Geospatial Application Developer - HEO

Welsh Government

The Welsh Government delivers digital services to people and business across Wales. Led by our Chief Digital Officer, the Welsh Government is increasingly delivering more services online and has a vision (outlined in the Digital Strategy for Wales) of improving the lives of everyone through collaboration, innovation and better public services.

To achieve this vision, the Welsh Government needs specialist digital, data and technology skills across all departments in the organisation to improve the services and policies we develop for Welsh citizens.

For more information about the benefits of making a difference with us, please see the Employee Benefits Pack.

Team/Division Overview

The Geography & Technology section division provides geospatial applications, services and support to the Welsh public sector. As part of the team, you will work across different policy areas and learn how digital solutions and geospatial data can be used as part of the decision making process to make a significant and direct contribution for the people of Wales

The Data Map Wales team is the central point of contact for Welsh Government departments, Welsh public sector staff and members of the public who have queries, requests or issues regarding the Geospatial services provided by Data Map Wales.

Job Role

This post is mapped to the Developer role/level in the DDaT Profession Capability Framework. Follow the link to understand the role and the required skills.

As a Geospatial Application Developer, you will be contributing to the development, maintenance, and enhancement of geospatial applications and services within the Data Map Wales platform. You will work on the full software development lifecycle, from requirements gathering and design to implementation, testing, and deployment. This includes developing solutions that meet user needs, adhere to best practices, and integrate effectively with existing systems. You will also contribute to the technical direction of projects, mentor junior developers, and ensure the scalability, security, and reliability of our geospatial systems. You will be expected to operate the services you build and identify issues in production.

We are looking for people who are:

• Curious and analytical, with a genuine interest in using geospatial technology to solve real-world problems and improve public services
• Team oriented, willing to support others when needed and share ideas and approaches.
• Organised and have good planning skills to ensure the timely delivery of high-quality outputs.

Experienced in communicating with a wide range of people using different communication methods

At this role level, you will:

• develop software to meet user needs
• follow best practice guidelines and help to improve those guidelines
• write clean, secure and well-tested code
• coach and mentor more junior colleagues
• operate the services you build and identify issues in production

Your main day to day responsibilities will include:

• Take part in team activities such as platform testing, content creation, and stakeholder engagement events, providing guidance and direction to junior team members.
• Contribute to User Experience (UX) projects, driving insights and recommendations to align with user needs and business objectives.
• Work with senior developers on service design projects, contributing to the full development lifecycle for new functionality and features, and ensuring adherence to best practices and quality standards.
• Investigate and respond to queries and issues raised by stakeholders and members of the public, prioritizing key concerns, working with the development team to find resolutions, and communicating effectively with all parties involved.
• Mentor and coach junior developers, providing technical guidance and support to ensure their professional growth and development.
• Contribute to the development of the team's technical standards and best practices, promoting code quality, maintainability, and security.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and innovation, and lead the implementation of changes to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the development process.

As a member of the Digital, Data and Technology profession in Welsh Government you will have access to a range of learning and development opportunities.

You will have the opportunity to work on various projects and engage with colleagues at all levels from within the profession and business areas across the organisation.

Welsh Government is supportive of your learning and development and has a range of training and opportunities available including a suite of online training, coaching and mentoring and short-term experience placements which you will be able to take advantage of depending on your learning and development needs and discussions with your line manager.

You will develop your skills as a geospatial application developer, giving you the experience and training needed to progress in this role.