# DWP Digital: Senior Software Developer (WordPress / Full-Stack) Application > **An interactive GOV.UK-inspired record specification and candidate proof-of-work application built with the WolfPack listing engine, tailored for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Senior Software Developer contract.** Live Listing: [`/dwp`](https://listingslab.com/dwp) Monorepo Source: [`github.com/goldlabelapps/nx`](https://github.com/goldlabelapps/nx) Candidate Portfolio: [`goldlabel.pro`](https://goldlabel.pro) Candidate CV: [`/pdf/Chris_Dorward_CV.pdf`](/pdf/Chris_Dorward_CV.pdf) Generation Prompt: [`/dwp/PROMPT.md`](/dwp/PROMPT.md) --- ## 1. Executive Summary This listing is a bespoke, interactive candidate application and official-grade "Record Page" designed for the **Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)** via recruitment partner **LA International** for the **Senior Software Developer** role (Leeds / Hybrid, 6-Month Initial Contract, £320/day Inside IR35). Engineered to resemble an authoritative DWP digital service document—of a type that doesn't exist, but should—it structures the vacancy into a transparent digital record. At the top, it presents an orientation overview of the recruitment partnership and candidate profile, moves into a clear translation of modern WordPress engineering within government publishing services, and delivers a rigorous 1:1 requirement alignment matrix proving why **Chris Dorward** is an exact match for this mandate. Beyond meeting public-sector publishing criteria, this application carries personal resonance: Chris is actively engaged with Universal Credit and his local Jobcentre Plus work coach Jamie while securing his next contract. Building an authoritative, production-grade GOV.UK-style digital application demonstrates unmatched initiative, agility, and technical capability. --- ## 2. Target Recruiter, Client & Mandate Details | Property | Details | | :--- | :--- | | **Client** | **Department for Work and Pensions (DWP Digital)** | | **Recruitment Agency** | **LA International** ([lainternational.com](https://www.lainternational.com)) | | **Lead Recruiter** | **Oliver Bould** ([LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-bould-b991132b9/)) | | **Recruiter Contact** | `obould@lainternational.com` • `+44 1782 203040` • `+44 7436 123575` | | **Jobcentre Work Coach** | Jamie (Jobcentre Plus / Universal Credit Work Coach) | | **Target Role** | **Senior Software Developer** (Full Stack / WordPress) | | **Location / Working Model** | Leeds (2 days/week on-site, hybrid) | | **Contract Duration** | 6-Month initial contract (ASAP start) | | **Commercials** | £320 / day (Inside IR35) | | **Candidate** | **Chris Dorward** • `goldlabel.apps@gmail.com` • `+44 7745 763122` (`07745 763122`) | | **Candidate Location** | UK (London / National Hybrid) | | **Candidate CV** | [`/pdf/Chris_Dorward_CV.pdf`](/pdf/Chris_Dorward_CV.pdf) | --- ## 3. Listing Architecture & Specification Built using the **WolfPack Modern Scroll & Record Document** blueprint, blending GOV.UK Design System clarity with modern Next.js 15 interactivity: ### Visual Design & Brand Tokens - **Theme**: Light mode by default (`defaultTheme: "light"`), with dark mode switch via header toggle. - **DWP Departmental Palette**: - DWP Teal / Turquoise: `#008272` (WCAG AAA compliant primary brand teal) - Accent Teal: `#00BCB5` - GOV.UK Dark Slate / Black: `#0B0C0C` (primary text) - Surface Background: `#F8FAFC` (clean modern slate) / `#F3F2F1` (GOV.UK neutral tint) - Border Accents: `#B1B4B6` (official GOV.UK border grey) - **Typography & Layout**: - Clear GOV.UK record document styling: reference ID pills, metadata grids, record headers, and high-contrast section typography. - Section headings use consistent sizing (`text-3xl sm:text-4xl font-bold tracking-tight`) with `style={{ fontFamily: "inherit" }}`. - **Brand Assets**: Crisp DWP emblem/crest logo extracted from `src/app/(recruitment)/dwp/assets/dwp.jpeg` and dedicated `favicon.png`. ### Section Breakdown (3-Section Structure) 1. **Header (`DwpHeader.tsx`)**: - Fixed header with DWP Teal accent bar. - Pill badge labeled strictly as `"Job Application"`. - Universal mobile drawer navigation containing section anchors (`#record`, `#alignment`, `#experience`, `#contact`). - Clean neutral `"CV"` action button linking directly to `/pdf/Chris_Dorward_CV.pdf`. - Built-in `` placed adjacent to the hamburger button. - Built-in social sharing and clipboard copy. - Strictly isolated: no external parent links except the footer universal copyright. 