Senior Digital Engineer

We’re a digital insurance provider with ambitious plans to become The Best and Biggest in the UK market. Over the past few years, we've made significant investments in our data and tech capabilities, particularly within our CIO function. Our CIO team is at the forefront of driving innovation and ensuring our technology infrastructure supports our ambitious goals. We’ve nurtured our 4Cs culture, fostering collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement.  

We’re proud of the journey we’re on as a company and know that our continued success will rely on the contribution of our talented colleagues. The CIO team plays a crucial role in this journey, working on cutting-edge projects that enhance our digital presence and improve customer engagement.  

We provide insurance to over four million customers, but we know there’s even bigger opportunity out there. The fact you’re now reading this job advert means we’ve tempted you to find out more about #lifeatHD – we really hope you like what you see, and you’ll join us to share in the success of the exciting chapter that lies ahead.  

We understand some people may not apply for jobs unless they feel they tick every box. If you are excited about joining us and think you have some of what we are looking for, even if you’re not 100% sure, we would love to hear from you. Our CIO team is always looking for passionate individuals who are eager to make a difference and contribute to our success. 

What does the role involve?

This is an exciting opportunity for a Senior Digital Engineer to work across all aspects of the software development lifecycle; providing leadership, supporting and delivering high quality software changes across Hastings' systems and platforms. You will be responsible for working across all aspects of the software development lifecycle and operating within agile teams from application support and change functions.

As a senior member of the team, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping our technical direction and supporting others to deliver high-quality solutions.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing technical leadership, making informed decisions on behalf of the team, and effectively managing stakeholder expectations.
• Designing, building, and modifying complex software systems in line with agreed standards and best practices.
• Estimating engineering tasks and offering guidance to peers to ensure efficient delivery.
• Quickly and effectively debugging and testing complex code to maintain performance and reliability.
• Mentoring junior team members, offering support, sharing knowledge, and helping them grow in their roles.

Skills we would love you to have:

We’re looking for someone with strong technical expertise and a passion for building high quality, user-centric web applications. Ideally, you’ll bring:

• Hands on experience in an IT role supporting and developing enterprise-level, customer and employee-facing web applications.
•  Expertise in JavaScript, with a strong focus on React JS,  this is essential.
•  UI/UX development experience, with a keen eye for design and usability.
• Extensive knowledge of front-end technologies including HTML/HTML5, XML, DHTML, CSS/CSS3, SASS, LESS, JavaScript, React JS, Redux, Flex, jQuery, JSON, Bootstrap.
• Strong proficiency in JavaScript fundamentals, including object models, DOM manipulation, event handling, data structures, algorithms, and JSX.
• Current experience with ReactJS workflows such as Flux, Redux, Create React App, and data structure libraries.
•  Solid understanding of RESTful APIs and token-based authentication (e.g., JWT).
• Familiarity with popular frontend development tools such as Node, NPM, CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and performance testing frameworks like Jest and React Testing Library. Experience with performance and memory tuning using relevant tools.

What we offer   

Join us and you’ll find a different way of doing things. We call it the 4Cs. We focus on getting it right for our colleagues, customers, company, and community. As one of our colleagues, you’ll be helping to drive our growth, so in return, we’ll give you all the support, training and development you need. Not to mention plenty of recognition and rewards, and the scope to voice your ideas and put them into practice.   

Reward  

Salary – Attractive salary based on experience + Car Allowance (pay reviews also completed each year)  

Flexible Working – We champion a flexible and hybrid working approach so please speak to your recruiter to discuss in more detail, including days in the office and at home.    

Competitive Bonus Scheme - All colleagues are eligible for our annual 4Cs performance bonus, which is usually paid in March. The scheme is based on Hastings’ performance against our business goals and your own personal performance.  

Physical Wellbeing – We like to help our colleagues take a proactive approach in keeping themselves well, that’s why we fund our colleagues to be able to claim against everyday health care through our healthcare cash plan.  

Financial Wellbeing – As well as providing you with 4x your salary with our life assurance cover and income protection at no extra cost, pension contribution match up to 10%, we are proud to provide you with an AWARD WINNING package which includes – discounts and cashback at

Hastings Group is an equal opportunities employer which means we treat people fairly. We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of their gender, age, race, disability, ethnic background, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marital/family status. Please also note that we have a thorough referencing process, which includes credit and criminal record checks.

At Hastings Direct, we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, we encourage you to be open with us. Our recruitment team is here to provide the support you need to ensure a fair and accessible experience for all.

Job posting end date: