Senior PHP Developer

Senior Backend Developer – PHP / Laravel Location: Leeds (Hybrid – 3 days per week onsite) Salary: £50,000–£65,000 DOE + discretionary bonus The opportunity We're looking for an experienced Senior Backend Developer with strong PHP and Laravel expertise to join an established, award-winning digital agency delivering complex websites and digital experiences for a diverse portfolio of clients. This is a hands-on senior engineering position offering the opportunity to take technical ownership across a variety of projects, from content-rich marketing websites and bespoke CMS implementations to more complex digital platforms and integrations. You'll play an important role in shaping backend architecture, defining technical solutions and maintaining high development standards, working closely with other developers, UX/UI designers, project managers and technical leadership. The business is employee-owned, collaborative and ambitious, with a strong emphasis on technical quality, continuous improvement and delivering digital experiences that genuinely add value. What you'll be doing As a Senior Backend Developer, you'll take ownership of backend development across client projects, helping shape technical approaches from initial discovery and planning through to development, delivery and ongoing improvement. Key responsibilities include: Designing, developing and maintaining robust backend applications using PHP and LaravelTaking technical ownership of CMS-driven websites, bespoke functionality and backend integrationsArchitecting scalable, intuitive CMS structures and content models that support complex website requirementsTranslating client briefs, UX/UI designs and business requirements into effective technical solutionsContributing to technical discovery, solution design, specifications and project scopingProviding accurate development estimates and helping ensure projects remain commercially viableWorking closely with frontend developers, designers and project managers to deliver seamless digital experiencesSupporting code quality through reviews, technical guidance and development best practicesTroubleshooting complex technical challenges and improving website performance, security and maintainabilitySupporting and mentoring less experienced developers, sharing knowledge and helping strengthen the wider teamEvaluating new technologies and identifying opportunities to improve development processes and technical delivery What we're looking for Essential experience: Extensive commercial experience developing backend applications and websites using PHPStrong expertise in Laravel, modern PHP development and backend architectureProven experience delivering complex, CMS-driven websites or digital platformsStrong understanding of content architecture, CMS configuration, custom functionality and content modellingExperience designing and integrating APIs, third-party services and bespoke backend solutionsAbility to take technical ownership of projects, from requirements gathering and solution design through to deliveryExperience contributing to technical specifications, development estimates and project scopingStrong understanding of performance, security, scalability and maintainable codeConfidence collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and communicating technical decisions clearly Desirable experience: Commercial experience with Craft CMS, particularly custom modules, plugins and CMS architectureExperience working with other modern CMS platforms such as WordPressBackground working within a digital, creative or web development agencyExperience with the Yii frameworkFamiliarity with Vue.js and Tailwind CSSExperience mentoring developers or contributing to technical standards across a teamExposure to complex content migrations, integrations and multi-site website environments About you You're an experienced backend developer who enjoys taking ownership, solving complex technical problems and producing high-quality work. You combine strong technical expertise with a pragmatic, commercially aware approach, understanding how development decisions affect project scope, budgets, timelines and the wider client experience. You're comfortable working across multiple projects, collaborating with designers and other developers, and contributing to technical conversations with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. You'll also enjoy sharing knowledge, supporting other developers and helping improve the way the team works. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful technical contribution without moving away from hands-on development. If you're a Senior PHP/Laravel Developer who enjoys technical ownership, varied client projects and working within a collaborative agency environment, we'd love to hear from you.