2. **Section 1: Hero & DWP Record Document Spotlight (`DwpHeroSection.tsx`)**: - Full-height view area (`min-h-[calc(100dvh-4.5rem)]`). - Animated `CleverText` headline: **`"Senior Software Developer"`** with `style={{ fontFamily: "inherit" }}`. - **DWP Job Record Spotlight Card** ("Official Candidate Record"): - Top row: DWP Crest / emblem, `"Verified Match"` chip, and top-right `"View Job"` link. - Orientation summary: Outlines the 6-month contract supporting GOV.UK campaign & publishing services with an authentic nod to public-sector delivery. - 2x2 Mandate Grid: - **Role**: Senior Software Developer (WordPress / Full Stack) - **Location & Model**: Leeds (2 days/week hybrid) • 6-Month Contract - **Rate & Terms**: £320 / day (Inside IR35) • ASAP - **Core Stack**: WordPress, PHP, HTML5/CSS, Vanilla JS/Node.js, WCAG 2.1 AA - Direct Action Cluster (positioned strictly below the 2x2 mandate grid): - Primary: `"Say hi"` smooth scroll to `#contact`. - Secondary: `"Download CV (PDF)"` with neutral slate styling linking to `/pdf/Chris_Dorward_CV.pdf`. - Tertiary: `"View Prompt"` button linking to `/dwp/PROMPT.md` in a new tab. 3. **Section 2: 1:1 Requirement Alignment & Real-World Proof (`DwpAlignmentSection.tsx`)**: - Comprehensive requirement vs. delivery breakdown for every bullet point in the DWP job description. - **Real-World Evidence Highlights**: - **Multisite Enterprise Platform (Living Websites)**: Operated a WordPress multisite cloud infrastructure hosting hundreds of live sites. Handled automated upgrades, vulnerability patching, Nginx caching, load balancing, and hardened security. - **Live Production WordPress References**: - *Healthy Made Tasty* ([healthymadetasty.com.au](https://healthymadetasty.com.au/)): High-traffic public health campaign and interactive content platform for Cancer Council NSW with advanced taxonomies and accessible recipes. - *All Mountain Performance* ([allmountainperformance.com](https://allmountainperformance.com/)): Bespoke performance-optimized WordPress site with customized themes and workflows. - *Diamond Diving* ([diamonddiving.net/en](https://diamonddiving.net/en/)): Multilingual, high-conversion publishing and booking experience built on hardened WordPress. - **Headless WordPress & Modern Decoupled CMS**: Deep expertise using WordPress as an API-driven headless CMS with REST/GraphQL backends and decoupled Next.js/React display layers. - **Public-Sector Accessibility & GDS Standards**: Proven track record building accessible semantic HTML5/CSS conforming to WCAG 2.1 AA/AAA. - **Enterprise Monorepo & Tooling**: Open-source engineering rigor backed by the **NX°** monorepo project ([nx.goldlabel.pro](https://nx.goldlabel.pro/)). 4. **Section 3: Contact & Outreach (`DwpEnquiry.tsx`)**: - Title: **`"Say hi"`** with `CleverText` inheriting section font styling. - Dual-routed email enquiry form sending via `/api/notify/send` to both `goldlabel.apps@gmail.com` and `DEFAULT_OWNER_EMAIL` with confetti animation. - Direct outreach cluster for Oliver Bould at LA International (`obould@lainternational.com`, `+44 1782 203040`). - One-click candidate WhatsApp link (`+44 7745 763122`). - Respectful greeting option for work coach Jamie at Jobcentre Plus. 5. **Footer (`DwpFooter.tsx`)**: - 3-column structured standard: - **`Menu`**: Section anchors (`#record`, `#alignment`, `#experience`, `#contact`). - **`Candidate`**: Chris Dorward, Senior Developer, `https://goldlabel.pro/`, `Download CV (PDF)`, and verified LinkedIn. - **`Links`**: LA International, DWP Careers, `https://nx.goldlabel.pro/`, `Page Generation Prompt (PROMPT.md)`. - Bottom bar: Universal copyright `© 2026 Listingslab`. --- ## 4. 1:1 Alignment Matrix: Job Description vs. Candidate Delivery | Essential Skill & Experience (DWP / LA International) | Candidate Delivery & Verifiable Evidence | | :--- | :--- | | **Strong WordPress Development & Support**
*Maintenance, upgrades, patching, and security of public-facing websites.* | **Multisite Scale & Long-Term Maintenance**
