Lead Developer Job Description About the role: While you’ll have heard our name, there’s a lot you probably don’t know about NEXT. Like how we create most of our systems ourselves – whether it’s a website, mobile app or application. What’s more, we’re growing. Fast. And it’s the kind of growth and investment that is exciting for everyone in our business. Our eCommerce websites and apps have grown steadily over the past 10 years to become one of the largest online retail platforms in the UK. We currently sell to 70 international markets, offering our 6 million active customers a personalised shopping experience and the ability to purchase from a wide range of products using multiple delivery methods and payment types. As a Lead Developer you will be working in an agile team and working alongside other Developers to lead and build upon our quality centric eCommerce platform. You will be responsible for developing the user interface of our website platform and will have the opportunity to design architecture and select tools, to improve our skill set and improve our platform in line with the future road map. The enterprise platform is currently used to drive numerous sites, serving millions of users worldwide. As a passionate developer with a keen mindset to improve, you’ll enjoy working as part of a team. Comfortable with modern technologies and tooling, you’ll use best practices to improve the user experience and efficiency of development teams. You will help provide development support to internal users of our Content Management System, as well as offering out-of-hours cover during seasonal events and busy trading periods. You’ll also use your expertise and experience to help us continually improve our processes and working practices, actively enabling the department to become as efficient and effective as it can be. About You: Essential • Strong experience of Java, JSON, Javascript and Freemarker Templates. • Technical experience in both front-end and back-end development • Some experience of developing for high performance sites. • Awareness and practice of UI performance best practices • A desire to write readable, maintainable, modular and extendable code • Good knowledge in industry best practices in development. • Experience in creating a responsive site with multiple viewports. • Strong analytical skills and problem solving aptitude • Experience in mentoring junior developers on development methodologies and optimization techniques • Be able to work closely with Product Owner and Stakeholders to understand the business needs and deliver solutions. Desirable • An understanding of Content Management Systems and features • An understanding of industry standard web accessibility, web design & usability • Experience developing and deploying features to applications and sites. • Experience in working Agile team About Us You know Next, but did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 35,000 people across the UK and Ireland. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we’re the market leader. At the last count we have over 500 stores, plus the Next Online and it’s now possible to buy on-line from over 70 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global! About some of our Benefits • 25% off most NEXT, MADE*, Lipsy*, Gap* and Victoria's Secret* products (*when purchased through NEXT) • Company performance based bonus • Sharesave scheme • On-site Nursery available; OFSTED outstanding in all areas • 10% off most partner brands & up to 15% off Branded Beauty • Early VIP access to sale stock • Access to fantastic discounts at our Staff Shops • Restaurants with great food at amazing prices • Access a digital GP and other free health and wellbeing services • Free on-site parking • Financial Wellbeing - Save, track and enhance your financial wellbeing • Apprenticeship - Grow and develop on the job whilst gaining a qualification • Direct to Work - Discount online and instore, collect your items the next day for free from your place of work or local store • Support Networks - Access to Network Groups to empower and celebrate each other • Wellhub - Discounted flexible monthly gym memberships, with apps, PT sessions and more Conditions apply to all benefits. These benefits are discretionary and subject to change. We aim to support all candidates during the application process and are happy to provide workplace adjustments when necessary. Should you need support with your application due to a disability or long-term condition, feel free to get in touch with us by email headoffice_careers@next.co.uk (please include 'Workplace Adjustments' in the subject line), or call us on 0116 284 2486 and leave a voicemail.