Senior Software Developer – WordPress/PHP

East Midlands (England), East of England, London (region), North East England, North West England, Scotland, South East England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands (England), Yorkshire and the Humber Job Summary This position is based Nationally Job Description Senior Software Developer – WordPress PHP Location: National* Closing Date: 22/10/26 Interviews: 27/10/26 Grade: G7 (MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain this grade on lateral transfer) Salary**: National: £58,511-£69,150 which may include an allowance up to £10,639 London: £63,343-£73,875 which may include an allowance up to £10,532 Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working Contract Type: Permanent Number of vacancies: 1 Vacancy number: 22868 We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your local office. Office locations can be found ON THIS MAP Please note that unless you are an existing member of staff at Justice Digital, Data and Science, the only London location being recruited to is 10 South Colonnade, E14 4PU. We are no longer recruiting to 102 Petty France, SW1H 9AJ. The Role Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. Please click on the link for details. We’re recruiting for a Senior WordPress/PHP Developer here at Justice Digital, Data and Science to be part of our warm and collaborative Website Builder Platform Team. This role is aligned with the specification of Senior Developer from the Government Digital and Data Framework We currently have over 200 experienced developers who make up the engineering community across the MoJ. You will coach and mentor junior colleagues and take part in informal support networks with your peers. You will be encouraged to play an active role in the engineering community and culture. You’ll be confident working with other developers on our tech stack and comfortable learning new technologies and systems. We use a variety of different technologies and will work with you to place you in a team that matches your skills, interests, and aspirations wherever possible. We take responsibility for supportive and effective line management very seriously. We will value the skills you bring to the civil service and help you build on them. When the time is right, we will support moving between teams or government departments to learn different technologies, or take on more responsibility, according to your career goals. Our Tech Stack We use a range of technologies and we’re looking for people who have experience of building web applications or back-end systems in an object-oriented language, and love learning new languages and frameworks. We use WordPress/PHP and React JS to write our application code, GitHub Actions for CI/CD, Sentry for application monitoring, Kubernetes and Docker to schedule and run our services (read about our Cloud Platform), AWS for most of our infrastructure and use a MacOS developer environment. For front-end development, we value a robust understanding of the underlying web technologies. We value well-maintained, open-source tools that can be used to produce semantic HTML, performant CSS and unobtrusive JavaScript and we assess all our services against accessibility criteria. Check out GitHub for a closer look at the technologies we use, and a complete list of services that we build and maintain. We subscribe to the manifesto for agile software development. You’ll receive a range of excellent benefits when you join our department, including: A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme. 25 days of annual leave, (increasing to 30 days once you have reached 5 years of service), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday. Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive work–life balance. Employees are allocated 10% of their working time for personal and professional development. A £1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best-in-class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms. Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too! You can find more details of the Benefits we offer here. To help picture your life at MoJ Justice Digital, Data and Science please take a look at our blog. Technical: Key Responsibilities: Expert knowledge of WordPress/PHP and React JS programming languages, CSS/HTML Experience in building and maintaining WordPress themes and plugins. Experience building and development WordPress Full Site Editor features. Experience in working with the WordPress full site editor Building WordPress blocks from scratch Version Control and GitActions Building and working with microservices using containerization (Docker) Revise, refactor, update, and debug code Collaborate with internal teams to design, create and maintain software Knowledge of AWS architecture, tools and resources Non-Technical Attention to detail Strong verbal and oral communication skills Time management and organisational skills The ability to work independently or as part of a team People: Developing and influencing people via line management duties, informal and formal coaching and mentoring Supporting lead developers in building high performing teams Helping to build and maintain a diverse, inclusive culture across the development community, growing awareness, inclusivity and balance If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply! Person Specification Essential Demonstrate proven experience of delivering large and complex software solutions Building and maintaining WordPress themes and plugins Apply modern development and deployment techniques to your work, including continuous integration and continuous delivery Champion software maintenance, clean code, coding standards and practices that make change and consistency easier Write automated tests to continuously validate your work Work effectively within multi-disciplinary teams, demonstrating a commitment to the principles of agile software development and fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. Hold yourself and others to a high standard Solve problems in a systematic way Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for SC clearance We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring and do not discriminate based on culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor. Our values are Purpose, Humanity Openness and Together. Find out more here about how we celebrate diversity and an inclusive culture in our workplace. The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy. Salary Information** Base Salary For This Role Is From: National: £58,511- £65,329 London: £63,343 - £70,725 New entrants to the Civil Service joining the MoJ are expected to start at the minimum of the pay band. Existing Civil Servants moving on a level transfer will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the pay band for the role, whichever is higher. Existing Civil Servants who are promoted will either move to the bottom of the new grade’s pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase. Candidates may also be eligible for a non‑pensionable Government Digital & Data Allowance of up to £10,532 per year (London) or £10,639 (National). This is a temporary allowance, reviewed annually and may be retained, amended, or withdrawn. The final offer will reflect the skills and experience you demonstrate during the assessment process. Senior Software Developer – WordPress PHP Location: National* Closing Date: 22/10/26 Interviews: 27/10/26 Grade: G7 (MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain this grade on lateral transfer) Salary**: National: £58,511-£69,150 which may include an allowance up to £10,639 London: £63,343-£73,875 which may include an allowance up to £10,532 Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working Contract Type: Permanent Number of vacancies: 1 Vacancy number: 22868 We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your local office. Office locations can be found ON THIS MAP Please note that unless you are an existing member of staff at Justice Digital, Data and Science, the only London location being recruited to is 10 South Colonnade, E14 4PU. We are no longer recruiting to 102 Petty France, SW1H 9AJ. The Role Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. Please