Founded and operated **Living Websites**, managing hundreds of production WordPress sites on early multisite architecture. Deep hands-on experience in automated patch management, security hardening, database optimization, and vulnerability remediation across high-traffic public sites. | | **Strong PHP Development Skills**
*Working with custom WordPress themes, child themes, and custom plugins.* | **Deep PHP & WordPress Architecture**
Extensive experience writing clean, maintainable, object-oriented and functional PHP. Authored bespoke WordPress plugins, hooks, filters, custom post types, REST endpoints, and tailored themes without bloated third-party plugin overhead. | | **Strong HTML5 & CSS / Accessibility Standards**
*Accessible, responsive web content within UK Government / public-sector environments.* | **Semantic, Accessible Frontend Craftsmanship**
Decades of building responsive, semantic HTML5 and modern CSS adhering strictly to WCAG 2.1 AA/AAA and GOV.UK Service Standards. Passionate about keyboard navigability, screen reader semantics, and high-contrast compliance. | | **JavaScript & Node.js**
*Vanilla JavaScript, modern ES6+, and Node.js toolchains.* | **Vanilla JS to Enterprise TypeScript**
Strong vanilla JavaScript foundations paired with extensive Node.js scripting, build tooling, and API integrations. Fluent with both lightweight vanilla front-end scripts and modern Next.js/React decoupled environments. | | **Campaign & Publishing Websites**
*Building, maintaining, and supporting high-traffic, content-led publishing services.* | **Proven Content Platforms**
Proven delivery of content-rich, high-performance publishing platforms including live client showcases [allmountainperformance.com](https://allmountainperformance.com/) and [diamonddiving.net](https://diamonddiving.net/en/). Experienced in editorial publishing workflows, media asset pipelines, and caching layers (Varnish/Nginx). | | **Headless CMS & Content Management**
*Experience working with CMS architectures and managing website content.* | **Decoupled & Headless Architecture**
Pioneered headless WordPress architectures—leveraging WordPress as a decoupled content authoring backend feeding modern React/Next.js frontend applications via WP REST API and GraphQL. | | **Unit Testing / TDD & Quality Standards**
*Unit testing, defined engineering standards, and code quality controls.* | **Rigorous Test Culture**
Comprehensive TDD and test coverage using Vitest, PHPUnit, and Playwright. Adheres strictly to PSR standards, automated linting, CI/CD checks, and zero-defect deployment guardrails. | | **Agile / Scrum Multidisciplinary Delivery**
*Sprint planning, stand-ups, refinement, retrospectives, and story breakdown.* | **Senior Agile Practitioner**
Extensive experience inside cross-functional Agile/Scrum teams working alongside product managers, user researchers, interaction designers, and technical architects. Skilled at story sizing, backlog grooming, and sprint delivery. | | **Documentation & Knowledge-Sharing**
*Strong technical documentation and knowledge-sharing skills.* | **Author of Developer Guides & Open Source**
Committed to transparent documentation. Maintainer of developer guardrails, monorepo documentation, and open-source packages within the **NX°** ecosystem ([nx.goldlabel.pro](https://nx.goldlabel.pro/)). | --- ## 5. Verification & Testing Gates All deliverables will be verified using targeted, resource-efficient testing protocols: ```bash # 1. Run targeted Vitest suite (verifies copy, CV links, PROMPT.md links, spotlight card) pnpm test src/app/(recruitment)/dwp/page.test.tsx # 2. Targeted TypeScript check pnpm typecheck ``` --- ## 6. How to Connect - **Direct Recruiter Contact**: Oliver Bould • `obould@lainternational.com` • `+44 1782 203040` / `+44 7436 123575` - **Candidate Email**: `goldlabel.apps@gmail.com` - **Candidate Phone / WhatsApp**: `+44 7745 763122` (`07745 763122`) - **Download CV (PDF)**: [`/pdf/Chris_Dorward_CV.pdf`](/pdf/Chris_Dorward_CV.pdf) - **Work Coach Outreach**: Jamie (Jobcentre Plus Work Coach) - **Target Reference**: [Civil Service Careers - DWP](https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/departments/working-for-the-department-for-work-and-pensions/)