Lead Developer - 6 month FTC

Base salary range: £49,129 - £70,000 per annum*

All salaries listed on our roles are based on UK salary bands, however, if you’d like more information on the bands for your country give us a shout.

Lead Developer - 6 month fixed term contract

While this is a fixed-term employed role, we’re also open to hearing from experienced contractors who are available for the full 6-month duration. Let us know your availability and day rate expectations in your application.

A bit about Torchbox

We’re the digital marketing specialists for many of the biggest charities in the UK; we build digital products for international NGOs, governments and universities; and we created Wagtail CMS, used by Google, NASA, the NHS and thousands more.

Our diverse team of over 110 people is mostly UK-based but with a significant presence in Manila as well as a network of people around the world. We are on a mission to set a new standard for a purpose-led business. Torchbox is 100% employee-owned - everyone is a co-owner from day one and we are building an amazing, progressive ownership and learning culture. If you are excited about this mission, it’s a great time to join.

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for a Lead Developer on a 6-month fixed-term contract, with a good chance of extension, to help guide the delivery of complex digital projects for our clients.

You’ll bring hands-on expertise in Python and Django, with experience building content-rich, accessible websites and integrating CMS platforms like Wagtail. This role is ideal for someone who’s passionate about both leading teams and writing great code. You’ll be responsible for keeping projects moving technically — setting the direction, unblocking developers, managing stakeholders, and ensuring smooth handovers across phases. Due to the nature of our public sector work, candidates must be UK-based and able to pass Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks.

Key responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across one or more high-impact web projects
• Work closely with Delivery Managers to shape timelines, prioritise technical tasks, and ensure projects remain on track
• Collaborate directly with clients and stakeholders to define technical approaches and communicate trade-offs
• Set and uphold high coding standards within the team, balancing pragmatism with quality
• Unblock developers, review code, and offer mentoring and day-to-day technical support
• Act as the technical escalation point for issues across the stack
• Manage and guide integration of Wagtail or similar CMS platforms
• Contribute to Agile ceremonies, including backlog grooming and sprint planning
• Flag risks, manage technical debt and ensure deadlines are met without compromising quality.

Skills and experience

Essential:

• Proven experience as a Tech Lead or Senior/Lead Developer in an agency or fast-paced digital environment
• Expertise in Python and Django for building web applications
• Experience integrating and extending CMS systems (ideally Wagtail)
• Proficient in managing technical complexity and conflict resolution within a team setting
• Strong understanding of Agile delivery methods and working within multidisciplinary teams
• Experience working directly with clients and senior stakeholders
• Able to scope and estimate work accurately, and adjust plans as delivery evolves
• Comfortable leading technical discussions and presenting to non-technical stakeholders

Desirable:

• Familiarity with hosting environments (Heroku, AWS, Azure)
• Experience with containerised deployments (e.g. Docker) and CI/CD pipelines
• Front-end proficiency (e.g. React/Next.js or Vue/Nuxt.js, Tailwind)
• Knowledge of accessibility standards and performance best practices
• Previous experience working with public sector clients
• Familiarity with JIRA / other project management suites.

What we offer

• Work with awesome clients doing rewarding, purposeful work
• Competitive salary + annual review + bonuses
• Ethical pension scheme, with a 6% contribution from Torchbox, enrolled into the scheme after 12 weeks
• 27 days holiday, plus public holidays (FTE)
• Fully remote, hybrid, office full-time, whatever works for you
• Health schemes and access to mental health support
• Some pretty epic socials (virtual and in-person), weekly free veggie lunches in the office and a bunch of other cool stuff we’d love to tell you about

The money bit

At Torchbox, you’re not just an employee—you’re a co-owner from day one. We’re 100% employee-owned, which means you get a say in how we run things, and you directly share in our success.

Our total compensation includes:

• Base Salary: £49,129 - £70,000 per annum
• Tax-Free Co-Owner Bonus & Profit Share Scheme: these are paid in line with our payment schedule. As this is a short-term contract, you may not be in post for a full bonus cycle, but we’ll ensure you receive a co-owner bonus payment on completion of the contract, so you still benefit from being part of our employee-owned business.

The application process

The closing date for this role is Friday 5th September 2025.

The application process will consist of 3 stages, these will be:

1. An initial meeting to discuss the role, your skills and experience, and for you to learn more about us and the role.

2. A takeaway technical assignment.

3. A final stage interview with the Head of Engineering and other members of the Engineering team, a run through of your technical assessment.

Everyone is welcome

We’re committed to being an inclusive employer, from recruitment to everyday life. If you need help or have questions - give us a shout - [email protected]

No agencies, please.