Lead Software Developer

The Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) directorate has recently been established in UKEF, drawing together the expertise in digital currently within the organisation to provide representation of digital services, user centred design, analytics and technology at the highest levels. The areas with the directorate work closely with all areas of the business such as the Business Group, Operations and Strategy and Policy., UKEF is committed to be a more customer-centric organisation, making it easier for customers to deal with us, offering improved response times, quicker decision-making and improved case-processing. To enable this, UKEF is committed to using digital as a primary means for managing relationships with a wider range of stakeholders. Focusing on developing end-to-end services that meet user need and enable business outcomes, this is an exciting new role showing the growth and drive of UKEFs digital ambition.
This role requires you to work with other leads and senior management to develop NodeJS applications. This role also requires you to integrate NodeJS applications with other systems, develop microservices and serverless applications and create and maintain technical documentation. Effective communication with project stakeholders is also an essential aspect of the role.
Main Activities
In this role, you will:
+ Work with other discipline leads and senior management to proactively plan technical delivery work, making sure to balance long term engineering sustainability with short term delivery pressures, advocating for technical quality and bringing practical considerations to high level designs
+ Advocate user-centric, agile approaches which focus on rapid, effective delivery of high-quality digital services
+ Build and maintain a diverse, inclusive culture across the development community, growing awareness, inclusivity, and balance
+ Develop NodeJS applications using frameworks like Express.js or Nest.js.
+ Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines for NodeJS applications.
+ Ensure that NodeJS applications are optimised for scalability and maintainability.
+ Develop APIs and integrate with third-party APIs.
+ Integrate NodeJS applications with other systems using APIs, webhooks, or other technologies.
+ Develop microservices and serverless applications using NodeJS.
+ Ensure that NodeJS applications follow best practices for security and data protection.
+ Develop unit tests and integration tests for NodeJS applications.
+ Create and maintain technical documentation for NodeJS applications.
+ Stay up-to-date with the latest NodeJS and web development trends and technologies.
+ Communicate effectively with project stakeholders, including customers, product managers, and other engineers, to ensure alignment on technical decisions and project goals.
This list is not exhaustive and you may be required to carry out additional duties according to business need., o You can design solutions and services with security controls embedded, specifically engineered with mitigation of security threats as a core feature.
(Skill level: practitioner)
+ Modern standards approach:
o You can competently apply modern standards approach and guide others to do so.
(Skill level: practitioner)
+ Programming and build (software engineering).
o You can collaborate with others when necessary to review specifications.
o You can use the agreed specifications to design, code, test and document programs or scripts of medium-to-high complexity, using the right standards and tools.
(Skill level: practitioner)
Systems design:
+
o You can design systems characterised by medium levels of risk, impact, and business or technical complexity.
o You can select appropriate design standards, methods and tools, and ensure they are applied effectively.
o You can review the systems designs of others to ensure the selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources and integration of multiple systems and technology.
(Skill level: practitioner)
+ Service support:
o You can identify, locate and fix faults
(Skill level: practitioner)
+ Systems integration:
o You can define the integration build. You can co-ordinate build activities across systems.
o You can understand how to undertake and support integration testing activities.
(Skill level: practitioner)
+ Prototyping:
+
o You can approach prototyping as a team activity, actively soliciting prototypes and testing with others.
o You can establish design patterns and iterate them.
o You can use a variety of prototyping methods and choose the most appropriate.
(Skill level: practitioner)
+ User focus:
o You can collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally.
o You can explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user. You can champion user research to focus on all users.
o You can prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so.
o You can offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use.
(Skill level: practitioner)
+ Systems design:
o You can design systems characterised by medium levels of risk, impact, and business or technical complexity.
o You can select appropriate design standards, methods and tools, and ensure they are applied effectively.
o You can review the systems designs of others to ensure the selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources and integration of multiple systems and technology.
(Skill level: practitioner)
All skill levels are in relation to Software developer - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework (ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk), All applications will be sifted against our essential criteria outlined in the personal specification.
+ Qualifications
+ Statement of suitability - you should fully articulate in 1000 words how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification within the Information Pack.
+ Technical Questions:
1. Describe a challenging technical issue you encountered in your past projects. How did you diagnose the problem and what steps did you take to resolve it? Please provide a detailed walkthrough of your problem-solving process and the tools or methodologies you used.
2. Can you share an instance where you implemented a business-critical solution? What was the business need and how did your solution address it? Please describe the design and development process of the solution, the technologies you used, and the impact it had on the business.
Due to the nature of the post we will also be incorporating the Government Digital, Data & Technology (DDaT) Capability Framework to assess candidates that we would expect to be working across the areas and levels highlighted against the role description of a Senior Developer.
For the initial sift your application will be evaluated against:
+ Experience - Application and Statement of Suitability
+ Technical Questions:
1. Describe a challenging technical issue you encountered in your past projects. How did you diagnose the problem and what steps did you take to resolve it? Please provide a detailed walkthrough of your problem-solving process and the tools or methodologies you used.
2. Can you share an instance where you implemented a business-critical solution? What was the business need and how did your solution address it? Please describe the design and development process of the solution, the technologies you used, and the impact it had on the business.
In the event of a large number of applications, there will be a pre-sift on the following technical questions:
1. Describe a challenging technical issue you encountered in your past projects. How did you diagnose the problem and what steps did you take to resolve it? Please provide a detailed walkthrough of your problem-solving process and the tools or methodologies you used.
2. Can you share an instance where you implemented a business-critical solution? What was the business need and how did your solution address it? Please describe the design and development process of the solution, the technologies you used, and the impact it had on the business.
If you are successful following the sift stage, you will be invited to an initial interview; this will include the following assessment:
1. Behaviours/ Strengths /Experience - a formal panel interview where you will be interviewed across all four behaviours highlighted in Appendix 1.
2. Technical Questions relating to the role.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
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 nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals 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 2020
+ Turkish 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 also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

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).

+ 5 GCSE passes (including Maths and English) at Grade 4 (C) or above; or relevant professional experience.
+ Evidence of continuing professional development., + Technology Code of Practice.
+ Knowledge of SDLC (Software Development Lifecycle).
+ Knowledge of Automated Testing and CI/CD techniques., + Experience in the following disciplines:
o JavaScript, NodeJS and Express.JS.
o Azure Cloud Computing.
o NoSQL and SQL Databases, including MongoDB and MSSQL.
o RESTful and GraphQL API Development.
o Containerised Microservices (i.e. using Docker).
o GitHub, Azure DevOps or GitLab.
o GDS/MOJ Components.
Desirable, + Relevant NodeJS related qualification., + Availability and capacity management:
o You can manage service components to ensure they meet business needs and performance targets.
(Skill level: working)
+ Development process optimisation:
o You can identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions.
(Skill level: working)
All skill levels are In relation to Software developer - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework (ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk), You understand and have experience of delivering services aligned to the Government Technology Code of Practice.
+ Relevant experience using the following technologies:
- Azure Container Apps or Azure Web Apps
- Cypress
- NestJS
- JestJS
- Nunchuks
- MongoDB
- CI/CD Pipelines, 5 GCSE passes (including Maths and English) at Grade 4 (C) or above; or relevant professional experience., + Managing a Quality Service
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Leadership
+ Developing Self and Others

Alongside your salary of £58,969, UK Export Finance contributes £17,083 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
+ Learning and development tailored to your role
+ An environment with flexible working options
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
+ A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%