Junior Developer

Job summary

We are MHCLG

Build your digital career with us in Manchester. Technology has an important role to play in how government delivers services and supports communities. As part of our Digital, Data and Information Directorate, you’ll have the opportunity to work on digital services that make a real difference to people’s lives.

Based in Manchester, you’ll join a multidisciplinary digital team and work alongside experienced colleagues to build and improve services used by citizens, Local Authorities and people across MHCLG.

From supporting large-scale grant programmes and using data to improve decision-making, to supporting refugee resettlement, our work contributes to some of the department’s most important services.

As the department’s central digital function, we also provide the technology, platforms and infrastructure that enable teams across MHCLG to deliver their work.

Our teams bring together civil servants and specialist professionals from a range of backgrounds and areas of expertise, giving you the opportunity to learn, contribute your ideas and develop your digital career.

About the role

As a Junior Developer, you’ll have the opportunity to put your technical skills into practice while learning from experienced developers. You’ll work as part of a multidisciplinary team to understand user needs, solve problems and build software that supports people and communities.

You’ll learn through practical experience, including pair programming, writing automated tests and working with colleagues across digital and policy teams. We use the right technology for the job, so you may work with a range of programming languages or Microsoft Power Platform.

Find out more about our digital teams and what they are working on through our MHCLG Digital blog. You can find out how we build software The MHCLG Way.

Please note that MHCLG does not offer visa sponsorship. Applicants will need a valid visa that allows them to work in the UK for the duration of their employment.

Job description

As a Junior Developer, you’ll:

• Develop and maintain high-quality software, working with experienced developers and a multidisciplinary team to build secure, reliable and user-focused digital services.
• Use development best practices, including pair programming, test-driven development (TDD) and automated testing, with support from experienced colleagues.
• Help maintain the reliability and security of our services by monitoring systems and supporting the management of production environments.
• Develop and maintain automated tests that support continuous integration and deployment.
• Work collaboratively with developers and colleagues across disciplines, including product managers, designers and user researchers, to understand user needs and deliver effective solutions.
• Share your knowledge and ideas with colleagues and contribute to the wider development community as you build your skills and experience.

Person specification

We’re looking for people who can work with others, are interested in building a career in software development, and have a foundation of technical skills they can build on.

As a Junior Developer you’ll have:

• Experience with a modern programming language, such as Python or Java, or experience with Microsoft Power Platform or Dynamics 365, potentially alongside JavaScript and C#.
• Experience developing web applications, with an understanding of full-stack development, version control, and cloud-based infrastructure such as AWS or Azure.
• Experience working with RESTful APIs and an understanding of how they are used to connect digital services.
• Experience using SQL and relational databases, ideally PostgreSQL or Microsoft Dataverse.
• Good communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to explain ideas, raise problems and share progress clearly with colleagues.
• A commitment to your own learning and development, with a willingness to learn new technologies, tools and ways of working.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,005, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £12,168 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Childcare Voucher and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Application and Selection
The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:

Ability , Behaviours , Experience , Technical

Please ensure your CV does not contain any personally identifiable information.

Note: We do not consider direct CV applications. All applications must be submitted via the provided application link.

Stage 1: Sift (CV)

Experience: Your CV will be assessed against the criteria in the job description and person specification.

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead sift question listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to interview.

Lead sift question:

Technical: Tell us about something you have created, helped build, or contributed to using software development skills. What tools or technologies did you use, how did you decide to use them, and how did you know it worked as intended? (250 words)

Stage 2: Interview

• Behaviours: Developing Self and Others, Working Together
• Ability: Candidates will be asked to undertake a team challenge and technical exercise during the interview process, further details will be provided on invitation to interview.
• Technical: Technical questions will be based around t