As a Principal Developer, you will provide expert leadership to Developers, setting development standards, managing risks, overseeing best practices, leading the Developer Community of Practice, and supporting ongoing professional growth.
This is an ideal role for someone who is highly technical and hands-on, skilled across multiple software development disciplines. You should demonstrate deep expertise in specific technical areas, coding languages, frameworks, and non-functional requirements such as security and accessibility. Experience leading continuous delivery and fostering a culture of improvement is essential.
You'll work on impactful projects that benefit the public, NHS colleagues, and internal teams at NHSBSA. Collaborating closely with stakeholders, you'll develop a clear understanding of both customer and organisational needs and communicate complex technical ideas in a simple, accessible way.
What we offer:
o Hybrid working (mainly from home, with office options)
o 27 days leave (plus 8 bank holidays), increasing over time
o Wellbeing and inclusion networks
o Salary sacrifice schemes
o 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
o Wide range of discounts and benefits
Main duties of the job Take an active leadership role in your profession, keeping up to date with the latest technologies, standards and best practice.
Provide in-depth expertise in technical specialisms with experience in key areas including:
- Architectural tiers such as Frontend or Backend
- Non-functional requirements such as quality, security or accessibility
- Platforms such as AWS or Microsoft Azure
- Support multiple development teams across a set of services to achieve efficient delivery of quality outcomes.
- Lead on cross-cutting continuous improvement initiatives: Define, document and socialise improvements to software development standards, design patterns, methods and tools.
- Identify and manage programme level risks relating to software development.
- Review solution designs to ensure consistency, selection of appropriate technology and efficient use of resources.
- Actively contribute to professional development within the
- Developer community, including career progression, performance management and mentoring.
- Work autonomously to manage your workload, including delivering continuous improvement, project related deadlines, operational tasks, budget spending and resourcing estimates.
- Participate in procurement processes for software and outsourced capability.
- Consult with wider UK Government departments and agencies, and industry to define and achieve strategic aims.
About us Here at the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), what we do matters. We manage the NHS Pension scheme, process prescription payments and much more. Our services are used by NHS organisations, contractors and the public: we're proud to be part of something meaningful, that touches millions of lives. We design our services around customer needs and place people at the heart of our organisation. That's why when you join us, you'll be empowered and supported to help your career grow. As one of the UK's Best Big Companies to work for, we're connected to our values: Collaborative, Adventurous, Reliable and Energetic. We care about our people, our purpose, and your progress. We strive to offer a fantastic colleague experience, where every colleague is heard, supported and respected. Wellbeing, diversity and inclusion is at the centre of this, and you can join our Lived Experience Networks who help us bring our authentic selves to work. We're committed to being a flexible employer and we try to offer a working pattern that suits you where possible, through hybrid working, flexible hours and more. Alongside a competitive salary with pay progression, we offer a people-centric benefits package, connecting you to the rewards and benefits you value most. Ready to join us in delivering business service excellence to the NHS, helping people live longer, healthier lives? Apply today and see where the NHSBSA can take you.We are people connected to care.
Job responsibilities
In this role, you are accountable for 1. Provide in-depth expertise, for consultation across all areas of DDaT, in designated technical specialisms, and software development practices.See appendix I for details.
2. Support multiple development teams across a set of services to achieve efficient delivery of quality outcomes.
3. Define, document and socialise NHSBSA software development standards, design patterns, methods and tools. Ensure they are applied effectively and are iterated to provide continuous improvement.
4. Review specifications and solution designs, to ensure consistency, selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources and integration with multiple systems and technologies. Provide feedback on functional and non-functional requirements to ensure the overall needs of the business are met within software delivery.
5. Act as an escalation point for technical issues arising across the project delivery lifecycle. Apply experience and collaboration skills to find appropriate solutions, coordinating with professionals from within and outside of the project team as necessary.
6. Identify programme level risks within software development across multiple services and raise through appropriate channels.
7. Identify, prioritise and lead the strategic implementation of risk mitigations, improvements and efficiencies, ensuring that the organisation derives maximum value across multiple services.
8. Manage the assurance of software development activities across a range of project including internally developed, 3rd party partnerships and fully outsourced. Develop appropriate measures and processes to provide sufficient insight into project delivery health. Identify trends and anomalies, reporting at agreed frequency on development needs and deviations from standards.
9. Lead the Developer Community of Practice, being accountable for developers aligned to your designated technical specialisms.Knowledge management
10. Take an active, lead role in your professional development. Keep up to date with the latest technologies and software development standards and best practice, through self-directed and NHSBSA organised learning activities.
11. Identify, investigate and champion the application of emerging technologies and approaches within software development.
12. Create workable prototypes using a variety of methods and tools to meet business and user needs.
13. Identify and support opportunities for teams to develop their skills to meet the changing needs of the business. Take ownership for decision making within your area, seeking support and feedback to develop well thought out solutions, processes and work as required, and in conjunction with agreed procedures.
Relationship management 14. Foster relationships and partnership, to identify and deliver value to the organisation.
15. Collaborate across multiple disciplines to achieve strategic aims, ensuring consistent approaches, methods, standards, and patterns are holistically applied:a. User Centred Designb. Architecturec. Securityd. Datae. Testf. Platformg. Supporth. Commercialsi. Finance
16. Work with Team Managers to identify, implement and support team and individual development, career progression, performance management, providing mentorship and guidance for other software developers.
17. Consult with wider UK Government departments and agencies, and industry to define and achieve strategic aims.
18. Deputise for the Head of Software Engineering as required.Information management
19. Maintain the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information systems through compliance with relevant legislation and regulations and that controls and management strategies are designed and implemented to support this.
Delivery management 20. Manage workload complete to a high quality and within agreed timelines. Deliver continuous improvements to enhance own and business areas; co-ordinate delivery of work across multiple strands such as continuous improvement, project related work, and operational tasks, escalating issues at appropriate times.
21. Prepare plans to enable the delivery and management of projects and programmes undertaken by the professional leadership team. Provide strategic and operational direction in the preparation of plans to deliver systems and services across DDaT and the organisation.
22. Manage and implement approaches strategies, standards, practices and policies across the software development profession, ensuring and monitoring the timely delivery of business objectives within budget.
23. Proactively identify warning signs of significant delivery challenges and provide a decisive response.
24. Contribute to and lead procurement processes for hardware, software and outsourced capability. Review functional and non-functional requirements to ensure the overall needs of the business are met from a DDaT perspective.
25. Contribute to budget management processes in accordance with NHSBSAs policies, standing orders, financial regulations and legislative requirements.
26. Contribute to and prepare proposals for change, including producing necessary estimates, mandates and business cases.
27. Monitor budget spend and resource estimates against projects and change initiatives.
Staff management 28 . click apply for full job details