JOB DESCRIPTION. Commercial and Digital Development. Department/Section: Digital Media. Pay band: 4. Digital Content Delivery Manager.

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1 JOB DESCRIPTION Job Title: Senior Web Developer Division: Commercial and Digital Development Department/Section: Digital Media Pay band: 4 Reporting to: Digital Content Delivery Manager Background The V&A is the world s greatest museum of art and design, holding in excess of 1 million objects. Each year over 3 million people visit the V&A in South Kensington and over 16 million people visit our websites. The Digital Media department s purpose is to deliver a world-class digital experience that reflects the depth and breadth of the V&A s collections and engages visitors with art and design, whether directly through our branded Museum products and services, or indirectly through syndicated data publishing. Our digital services assume open data as standard as far as possible and our development environment uses predominantly open-source software. The Digital Media Department is a small team consisting of the Head of Digital Media, a Digital Content Delivery Manager, two Senior Web Developers, a Web Developer, a Senior Content Editor, two Content Editors, a Motion Media Manager and an Admin Assistant. The team works very closely with departments across the Museum. Purpose of job Reporting to the Digital Content Delivery Manager you will be responsible for development of digital services delivered by the Museum s web applications. Working collaboratively with other members of the digital team, you will be responsible for development and related processes required to implement enhancements, changes and inter-system integration work, as prioritised by the Digital Content Delivery Manager. You will be responsible for ensuring a seamless web experience is provided for users from the portfolio of underlying web platforms and managed services that together deliver digital content to our visitors on the web and mobile devices. You will be responsible for ensuring technical consistency and best practice, developing and integrating new enhancements and keeping up to date with evolving web standards and accessibility.

2 You will work with the Digital Content Delivery Manager to create and maintain web applications within a dynamic and integrated environment that is data-driven, modular and scalable. As a Senior Developer you may be required to supervise the Web Developer and contract developers as and when necessary. As well as developing new services and features as requested by the department, you will be responsible for maintaining them to ensure consistent day-to-day operation of the web applications that deliver front-line services. The delivery of content, products and services by the Digital Media department is based upon a data-driven model. The underlying foundation is a core data-publishing function that collates content and media from a number of authoritative systems and makes this accessible to our end-user services via structured data output served by several APIs. You will be responsible for maintaining and developing this core data engine, and the related front-end interfaces that convert that data into user services. These include the main website, Search the Collections and What s On as well as other web-technology based services such as mobile mapping and digital labels, and making content available via data distribution to other Museum partners. As well as undertaking in-house development, you may also be responsible for liaising with third-party developers and designers to integrate other modular services that they may provide. Main tasks 1. To develop core museum web applications in-house. New backend development uses various technologies, typically Django python application framework, Tornado, Google App engine with frontend development in accessible HTML5, JavaScript and CSS. Some development within Wordpress may be required. This will involve building the applications, creating and maintaining documentation for the web application development process, working alongside another Senior Web Developer and supervising the permanent Web Developer and other developers as required. 2. To be responsible for technical integration of Museum web applications with the main content management and other distributed web and digital systems. This may occasionally include some work on older frameworks still in use (e.g. Symfony PHP and Drupal) and assistance in developing data integration and display templates in the content systems (Squiz Matrix, Wordpress, Drupal), data integration with other Museum systems or third party services. This will involve extensive consultation with users and provision of information, instruction and advice on the web application infrastructure. 3. To work with a range of digital designers that the department may use and be responsible for the implementation of designs they provide within the overall digital experience as required. 4. To be responsible for maintaining optimised performance across the portfolio of web applications.

