Lead Developer

We are partnered with a high-growth digital product agency to appoint a Lead Developer to join their Edinburgh-based team. This is a permanent, full-time position operating on a hybrid basis. Our client delivers AI-enabled, human-centred digital products for ambitious organisations across the UK and internationally.

The Role This is a senior, hands-on leadership position combining technical ownership with people leadership. You will shape engineering standards, influence architectural direction, and remain actively engaged in production-level code. Expect an approximate 70/30 split between hands-on development and leadership responsibilities, flexing according to project phase and delivery requirements.

You will work across: Bespoke web platforms and business-critical applications Mobile applications built with React Native API integrations and backend systems A combination of greenfield builds and scalable legacy platforms This is a dynamic agency environment. Projects vary in scope and sector, and context switching is part of the role. Delivery methodologies include Scrum and Kanban, with two-week sprints typical.

Engagements range from fixed-price to time-and-materials models. Core Responsibilities Delivery Ownership Technical Leadership Commercial Contribution Frontend React Inertia.js React Native Tailwind CSS Laravel PHP Node.js 5+ years’ commercial software development experience Minimum 2 years operating at Senior or Lead level with people responsibility Experience within an agency or consultancy environment Full lifecycle delivery exposure (scoping through to live support) Demonstrated experience mentoring and developing engineers Strong commercial experience with Laravel or Symfony Strong SQL capability (MySQL or PostgreSQL) Proficient with Git workflows and pull request processes Experience implementing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines Comfortable owning cloud deployment and hosting decisions Production integration of LLMs or AI services React Native applications delivered to production Inertia.js and Tailwind Docker and containerisation AWS infrastructure MongoDB This role is for people who want ownership and responsibility in a fast-paced agency environment. This isn't a single-product environment, and it isn't a role for developers seeking purely hands-on coding without leadership accountability.

Variety, pace, and ambiguity are inherent in the role. You will lead a cross-functional delivery squad consisting of: 1 Product Owner, 2/ 4 Mid-Level Developers, & You as Lead Developer. Competitive salary aligned with experience Company pension scheme Enhanced maternity and paternity leave Regular team events Supportive, collaborative working environment Ongoing professional development and training 30 days annual leave plus birthday leave If you are interested in leading delivery within a high-growth digital agency environment and shaping technical standards across diverse client engagements, we welcome your application. #J-18808-Ljbffr