Rate: £572 per day (Inside IR35)Start Date: ASAPLocation: Manchester - 1 day per week onsiteClearance: Active SC requiredContract: 6-12 months (likely extension) Overview A senior-level Lead Software Developer is required to support a major public sector programme within an FDS environment. You''ll lead Back End engineering efforts, guide technical decisions, and work closely with architects, analysts, and delivery teams to build secure, scalable digital services. Key Responsibilities Lead development of Back End services, APIs, and integration components. Own technical direction across Java and Azure-based platforms. Design and implement microservices aligned to best practices and security standards. Collaborate with architects to develop robust integration patterns and cloud-native solutions. Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and code reviews for development teams. Ensure solutions meet public sector security, performance, and compliance requirements. Troubleshoot complex issues across distributed systems. Contribute to continuous improvement, automation, and engineering excellence. Essential Skills Strong Java Back End engineering experience. Azure cloud experience (App Services, Functions, API Management, Integration tools, etc.) Integration andamp; API development (RESTful services, messaging, event-driven patterns). Microservices architecture and containerisation (Docker/Kubernetes ideal). Experience working in secure environments with Active SC clearance. Str