Overview
Here at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), we work on things that make a real difference to people’s lives. The Digital Planning Programme is delivering a transformation of the planning system in England, making it faster, more accessible, data‑driven, and fit for the future. The Funding Service team helps grant teams deliver funding quickly and consistently, saving time and money. The Homes for Ukraine team supports a new casework system to help local authorities support people fleeing the war in Ukraine. There may also be roles in our data‑collection and grant payment platform: Delta.
As a Senior Software Developer, you will be a hands‑on technical leader responsible for designing, building, and maintaining high‑quality digital services. You will mentor and support developers at different levels, champion modern engineering practices, and help set the technical direction of the team. You will ensure services are user‑centred, accessible, scalable, and aligned to government technology standards, delivering simpler, faster, and more transparent planning services for all users.
You can explore the Planning Data platform and learn more about MHCLG’s software approach in The MHCLG Way.
Responsibilities
* Lead the design, development, and maintenance of robust, scalable APIs and open data services to support digital planning tools and systems (Fast API, Flask, Express.js).
* Provide strategic technical leadership by setting software architecture, engineering practices, and technical direction across the Planning Data Team.
* Define and evolve scalable, secure design patterns and coding standards, ensuring alignment with GDS standards and cross‑government platforms.
* Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to select technologies, shape roadmaps, and deliver resilient, maintainable digital services that meet planning reform goals.
* Shape how planning data is modelled, shared, and integrated across local and central government, ensuring alignment with standards such as the Digital Land platform and UPRNs.
* Engage directly with planning authorities, digital providers, and GDS to deliver user‑centred services that are reliable, secure, and accessible.
* Collaborate with policy, delivery, and data teams to align technical delivery with programme goals and policy outcomes.
* Manage and mentor a small team of developers and provide technical assurance across software workstreams.
* Represent the department at technical forums, open‑source communities, and government working groups on digital planning and data standards.
* Ensure delivery aligns with the Service Standard, Technology Code of Practice, and departmental governance processes.
Qualifications and experience
* Significant experience in software engineering, including leading the development of production‑level web services and APIs.
* Strong coding ability in one or more modern languages (e.g., Python, Node.js, JavaScript).
* Strong experience with Git and version control.
* Experience developing containerised applications and working with DevOps to deploy in the cloud.
* Experience designing and implementing data models and services in distributed systems.
* Ability to engage with non‑technical stakeholders and explain complex technical concepts clearly.
* Experience mentoring technical staff and leading delivery across multi‑disciplinary teams.
* Ability to work in line with government standards and collaborate across government bodies.
Selection process
If invited to interview, the process may include a pair programming exercise in your preferred programming language and a question‑based interview. Instructions will be shared ahead of the exercise. The campaign will assess Experience, Technical, and Behaviours as listed in the person specification.
Salary, benefits and location
Salary: £59,586 – £64,641 (National) or £64,979 – £70,011 (London). An additional digital allowance may be payable depending on assessed capability, to meet the MHCLG remuneration rate for the grade, location and capability rating. The Ministry contributes to a Civil Service Pension scheme (defined benefit) and offers learning and development, flexible working options, and an inclusive culture.
Locations
London, Manchester, Bristol, Wolverhampton, Darlington.
Other information
Geographical location details may be discussed case by case. There are security, nationality, and internal policy requirements for Civil Service roles, including checks and eligibility to work in the UK. For more information, see the attached Candidate Pack.
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