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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £56,532 - £64,048, London salary range is £61,201 - £69,338. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
30-May-2025
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
Grade 7
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
5994

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

HM Courts and Tribunals Service 

Directorate: Digital Technology Services (DTS)

Pay Band:    Grade 7

Job Title:     Senior Software Developer (Low Code)

Location:     National

                    Successful applicants will be expected to be office based 3 days per week in any HMCTS Office (subject to business availability).

Term:        Permanent

Interview:  Video conference via Teams

Important salary details:

New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum.

Existing Civil Servants applying on promotion, will usually be appointed on the salary minimum of the new pay band, or receive an increase of 10 percent on the current base salary, whichever is higher (This is restricted to the pay maximum of the new band).

GDD:

Roles will be recruited using a combination of the Government Digital and Data (GDD) and Success Profile Frameworks. Using GDD we will then determine if you will be paid an additional allowance, on top of your basic salary. This role is aligned to the Technical Job Family, is a Software Developer role at Senior Developer level, and carries the title Senior Software Developer within DTS.

Reserve List:

HMCTS run a Reserve List, where candidates who are unsuccessful at interview by only a few points, can be offered other roles, at the same band, for up to 12 months. You will be able to view your status via the application screen. If you have been added to the Reserve List, your status will show either Merit or Reserve list.

Introduction:

These are exciting times at HM Court and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). As an agency of the MoJ, we support the judiciary across England and Wales to deliver justice by running courts and tribunals and processing outcomes, and we are looking for talented people to help us achieve our ambitions. It will be challenging, important and rewarding.

HMCTS Digital and Technology Services (DTS) is a specialist technology directorate which provides support to HMCTS in the use of IT and Digital.

DTS is committed to being a great place to work and part of our offer is brilliant training opportunities and support from expert colleagues. As well as that you’ll find flexible working, an inclusive culture, and a place where your opinion is valued.

Please follow the link below for further information about HMCTS. www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service

The key purpose of the role:

At HMCTS, we're using cutting-edge low-code technologies like Microsoft Power Platform and UiPath Robotic Process Automation to deliver fast, secure, and critical business solutions. Our low-code team is made up of talented developers who work together to make a real difference.

As a Senior Developer, you'll be a key part of this team working closely with developers, user researchers, product managers, business analysts, delivery managers, and architects. Together, you'll innovate and transform public services to facilitate swift access to justice.

You'll lead and mentor a team of developers, design, develop, and deploy low-code solutions, work with stakeholders to understand their needs, and ensure solutions are secure, reliable, and efficient.

You'll need experience with low-code platforms like Microsoft Power Platform and UiPath, strong technical skills, excellent communication and collaboration skills and a passion for technology.

Technologies:

We rely heavily on:

  • Power Platform for low-code development
  • UiPath for Robotic Process Automation
  • Power Platform Pipelines for deployment
  • Dynatrace for application monitoring
  • Azure for most of our infrastructure
  • Dataverse and SQL Server as our databases.
  • UK Design System for our web interfaces
  • Macs to do all the above
  • In addition, we use a range of other technologies and continue to evolve by employing new technologies that help us deliver better services to our users.

Key responsibilities:

