DWP Digital
Lead Software Engineer
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Lead Software Engineer
Lead Software Engineer – Health & Disability, DWP Digital
About the Role
Are you ready to lead and influence engineering at scale, shaping how software is built across one of the UK's largest digital organisations?
As a Lead Software Engineer, you’ll join our Health & Disability area at DWP Digital, playing a critical leadership role in shaping how we build and deliver modern digital services. You’ll lead a blend of DWP and supplier engineers across multiple teams, setting direction, establishing engineering standards, and driving consistency, quality, and pace across delivery.
You’ll be at the forefront of transforming our engineering capability, helping to embed modern practices such as microservices and event-driven architecture. This is a strategic leadership role, where your work will directly impact how we design and deliver services supporting citizens at key moments in their lives.
The scale of what we do is extraordinary, and our purpose is unique. We’d love you to join us.
What You’ll Be Doing
As a Lead Software Engineer, you’re expected to:
- Lead approximately 5 engineering teams, working alongside other senior leaders to shape direction, strategy, and delivery.
- Set and enforce engineering excellence, ensuring the right practices and standards are consistently applied.
- Remove blockers, encourage reuse and collaboration, and align ways of working to enable teams to deliver high-quality services at pace.
- Sit as part of the senior leadership team, influencing long-term technology strategy and helping to define how DWP continues to modernise its digital estate.
- Coach, mentor, and build capability within engineering communities to grow stronger and more effective over time.
- Drive modern architectures, including microservices and event-driven design, ensuring services are scalable, resilient, and user-focused.
- Care deeply about quality and continuous improvement—steps before traditional mentorship or an action-oriented approach.
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This role is not focused on hands-on coding, but rather on leading engineering excellence across teams.
Requirements
You’ll need the following skills, knowledge, and experience:
- Experience leading multiple engineering teams, guiding their work and helping improve software delivery.
- High level of proficiency in modern programming languages such as Java or JavaScript/Node, and understanding of their scalability applications.
- Extensive hands-on experience with cloud platforms like AWS or Azure, including building and operating live services.
- Test-Driven Development (TDD) expertise, demonstrated success in improving software quality, reliability, and developer confidence.
- Comfortable working with both relational (Postgres, MySQL) and non-relational (MongoDB) databases.
- Ability to influence and communicate complex technical ideas clearly—to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including senior leaders.
How You’ll Make an Impact
You’ll be a key part of shaping DWP’s digital future. By championing and fostering modern practices, you’ll directly support the delivery of critical systems **sustained and measurable evolution **for the users who matter most. Your work will have a huge social impact.
Details
Location & Flexibility
- Join us in one of our brilliant digital hubs: Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester, or Newcastle—whichever suits you most.
- Hybrid Working: Enjoy a balanced hybrid model with time spent both in-office and remotely.
Salary & Benefits
- Total pay can go up to £92,522 (salary of £80,267 plus up to £12,255 Digital Allowance, based on capability assessment).
- Civil Service Pension: Benefit from 28.97% employer contribution—a value of up to £21,735 per year.
- Holidays: Generous package starting at 26 days, increasing to 31 days overtime, plus up to 3 flexi-hours a month and public holidays.
- Flexible Working: Includes flexible hours and other workplace flexibilities.
- Volunteering & Charity Time: Dedicated time off to support activities that matter to you.
- ‘I Can Be Me’: Commitment to a diverse, inclusive culture where you’re unconditionally yourself.
- Discounts & Savings: Perks for shopping, leisure, or even interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket for work.
- Sports & Social Activities: Engage in team events, from sporting to social gatherings.
- Career Development: Ongoing eco-prcoursing, coaching, mentoring, and greater progression.
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About Us
We’re proud of our commitment to greatness for the public good. DWP Digital has been recognised multiple times for its exceptional culture and innovation:
- 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year (Computing Women in Tech Excellence Awards).
- Div முடே and Inclusive Leadership (Digital Leaders Awards 2024).
- Commended in the Best Public Sector Employer (eight.e طلالأ Rudsүл Media Awards 2025 for Best Place to Work in Digital).
- Top three employer in Women in Tech Awards 2025.
Selection Process
We value your time! Our process is clear and structured in just two stages:
- Apply: Complete your application via Civil Service Jobs—follow the instructions once you’ve clicked through.
- Interview: One face-to-face interview at your nearest digital hub.
Ready to join us? Click APPLY to start your application.
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