3 5. To provide technical advice to, and liaise with suppliers of underlying IT infrastructure that supports the web applications and services for which you are responsible. This will include Museum IT technical staff and other remote managed hosted services. 6. To assist the Digital Content Delivery Manager in maintaining a general awareness of new web technologies, to establish whether or not it would be appropriate to adopt them within the Museum, and their potential technical impact. When appropriate, this might involve detailed technical analysis to establish the limitation and the effects on existing systems of new technology. To advise other Museum technical staff on the use of web technologies. 7. To establish the data sources of any information required (which may be an existing database) and how to obtain it. Given the diversity of systems on which information is currently held, innovative technical solutions may be required in order to provide the level and type of functionality sought. 8. To evaluate and analyse approved web project proposals, and to design or arrange for the provision of technical solutions to them. 9. As required by the Digital Content Delivery Manager, to liaise with third party developers on all technical matters to provide advice and guidance on the specifications to be fulfilled under the terms of any contract. Providing advice to developers on the use and facilities offered by existing databases and any access issues to be complied with. Quality assuring work produced under any such contract to ensure that the required specifications have been achieved. 10. To ensure the security of all web-accessed facilities, analysing the systems involved to ensure that no unauthorised access to source data can be obtained. 11. To resolve any technical issues relating to the operation of web services, as required. 12. Maintaining some aspects of the in-house web servers and caching issues etc. (Apache and NGINX) running on Linux and database applications (on MySQL, Postgres and Google big table within app engine) 13. To contribute to training for Museum staff in the use of tools allowing local updating of content. 14. To undertake web authoring and editorial duties where necessary, especially on the more technical projects. 15. To represent the Digital Media Department on certain projects and be able to uphold our aims and philosophy (technical and non-technical) to the rest of the Museum. 16. To contribute to team discussions on web issues and to build and maintain a good relationship with the rest of the Digital Media Department. 17. Be committed to health and safety and ensure familiarity with all of the Museum's health and safety policies and procedures. 18. Be security conscious, ensure familiarity and co-operation with all museum security procedures and ensure you wear a security pass at all times when on museum premises.

4 19. Promote equality and diversity in all aspects of your work by developing and maintaining positive working relationships, ensuring that colleagues are treated fairly and with respect/dignity and actively contributing to developments that support the museum s strategy for widening access, inclusion and diversity. 20. Carry out ad hoc duties as requested by appropriate managers within your department.

5 PERSON SPECIFICATION Essential requirements 1. Knowledgeable in both frontend and backend development with advanced skills in Python, PHP, MySQL, JavaScript and CSS. 2. Proven experience with examples of live services that you have developed features for in either Django development or frontend HTML/JavaScript/CSS (exact balance as required at time of recruitment). 3. Experience of development within a team, with ability to supervise and manage tasks within a coauthored development program. 4. A strong interest in web development trends such as html5, mobile web applications, web communities and usability with an ability to learn new ways of delivering services for web visitors. 5. Knowledge of Symfony. 6. Good understanding of responsive web design and how it is evolving. 7. Proven ability to create and consume APIs. 8. Knowledge of Apache web server administration. 9. Understanding of caching technologies. 10. Knowledge of cross-platform compatibility issues. 11. Knowledge of web accessibility issues and web standards. 12. Knowledge of web security issues. 13. Experience of managing or working with a content management system. 14. Experience of software development techniques and coding practices including use of version control and code deployment. 15. Ability to communicate clearly with non-technical members of staff. 16. Ability to work calmly under pressure and self-motivated. Desirable requirements 1. GIT experience in managing code in multi-developer projects. 2. Experience of developing to integrate with content management systems. 3. Experience of Drupal development and administration. 4. Experience of configuring and using Google Analytics. 5. Activity and contribution within an open source community. 6. Knowledge and interest in the work and collections of the V&A.

6 OTHER INFORMATION Hours/Salary Net working hours (i.e. excluding meal breaks) are 36 per week. The salary will be within V&A pay band 4 ( 30,664 rising to 36,858 per annum). Future pay progression will be in accordance with the V&A's Pay Agreement(s). Normal level transfer and promotion rules will apply for internal candidates. Annual Leave 28 days plus 8 days public holidays Pension benefits The Civil Service offers a choice of either an occupational pension or stakeholder pension, giving you the flexibility to choose a scheme that suits you best. The occupational pension scheme currently has a 3.5% - 5.9% member contribution rate dependent on annual pensionable earnings, with an employer contribution rate of between 16.7% %. The Partnership pension account is a stakeholder money purchase pension with an employer contribution based on age. Further details are available upon request or appointment. Other benefits Free entrance to all the major museums in London as well as many others. An interest free season ticket or bicycle loan is available after three months. Subject to the society s terms and conditions, V&A staff are entitled to membership of the Benenden Healthcare Society. Further information is available from HR or via their web-site on To apply To apply online, please go to the V&A s website at If you have any queries regarding the recruitment process, you can us hr@vam.ac.uk or telephone us on Closing date for receipt of applications is 30 November Interview expenses will not be paid unless there is a prior agreement.