Full-Time

Senior Digital Engineer

Hastings Direct

Hastings Direct

1,001-5,000 employees

Underwrites car, home, and vehicle insurance

No salary listed

Leicester, UK + 1 more

More locations: Bexhill, Bexhill-on-Sea, UK

Hybrid

Hybrid work is available from either Bexhill or Leicester.

Category
Software Engineering (1)
Required Skills
jQuery
Agile
JavaScript
React.js
Software Testing
Redux.js
Data Structures & Algorithms
Bootstrap
Jest
REST APIs
DevOps
HTML/CSS

Get referred to Hastings Direct

See people who can refer or advise you

Requirements
  • Hands-on experience in an information technology role supporting and developing enterprise-level, customer-facing and employee-facing web applications.
  • Expertise in JavaScript with a strong focus on React JS.
  • Experience in user interface and user experience development.
  • Extensive knowledge of front-end technologies including HTML/HTML5, XML, DHTML, CSS/CSS3, SASS, LESS, JavaScript, React JS, Redux, Flex, jQuery, JSON, and Bootstrap.
  • Strong proficiency in JavaScript fundamentals, including object models, Document Object Model manipulation, event handling, data structures, algorithms, and JSX.
  • Current experience with React JS workflows such as Flux, Redux, Create React App, and data structure libraries.
  • Solid understanding of RESTful application programming interfaces and token-based authentication such as JSON Web Tokens.
  • Familiarity with frontend development tools such as Node and NPM, continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines, DevOps practices, and performance testing frameworks such as Jest and React Testing Library.
  • Experience with performance and memory tuning using relevant tools.
Responsibilities
  • Provide technical leadership, make informed decisions on behalf of the team, and manage stakeholder expectations.
  • Design, build, and modify complex software systems in line with agreed standards and best practices.
  • Estimate engineering tasks and offer guidance to peers to ensure efficient delivery.
  • Debug and test complex code to maintain performance and reliability.
  • Mentor junior team members, offer support, share knowledge, and help them grow in their roles.

Hastings Direct provides general insurance in the UK, mainly car insurance, and also offers policies for vans, bikes, and homes. It sells directly to customers and through multiple channels, including price comparison websites and its own site (hastingsdirect.com) as well as a contact centre, to reach a wide audience. The productworks by underwriting policies and pricing risk using data analytics, while handling claims and offering ancillary products to generate revenue. The company differentiates itself with a direct-to-consumer, multi-channel distribution approach that blends online, comparison sites, and support channels, alongside data-driven pricing and underwriting. Its goal is to grow its share of the UK general insurance market by efficiently pricing risk, effectively managing claims, and maintaining a competitive expense ratio.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Bexhill-on-Sea, United Kingdom

Founded

1997

Get referred to Hastings Direct

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • 2025 customer policies rose 15% to 4.4 million, with gross written premium up 16%.
  • Underwriting result reached £148.5 million in Q3 2025, up 25% year on year.
  • 2026 hiring activity and colleague roadshows signal continued investment after major cloud transformation.

What critics are saying

  • UK motor pricing competition squeezes margins when PCWs reward the cheapest quote, as 2025 showed.
  • Claims inflation and fraud pressures remain central, despite better tooling and operating ratio improvements.
  • Employee reviews in 2025-2026 cite micromanagement and high churn, risking service quality and retention.

What makes Hastings Direct unique

  • 2025 results showed 4.4 million live policies, making Hastings a scale UK digital insurer.
  • Azure, Snowflake, and Guidewire migrations created a modern data stack for pricing and claims.
  • Carpe Data and ARAG integrations strengthen fraud detection and customer add-ons across motor policies.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Hybrid Work Options

Flexible Work Hours

Performance Bonus

401(k) Company Match

Paid Vacation

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

8%
II Reporter
Sep 24th, 2024
Hastings Direct Expands Relationship with Carpe Data

Hastings Direct expands relationship with Carpe Data.

Insurance Age
Jan 3rd, 2024
Staysure names Finn Walsh group CEO

Walsh, pictured, was previously chief customer and technology officer and joined the travel insurance specialist in October 2022 from Hastings Direct.

youTalk Insurance
Oct 19th, 2023
ARAG to provide hire car cover for Hastings Direct customers

Leading legal expenses insurance and assistance provider ARAG has been selected by Hastings Direct to supply Vehicle Hire Insurance to motor clients of the Bexhill-on-Sea based insurance provider.

TESSABIT
Sep 18th, 2022
Hastings Direct launches core platform upgrade to additional enable digital buyer journeys

Hastings Direct accomplished a migration to the cloud, further invested in information enrichment and management information all through the group and launched a core platform upgrade to additional enable digital buyer journeys.

Insurance Age
Jan 20th, 2022
Hastings Direct hires Mark Cliff as independent non-executive director

Hastings Insurance has appointed Mark Cliff as an independent non-executive director, subject to regulatory approval.