Lead PHP Software Developer / Lead Software Developer

Job Advert Summary Purpose of the Role: The Lead Software Developer is responsible for providing hands-on technical leadership in the design, development, and enhancement of the organisation’s custom software solutions. The role focuses on applying modern application development practices to deliver secure, maintainable solutions that meet business requirements and technical standards The role plays a key part in embedding Agile and DevOps practices within the development team, contributing to coding standards, automated testing, CI/CD practices, and continuous improvement across the development lifecycle. Working closely with product managers, stakeholders, and team members, the Lead Software Developer ensures solutions meet functional needs, performance expectations, and quality standards. Acting as a technical lead within the delivery team, the role supports day-to-day development activities, sprint execution, and production support, while mentoring developers and encouraging good engineering practices. The Lead Software Developer contributes to a strong engineering culture and supports efficient, high-quality delivery that enables operational effectiveness and supports the organisation’s technology objectives. Minimum Requirements Minimum Requirements for the job: • A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent NQF-7 qualification (Advanced Diploma or Bachelor of Technology) in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field. Experience: • Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in application development, with a focus on PHP, JavaScript, and related technologies; prior lead or technical leadership experience advantageous. • Proven experience and exposure to high-traffic/high availability application/system architecture, design, implementation and scaling. • Advantageous/Highly Desirable: • Proven experience in the deployment and management of Moodle LMS on AWS, utilizing services like EC2, RDS, and S3 • Minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience in administering and supporting Moodle-based Learning Management Systems • Experience in educational technology, instructional design, or e-learning Functional And Behavioural Competencies Technical / Functional Competencies: • HTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL, Web development standards, exposure to online learner management systems Proficient in PHP, JavaScript, and related technologies for LMS customisation and development • Strong technical knowledge of Moodle administration, including installation, configuration, and customisation • Solid understanding of MySQL or other relational databases for managing LMS data and performing SQL queries • Skilled in working with AWS services such as EC2, RDS, S3, and CloudFront • Proven experience leading the full software development lifecycle, including design, build, testing, and delivery of high-quality solutions. • Strong system design capability, with a solid understanding of backend systems and architectures. • Deep knowledge of scalable service design, including reliability, performance, and maintainability considerations. • Strong collaboration with team members to ensure solutions are well-reasoned, maintainable, and aligned to broader technical direction. • Strong understanding of AGILE and DevOps methodologies and practices • Experience with CI/CD tools and practices • Team leadership, coaching, and day-to-day people management. • Management of sprint execution, releases, and operational support activities. • Well-developed organisational and time management abilities • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to support and train users effectively • Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to diagnose and resolve technical issues efficiently • Excellent coding and debugging skills • Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment • Strong organisational and time management skills Behavioural Competencies • Action orientation • Leadership • Initiative and adaptability to changing technologies and requirements • Collaboration with cross-functional teams and stakeholders • Clear and professional verbal and written communication • Analytical thinking and problem-solving in technical contexts • Structured planning and organisation of tasks • Innovation, adaptability and change • Planning and organising • Effective and optimal task execution • Networking and Influencing • Resilience and coping with pressure and setbacks