PHP Developer

Backend Developer – PHP / Laravel Location: Leeds (Hybrid – 3 days per week onsite) Salary: £34,000–£50,000 DOE + discretionary bonus The opportunity We're looking for a talented Backend Developer with strong PHP and Laravel experience to join an established, award-winning digital agency delivering high-quality websites and digital experiences for a diverse range of clients. This is an opportunity to work on varied, technically interesting projects, with a particular focus on CMS-driven websites, bespoke functionality and backend development. You'll help build everything from content-rich marketing websites to more complex digital platforms, working closely with experienced developers, UX/UI designers and project teams. You'll join a collaborative, employee-owned business where quality, creativity and continuous improvement are central to the way the team works. With exposure to different clients, industries and technical challenges, there's plenty of opportunity to develop your skills and progress your career. What you'll be doing As a Backend Developer, you'll contribute to the development and ongoing improvement of client websites and digital platforms, with a focus on building reliable, maintainable backend solutions. Key responsibilities include: Developing and maintaining backend functionality using PHP and LaravelBuilding and supporting CMS-driven websites, including content structures, custom functionality and integrationsTranslating website designs and client requirements into logical content models and intuitive CMS experiencesWorking closely with frontend developers, UX/UI designers and project managers to deliver high-quality solutionsContributing to technical discussions, project planning and development estimatesWriting clean, maintainable and well-structured codeSupporting website improvements, ongoing maintenance and client retainersTroubleshooting technical issues and improving performance, reliability and usabilityCollaborating with the wider team to explore new technologies and share knowledge What we're looking for Essential experience: Commercial experience developing backend applications and websites using PHPGood working knowledge of Laravel and modern PHP development practicesExperience working with CMS platforms such as Craft CMS, WordPress or similarUnderstanding of CMS architecture, content modelling and custom website functionalityExperience integrating backend functionality with frontend websitesComfortable working across multiple projects and collaborating with different disciplinesA good understanding of clean code, maintainability and development best practices Desirable experience: Hands-on experience with Craft CMSExperience building custom CMS modules or pluginsPrevious experience within a digital, creative or web development agencyFamiliarity with Vue.js and Tailwind CSSExperience with APIs and third-party integrationsExperience contributing to technical estimates and project specifications About you You're a developer who enjoys solving problems and takes pride in building well-structured, reliable solutions. You understand that good backend development isn't just about the code. It's also about creating intuitive systems that support great user experiences and make content management straightforward for clients. You'll enjoy working as part of a collaborative team, be comfortable balancing different projects and have a genuine interest in developing your technical skills. If you're a PHP/Laravel Developer looking to broaden your experience across interesting digital projects within a supportive, forward-thinking agency, we'd love to hear from you.