of software design patterns and SOLID principles.

• Proficiency in SQL and query optimisation, with database design skills based on normalisation principles.

• MariaDB / MySQL: 5+ years.

• Expertise in RESTful API design: 3+ years.

• Experience implementing and enforcing testing frameworks (TDD/BDD) and automated pipelines.

• Proficiency with Git: 5+ years.

DevOps

• AWS: 4+ years of experience, including:

• Security and access management.

• Managing scalable EC2 servers, RDS databases (with redundancy), and S3 file storage.

• Expertise in Docker: 5+ years of containerisation for development and deployment.

• Strong knowledge of modern database optimisation and redundancy procedures.

• Experience with Redis or similar NoSQL caching systems.

• Proficiency in server administration and maintaining secure, high-performance systems.

Other Requirements

• Proven team leadership experience, mentoring developers and fostering a collaborative environment.

• Ability to implement and optimise Agile workflows, including running and reacting to retrospectives.

• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to take ownership of projects and features.

• Positive, ambitious attitude with excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Desirable Skills

• Familiarity with Figma for UI design and wireframing.

• Experience with PrimeVue library.

• Knowledge of GDPR requirements and best practices for compliance.

• Deep understanding of OWASP guidelines and how to mitigate common vulnerabilities.

• Familiarity with Microsoft 365 and its integration into workflows.

• Knowledge of legacy GlusterFS replication systems.

• Advanced AWS DevOps expertise, including:

• Infrastructure as Code (e.g., CloudFormation, Terraform).

• EventBridge Scheduling for task automation.

• Elastic File System (EFS) for scalable file storage.

• IAM security best practices.

• Understanding of SCORM standards and their relevance in LMS development.

• Experience in the Education sector or with Learning Management Systems.

• Familiarity with tools for measuring and improving code complexity.