Senior Software Developer

Job summary

The Senior Software Developer role is part of the Technical Live Services team within Cabinet Office Digital. Help shape the future of UK Government Digital Services as a Senior Software Developer, leveraging senior-level hands-on software development experience to push the boundaries of technology and make a tangible difference to the lives of millions. The Cabinet Office sits at the heart of the UK Government, driving a groundbreaking digital transformation to set a new global benchmark for public services. Over the next three years, our mission is to deliver world-class digital offerings, making public services digital by default, simpler, clearer, and faster to use.

As a Senior Software Developer in CO Digital, you will bring extensive, proven experience in designing, developing, and implementing customised solutions that support critical business functions and meet core project objectives. You will work closely with multidisciplinary agile teams, technical architects, and key stakeholders to gather requirements, integrate complex systems, and ensure the reliability, security, and scalability of our public-facing platforms.

In this role, you will help the government manage and reduce its reliance on legacy technology by designing, building, running, and continuously improving user-friendly digital services aligned with the government's digital strategy. You will bring a strong passion for well-crafted code, continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) mindsets, and a proactive approach to problem-solving and innovation across the digital and data ecosystem.

We value both breadth and depth of technical capability. Above all, you will be motivated by truly important work that puts users first, thrive in collaborative environments, share knowledge patiently with peers, and demonstrate a drive to make government better—even when that means challenging the status quo.

Our business support hours are 8 am to 6 pm, and we ask that you be flexible with your shifts to cover these hours.

Job description

As a Senior Software Developer, your core responsibilities will include:

• Design, build, run, and improve high-quality, secure, and accessible digital services in line with government standards.
• Writing clean, secure, and well-tested code, including supporting technical documentation and clear code commentary.
• Helping to establish robust development and deployment pipelines (CI/CD) for new, existing, and previously unsupported sites and services.
• Adhering to internal processes and procedures, while advising and guiding others on software development standards and best practices.
• Delivering integrated, user-focused solutions that align strategically across multiple teams, systems, and platforms.
• Supporting and maintaining software in live production environments, using modern diagnostic tools to troubleshoot and resolve faults effectively.
• Packaging and deploying software releases (some deployment activities may occasionally occur outside core office hours in line with organisational policies).
• Collaborating across multidisciplinary teams and varying technical disciplines to deliver high-value outcomes.
• Build and transfer skills across the team, take personal responsibility for mentoring others, and continuously enhance technical expertise.
• Travelling between government sites for meetings, collaborative events, and workshops as required.

Person specification

To be successful in this role, you must demonstrate strong experience and high proficiency:

• Proven track record and extensive experience developing technical stories using modern tools and techniques, including Test-Driven Development (TDD), CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps practices.
• Self-starter and curious polyglot developer with a deep understanding of whole-system architecture and end-to-end service operation.
• Strong proficiency in core programming languages, especially Python and JavaScript, along with modern web application frameworks such as Django and Node/Next.js.
• In-depth knowledge of HTTP/HTTPS protocols and experience working with at least one major relational database management system (RDBMS) such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, or Oracle.
• Deep practical expertise and strong proficiency with cloud platform services (specifically AWS) and complex system integration patterns.
• Proven ability to quickly research, evaluate, and adopt new programming languages, tools, and technical frameworks.
• Excellent communication skills, with a proven ability to bridge technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Thorough understanding of common application security risks and effective mitigation strategies.
• Ability to collaborate across disciplines to define technical requirements and drive system robustness, resilience, and stability.
• Proven experience working effectively within multidisciplinary agile teams to deliver user-focused digital services.
• Demonstrated experience in mentoring, coaching, and managing junior and associate developers to support their technical growth and career progression.

Desirable Criteria

It is desirable that you also have:

• Hands-on experience with mainstream content management systems (such as Wagtail or WordPress 6+) and customised content workflow integrations.
• Familiarity with implementing monitoring, alerting, and production support tooling.
• Experience with incident management techniques, root cause investigation, and live service support.
• Experience working in secure environments and utilising tools that enforce secure software development practices.

Technical Skills

Candidates will be evaluated against the following technical domains aligned with the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework:

• Programming & Application Frameworks: Expertise in Python (Django, Wagtail CMS), JavaScript/NodeJS, SCSS, HTML, and Frontend/Backend software architectures.
• API & System Architecture: Strong expertise in business logic/middleware development, API design, and database management (PostgreSQL, MySQL, Aurora).
• CI/CD & Source Control: Skilled in Git, GitHub Actions, AWS CodePipeline, CodeBuild, and CodeDeploy.
• Cloud & Infrastructure Ecosystem: Deep expertise and hands-on proficiency with AWS core infrastructure, including VPC, IAM, Security Groups, NACLs, Load Balancing, Autoscaling, and Lambda (Serverless).
• Software Engineering Practices: Strong skills in TDD, automated testing methodologies, problem-solving, clean code design, and Agile/Kanban delivery frameworks.
• Secondary/Desirable Stacks: Solid experience with Java (Spring framework, Servlets, JSP) or C# (.NET framework).

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Programming and Build
• Systems Integration
• Service Support
• Information Security
• Systems Design

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £59,207, Cabinet Office contributes £17,152 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).

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

Things you need to know

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Application process

As part of your application, you will undertake the following online test:

G7 level Civil Service Numerical Test

After submission ofthe first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Numerical Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage ofthe application. If you fail to complete the online test before
the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance forthe test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests
are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website. You will be directed to the Talogy - True Talent – Scheduled Maintenance Window Webpage for online tests during an outage.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and behaviour statements:

• A CV: Job History and Qualification details
• A statement of suitability of no more than 1000 words
• Behaviour examples covering the following areas;
  Managing a Quality Service
  Changing and Improving
  Working Together
  Deliverying at Pace

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted based on your CV and Personal Statement, focusing on relevant technical skills and experience. Candidates who pass this initial sift will progress to the full sift or directly to an interview.

Interview process

During the interview, you will be assessed on the following technical skills:

Programming and Build

System Integration

Service Support

Information Security

Systems Design

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – w/c Monday 2nd November 2026

Expected interview date/s – w/c Monday 23rd November 2026

Interview location - Virtual

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Cabinet Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Feedback

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.

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 theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.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 : CO Digital Recruitment Team
• Email : codigitalrecruitment@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service by email at : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/.

Attachments

Cabinet Office Employee Offer (2) Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 (2) Opens in new window (docx, 94kB)