Information Systems Specialist Digital Web Developer

Sheffield City Council is currently embarking on an exciting digital journey that’s focusing on delivering excellent digital and automated services to our customers.

The role

The postholder will develop, maintain and continuously improve the Council's Drupal-based websites and digital services, ensuring residents, businesses and visitors can easily access information, complete transactions and interact with council services online.

The role is responsible for delivering accessible, secure, reliable and user-centred digital experiences that support the Council's digital transformation ambitions and improve customer outcomes. Working as part of a multidisciplinary Digital Services team, you will collaborate with content designers, UX specialists, developers and service teams to design, build and enhance high-quality digital services.

The role will contribute to the development of customer journeys, service improvements, website functionality and digital products that make it easier for people to access council services and information online.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain and enhance Drupal websites and digital services.

• Create clean, secure and maintainable code following agreed development standards.
• Develop reusable components, templates and functionality to support consistent digital services.
• Build and maintain integrations with internal and external systems using APIs and other technologies.
• Troubleshoot defects, performance issues and technical problems across websites and applications.
• Contribute to testing and quality assurance activities.
• Support the ongoing improvement of accessibility, usability, performance and security.
• Work collaboratively with content specialists, user researchers, service designers and stakeholders to understand user needs and deliver effective solutions.
• Participate in technical discussions, service improvements and continuous development activities.
• Provide technical advice and guidance to colleagues and support knowledge sharing across the team.

Skills and knowledge we are looking for

• Experience developing and maintaining websites using Drupal or an equivalent content management system (CMS).
• Strong PHP (Twig) development skills, with the ability to produce clean, maintainable and well-documented code.
• Experience developing custom Drupal modules, themes and site functionality.
• Experience working with HTML, CSS, JavaScript/jQuery and modern front-end development practices.
• Experience using Git and GitHub for source control and collaborative development.
• Understanding of web accessibility standards and inclusive design principles, including experience supporting accessibility improvements.
• Knowledge of testing approaches, quality assurance processes and code review practices.
• Experience working with REST APIs, system integrations and containerised development environments such as Docker or DDEV.
• Understanding of website performance optimisation, analytics and search engine optimisation (SEO).
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical colleagues and work effectively within multidisciplinary teams to deliver digital services.

For further discussion about this opportunity, please e-mail Karl Wistow to arrange an informal discussion karl.wistow@sheffield.gov.uk.

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups.  We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

It is a great time to join us and we welcome your application.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form.  Sometimes, if lots of people apply, we might not be able to interview everyone who qualifies for the Guarantee. In these cases, we’ll interview the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job.

Full-time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year and we offer a generous holiday entitlement. We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade. 

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Read about the new job evaluation process to be introduced at Sheffield City Council.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.