  • Write, amend, refactor and document code to build complex programs/scripts, and as required leading on these activities. Adhere to internal process and procedures, promoting and advising others which software development standards, processes & procedures apply.
  • Constantly seek to learn and further develop your skills as required for your role. Monitor changes in the tech stack you use and alert on any major changes affecting our software. Adhere to industry's best practices, produce well-engineered modern products and guide others to do so in a highly competent manner.
  • Ensure that products are secure, engineered to mitigate security threats and have the necessary security controls in place. Ensure that information is handled with confidentiality and integrity, and that products are compliant. Identify and raise risks and support Information Assurance activities.
  • Support and maintain software as required, including in the live environment. Use modern tools to identify, troubleshoot and fix faults effectively and thoroughly. Package and deploy software built. Some activities may be outside the core office hours (in-line with the organisation's policy for OOH).
  • Plan the development on sets of related stories and coordinate integration tasks across systems. Contribute to selection of the software development approach (plan-driven, iterative/agile etc.) for projects. Identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance and support activities to improve the development process. Choose the most appropriate from a variety of methods of prototyping, actively solicit prototypes with others.
  • Define, analyse, plan, forecast, measure, maintain and improve all aspects of the availability of services. Control and manage service availability to meet the needs of the business in a cost-effective manner. This includes managing the capability, functionality and sustainability of service components (for example, hardware, software, network resources and software/infrastructure as a service).
  • Define the integration build. Coordinate build activities across systems and undertake and support integration testing activities.
  • Take a test-driven approach to software development, write complex automation test scripts and participate in testing. Participate in code reviews of own work and leads code reviews of colleagues' work.
  • Guide and advise others on technical areas you have expertise in, modern development standards and approaches to understand user stories. Coach and mentor more junior colleagues. Lead on and participate in recruitment as required.
  • Participate in and lead on procurement activities as required.
  • Translate user stories to a proposed design and develop software to meet user needs. Collaborate with user researchers, represent users internally and champion user research to focus on all users.
  • The post holder may be expected to travel between sites, for meetings, events etc as and when required.

Skills & Experience:

  • Sound knowledge in one programming language for development of enterprise and public facing applications, ideally in our core stack (Java and JavaScript).
  • Knowledge of one low-code platform ideally in our core stack (Power Platform and UiPath).
  • Sound knowledge of HTTP and at least one RDBMS (e.g. SQL Server).
  • Sound knowledge in a wide range of technologies and libraries used in an enterprise, such as logging and monitoring, authentication/authorisation, cloud hosting environments, systems integration, source control, package management etc.
  • Experience of mentoring, coaching or leading other developers.
  • Experience of working with modern tools and techniques.
  • An understanding of common security issues and how to mitigate them.
  • You will also want to make a positive impact on the communities we serve.
  • You are looking for new technical and leadership challenges.
  • You thrive when you work as part of a team.
  • You enjoy learning and helping others.
  • You hold yourself and others to a high standard.
  • You solve problems in a systematic way.   

Application process:

Coding Task

When submitting your application please complete the following coding task and provide a link to the repository:

https://github.com/hmcts/dts-developer-challenge

Please note the Civil Service application process is name-blind, so ensure that the repository containing your code does not include any personal information that would identify you.

The following areas of Success Profile Framework will be used to assess and score your application during the sift, and interview.

  • Experience – As demonstrated in your application form.
  • Technical –Successful sift candidates will be invited to a pre-interview technical on-line test. If successful, you will move on to the interview stage, which will also include a coding challenge that you will have time to prepare for.
  • GDD Assessment – During the interview, you will be assessed against the GDD skills
  • and framework below.

GDD Skill 1 - Development process optimisation

GDD Skill 2 - Modern development standards

GDD Skill 3 - Programming and build (software engineering)

GDD Skill 4 - Systems integration

  • Behaviours – You will be required to provide evidence of the following key behaviours at Grade 7 level.
  • Leadership
  • Delivering at Pace
Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised role: all successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale.  This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity). 

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Support

  • A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 5994

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 5994

Allowance

Roles will be recruited using a combination of Government Digital and Data (GDD) Profession Capability Framework and Success Profile Frameworks. Using GDD we will then determine if you will be paid an additional allowance on top of your basic salary.

Application form stage assessments

Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Statement of Suitability
Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Please complete the coding task below. In your personal statement, describe your software development experience, explain your approach to the task, and provide a link to your code repository:

https://github.com/hmcts/dts-developer-challenge
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Technical
Technical Questions Application Form Question Word Limit
250
HMCTS Case Management Coding Challenge

https://github.com/hmcts/dts-developer-challenge

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Interviews expected w/c 30/06/25, but this could be subject to change
Behaviours
Leadership
Delivering at Pace
Technical
GDD Skill 1 - Development process optimisation
GDD Skill 2 - Modern development standards
GDD Skill 3 - Programming and build (software engineering)
GDD Skill 4 - Systems integration
HMCTS Case Management Coding Challenge

https://github.com/hmcts/dts-developer-challenge
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Level of security checks required
Security Clearance (SC)