Lead Frontend Developer

Frontend Lead Developer - React / Next.js

Location: Leeds (Hybrid – 2 days per week onsite, Monday & Thursday)
Salary: Up to £70,000 (DOE)

The opportunity:

We’re looking for a Frontend Lead Developer to join a growing engineering team building modern digital platforms that support a globally recognised education-focused organisation.

This is a leadership role with a strong hands-on engineering focus, suited to someone who enjoys balancing technical delivery with mentoring and team leadership. The split is approximately 60% hands-on development and 40% leadership responsibilities, with two frontend developers reporting into the role.

You’ll take ownership of frontend architecture, technical direction, and delivery across a suite of modern web applications and platforms, helping shape scalable, performant, and accessible user experiences used by audiences worldwide.

You’ll join a collaborative engineering team where culture, teamwork, and continuous improvement are genuinely valued. The business has an ambitious digital roadmap and is investing heavily in platform capability, user experience, and long-term technical scalability.

What you’ll be doing:

As Frontend Lead Developer, you’ll lead frontend development across modern React / Next.js applications while mentoring developers and helping shape engineering standards and delivery practices.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading frontend development across web platforms and applications
• Owning frontend architecture and technical direction
• Building scalable, performant, and maintainable React / Next.js applications
• Collaborating closely with backend developers, UX, QA, and stakeholders
• Leading the delivery of new features and platform improvements
• Driving improvements around code quality, testing, accessibility, and performance
• Mentoring and supporting frontend developers through regular coaching and guidance
• Participating in sprint planning, technical discussions, and Agile ceremonies
• Supporting technical decision-making and long-term roadmap planning
• Contributing hands-on to development work on a daily basis
• Helping reduce technical debt and improve engineering processes

 
Core technology stack:

• React

• Next.js
• TypeScript
• Tailwind CSS
• Storybook
• Cypress
• Docker
• AWS
• Symfony / API Platform backend environment
• CI/CD pipelines
• Jira, Bitbucket, Slack

 
What we’re looking for:

Essential experience:

• Strong commercial experience with React and Next.js
• Experience leading or mentoring developers within a team environment
• Experience building and maintaining complex frontend applications
• Strong understanding of modern frontend architecture and best practices
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams including UX and backend engineering
• Strong knowledge of performance optimisation, accessibility, and scalable frontend development
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

 
Desirable / bonus experience:

• Experience working with AWS and cloud-based environments
• Exposure to Docker and modern development tooling
• Experience with automated testing frameworks and E2E testing
• Experience contributing to design systems or component libraries
• Background working within fast-paced product or platform environments

About you:

• You’re a hands-on technical leader who enjoys building high-quality products
• You’re passionate about frontend engineering and modern web technologies
• You enjoy mentoring and helping developers grow
• You care about clean code, maintainability, and user experience
• You thrive in collaborative, close-knit team environments
• You’re proactive, adaptable, and comfortable balancing leadership with delivery
• You enjoy contributing ideas and helping shape technical direction within a growing engineering function