A Development Lead plays a crucial role in ensuring the successful delivery of software systems and features by combining technical expertise with leadership and management skills to guide and support their team throughout the development lifecycle. They must simultaneously be a developer by staying intimately involved in the technical work of their team, and a leader, helping to guide their team to realize their potential and further the organization’s goals. A lead developer can be thought of as a bridge between an engineering team and management. They are a senior member of the team who can give technical guidance as well as mentor developers on the team. As a manager, a lead developer needs to demonstrate leadership. They encourage their developers to operate at their top potential and work together as a true team.
Lead developers may write code themselves, but much of their time will be used in conducting code reviews of components being created by other developers. They ensure and manage day-to-day progress as their team tackles their assigned tasks. They need to have a strong understanding of the overall business priorities for their team and need to be able to advocate for what their team needs to do their job while also making sure their team delivers on what company management expects..
Essential Duties and Responsibilities- Lead the design and development of complex software systems and features.
- Mentor junior developers and provide code reviews to ensure best practices.
- Design and develop complex software systems and features.
- Provide code reviews to ensure best practices.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define technical requirements and system architecture.
- Drive continuous improvement in code quality, performance, and maintainability.
- Assist in designing, developing, and maintaining software components and tools.
- Modify existing software to meet specialized needs and configurations.
- Maintain program libraries and technical documentation.
- Design and develop new features for the client portfolio.
- Work through the product backlog, estimating time for coding, documentation, and testing.
- Provide input on system design and architecture.
- Participate in Agile planning and end-user review sessions.
- Stay current on emerging technologies and best practices.
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
Experience:- Minimum of 9 years of experience in the software industry with 3+ years of experience as technical team lead.
- Proven track record of delivering scalable and maintainable software solutions.
- Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and working in cross-functional teams.
- Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, AJAX, React
- Backend/Systems: Perl, MySQL Server, Linux
- Strong problem-solving and communication skills
- Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
- Expertise in full-stack development including React, JavaScript, and backend technologies.
- Strong understanding of system architecture, design patterns, and DevOps practices.
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines, containerization (e.g., Docker), and cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure).
- Manage and coordinate a team of developers, ensuring timely delivery of projects.
- Facilitate Agile ceremonies (stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives).
- Act as the primary technical liaison between development and other departments.
- Set coding standards and ensure adherence across the team.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Strong decision-making and conflict-resolution abilities.
- Experience in project management tools (e.g., Jira, Trello).
- Prior experience in a leadership or managerial role.
- Certifications in Agile, or project management (e.g., CSM, PMP).
Applicants may be required to appear onsite at a Wolters Kluwer office as part of the recruitment process.