click on the link for details. We’re recruiting for a Senior WordPress/PHP Developer here at Justice Digital, Data and Science to be part of our warm and collaborative Website Builder Platform Team. This role is aligned with the specification of Senior Developer from the Government Digital and Data Framework We currently have over 200 experienced developers who make up the engineering community across the MoJ. You will coach and mentor junior colleagues and take part in informal support networks with your peers. You will be encouraged to play an active role in the engineering community and culture. You’ll be confident working with other developers on our tech stack and comfortable learning new technologies and systems. We use a variety of different technologies and will work with you to place you in a team that matches your skills, interests, and aspirations wherever possible. We take responsibility for supportive and effective line management very seriously. We will value the skills you bring to the civil service and help you build on them. When the time is right, we will support moving between teams or government departments to learn different technologies, or take on more responsibility, according to your career goals. Our Tech Stack We use a range of technologies and we’re looking for people who have experience of building web applications or back-end systems in an object-oriented language, and love learning new languages and frameworks. We use WordPress/PHP and React JS to write our application code, GitHub Actions for CI/CD, Sentry for application monitoring, Kubernetes and Docker to schedule and run our services (read about our Cloud Platform), AWS for most of our infrastructure and use a MacOS developer environment. For front-end development, we value a robust understanding of the underlying web technologies. We value well-maintained, open-source tools that can be used to produce semantic HTML, performant CSS and unobtrusive JavaScript and we assess all our services against accessibility criteria. Check out GitHub for a closer look at the technologies we use, and a complete list of services that we build and maintain. We subscribe to the manifesto for agile software development. You’ll receive a range of excellent benefits when you join our department, including: A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme. 25 days of annual leave, (increasing to 30 days once you have reached 5 years of service), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday. Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive work–life balance. Employees are allocated 10% of their working time for personal and professional development. A £1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best-in-class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms. Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too! You can find more details of the Benefits we offer here. To help picture your life at MoJ Justice Digital, Data and Science please take a look at our blog. Base Salary For This Role Is From: National: £58,511- £65,329 London: £63,343 - £70,725 New entrants to the Civil Service joining the MoJ are expected to start at the minimum of the pay band. Existing Civil Servants moving on a level transfer will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the pay band for the role, whichever is higher. Existing Civil Servants who are promoted will either move to the bottom of the new grade’s pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase. Candidates may also be eligible for a non‑pensionable Government Digital & Data Allowance of up to £10,532 per year (London) or £10,639 (National). This is a temporary allowance, reviewed annually and may be retained, amended, or withdrawn. The final offer will reflect the skills and experience you demonstrate during the assessment process. Person specification Please Refer To Job Description Alongside your salary of £58,511, Ministry of Justice contributes £16,950 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Access to learning and developmentA working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balanceA working culture which encourages inclusion and diversityA Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%Annual LeavePublic HolidaysSeason Ticket Advance For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page. Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ Artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. Selection process details How to Apply In Justice Digital, Data and Science, we recruit using a combination of the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability and Success Profiles Frameworks. We shall assess a combination of your Experience, Technical skills and Behaviours during the assessment process. Stage 1 - Application And Sift: To apply for this position, you must submit the following as part of your application A CV detailing your career history (including any relevant qualifications). Your CV will be assessed against the essential criteria outlined within the Person Specification of this advert. A Personal Statement (no more than 750 words) which should outline your experience and skills, giving clear examples of work undertaken. It should specifically address the following 3 criteria listed below, using a separate paragraph for each. Demonstrate proven experience of delivering large and complex software solutions Building and maintaining WordPress themes and plugins Apply modern development and deployment techniques to your work, including continuous integration and continuous delivery A diverse sift panel will review the information in your CV and Personal Statement to assess the sift criteria specified above. We operate an anonymous shortlisting process. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement do not include your name or any other identifying details. Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on the following criteria will be conducted before the sift. Building and maintaining WordPress themes and plugins Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application Guidance Stage 2 - Interviews: Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a panel interview held via Microsoft Teams. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements - Experience, Technical and the following Behaviours: Working Together Developing Self and Others Making Effective Decisions As part of the interview process, candidates will be asked to complete a brief technical exercise in advance. The exercise will be discussed and developed during the interview. Full details of the exercise will be provided to shortlisted candidates when they are invited to interview. Appointments are made strictly in merit order. If two or more candidates receive identical interview scores, the Demonstrate proven experience in delivering large and complex software solutions will be applied as the primary lead criterion to determine the final merit order. Should you be unsuccessful in the role that you have applied for but demonstrate the capability for a role at a lower level, we reserve the right to discuss this opportunity with you and offer you the position without needing a further application. A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, from which further appointments may be made. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Security Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Nationality requirements This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups: UK nationalsnationals of the Republic of Irelandnationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UKnationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. Diversity and Inclusion The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window). The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window). Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Contact point for applicants Job Contact : Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries TeamEmail : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.ukTelephone : 0345 241 5359 Recruitment team Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk Further information Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/ https://www.jobtrain.co.uk/justicedigital/Job/JobDetail?JobId=1230