Lead Developer

Provide technical leadership across software development teams delivering government contract solutions and commercial SaaS products.

Apply

SALARY

B7

LOCATION

Hybrid

CONTRACT

Full-Time

DIVISION

IT

About Ecctis:

At Ecctis, our vision is to be the acknowledged global leader in the international qualifications and recognition arena. Our mission is to be the preferred source of expert advice on the recognition and comparability of qualifications and skills internationally, building on our advanced research and our established knowledge and experience of education systems across the world. Ecctis delivers a wide range of services, products, and projects in the field of international education. We help make sense of international qualifications and support a range of clients including individuals, universities, and colleges, awarding bodies and government ministries.

Purpose of role:

The purpose of the Lead Developer role is to provide technical leadership and oversight for software development teams delivering both government contract solutions and commercial SaaS products. The role is responsible for ensuring projects are delivered successfully, aligned with business objectives, and developed to a high standard of quality, security and performance. Working within Agile and Scrum frameworks, the Lead Developer plays a key role in managing development activity, supporting continuous improvement and ensuring effective collaboration between technical teams and business stakeholders.

In addition to hands-on technical leadership, the role is responsible for mentoring and supporting developers, fostering a high-performing team culture, and translating business requirements into practical technical solutions. The Lead Developer acts as a bridge between the business and development teams, helping to prioritise work, manage delivery expectations and ensure compliance with contractual and governance requirements, particularly within regulated or government-focused environments.

Key responsibilities:

Technical leadership

Lead and manage a team of software developers and technical contributors across multiple projects.
Provide architectural guidance and technical direction for SaaS platforms and government contract deliverables.
Lead by example, review code, enforce development standards and ensure best practice across the software development lifecycle.
Oversee solution design with a focus on scalability, security, maintainability and performance.
Support the adoption of modern development methodologies, tools and technologies.
Identify technical risks and implement mitigation strategies proactively.

Team management

Manage day-to-day activity of the development team, including work allocation, performance management, professional development and one-to-ones.
Mentor junior and mid-level developers through coaching, code reviews and technical guidance.
Foster a collaborative, high-performing and accountable team culture.
Support recruitment, onboarding and retention of technical staff.
Encourage continuous learning and process improvement within the team.

Agile and Scrum delivery

Lead development activity within Agile and Scrum frameworks, taking on Scrum Master duties where necessary.
Work closely with Product Owners and stakeholders to plan and deliver iterative releases.
Participate in sprint planning, backlog refinement, stand-ups, retrospectives, demos and release planning.
Ensure accurate estimation, prioritisation and delivery of technical work.
Monitor sprint progress, resolve blockers and ensure delivery commitments are met.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives within Agile delivery practices.

Stakeholder and business collaboration

Work closely with business teams, project managers, product owners and clients to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
Act as a bridge between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Support discovery workshops, requirement gathering and technical scoping activity.
Provide regular updates on delivery progress, risks and technical considerations.
Contribute to strategic planning and product roadmap discussions.

Government contract and compliance support

Ensure development practices align with government standards, contractual obligations and security requirements.
Support secure software development practices and compliance initiatives.
Maintain documentation standards suitable for government and regulated environments.
Assist with audits, accreditation activity and governance processes where required.

Other duties

Undertake any other reasonable duties as required.

Skills required

Minimum of six years’ experience in software development, including leadership or senior-level responsibilities.
Proven experience leading or mentoring development teams in Agile environments.
Strong experience working within Scrum frameworks and Agile delivery methodologies.
Experience delivering government or public sector technology projects and commercial SaaS applications or platforms.
Strong understanding of software architecture and modern development practices.
Experience collaborating closely with business stakeholders and translating business needs into technical solutions.
Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.
Experience with CI/CD pipelines, version control systems and DevOps practices.
Familiarity with secure software development principles.

Desirable experience

Experience working within regulated or compliance-driven environments.
Knowledge of government procurement or digital service frameworks.
Scrum Master certification or Agile certification.
Experience managing cross-functional or distributed teams.
Exposure to security accreditation or government assurance processes.
Experience supporting product strategy or roadmap planning.

Person specification

Strong leadership and mentoring capability.
Commercial awareness with a customer-focused mindset.
Highly organised and delivery-oriented.
Adaptable and comfortable working across multiple projects and priorities.
Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills.
Proactive approach to continuous improvement and innovation.

Technical requirements

Modern programming languages such as .NET, ASP.NET and Blazor.
Front-end frameworks such as React, Angular or Vue.
Backend and API development.
Cloud platforms, particularly Azure.
Microservices and distributed systems.
Containerisation technologies such as Docker or Kubernetes.
Azure DevOps, Jira, GitHub or similar tooling.
Database management, including MS SQL Server, serverless and virtual.

Please note: All applicants must hold a current permit or visa showing their right to work in the UK. The onboarding process will include Basic DBS screening.

This role profile is intended to give an overall indication of the duties and responsibilities of this role but is not exhaustive and the job holder may be asked to perform other duties, which reasonably align with the general remits of their role and level of responsibility.

Employee ownership trust:

As an Employee Ownership Trust, we do things a little differently from some other organisations. Every one of our employees has a voice and our people are highly motivated and committed. Our structure allows for our combined success as an organisation to be shared equitably across the Company. The trust is indirect, meaning that eligible employees are not shareholders directly, however they are held ‘in-trust’ by the Trust’s Board of Directors.

EDI statement:

Ecctis Ltd is committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and connectedness. The core of our work involves working internationally with individuals all over the globe with different backgrounds. In recruiting for our organisation, Ecctis Ltd is an Equal Opportunities Employer, and welcomes the unique contributions you can bring; therefore, we specifically welcome applicants of all backgrounds, regardless of race, including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin, sex or gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, or disability. We recruit purely on merit and skills.

Our Values