Senior Software Engineer

About us:

Buyagift and Red Letter Days are the UK’s leading gift experience provider. Our core focus is to deliver happiness to our customers, suppliers, team and retail partners, we aim to do this by providing industry leading products. The iconic Red Letter Days brand was added to our portfolio in November 2017, and we are extremely proud to be part of the Moonpig Group since July 2022.Our people are a fundamental driver of our success. We place great importance on nurturing exceptional people as we firmly believe that our competitive advantage stems from the capabilities and potential of our workforce. Our People team helps to drive those efforts across the business. 

First a bit about the role: 

The Recommend team works across the sites to put the most memorable gift experiences in front of users. Our domain covers product search and recommendations. This involves our rich set of product attributes, the search engine and all the user experience and interface that allow the user to find the best gift for the occasion. We're also responsible for tailoring the recipient's search & experience to their preferences so that they can personalise and enhance their experience once they receive their gift.

We work with a broad array of technologies and tools, including Azure, Terraform, Pipelines, TypeScript, Next.js, React, MobX, Storybook, C#, .NET Core, Algolia, Adobe, Source Control - DevOps/Git, Adobe, Contentful, SonarCloud and more. 

We are currently looking for a Software Engineer to join our dynamic team. You will have the notable chance to work on various exciting projects including Improvements in Search bar, Product recommendations in Frontstore and Redemption platform, Re-rank product recommendations using Algolia search platform , Product Upsells/Cross-sells etc.

In this role, you will be responsible for maintaining, updating, and developing new features for our software applications. This includes both front-end and back-end development tasks with a strong focus on front-end development and a special goal on improving the user experience in Search and Recommendations space. You will also work closely with the rest of the team and stakeholders to understand requirements, design new features, and ensure the high quality of our delivered solutions. You'll collaboratively help to maintain and improve our shared React Component library, and contribute to creating effective, efficient and secure serverless solutions.

As a Senior Software Engineer on the Recommend team, here's a bit more about what you'll be doing:

• Lead Development Across the Full Stack: Your expertise will be in frontend development with a proven record in fullstack features. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in building modern, responsive web applications using React, Next.js and TypeScript ect. However you will work across the stack, so some exposure to back-end development is needed too. This role includes leading the design, coding, testing (manual, unit, e2e), deployment and release of Search and Recommendations enhancements.
• Enhance User Journeys: Your role will include taking a proactive role to refine and improve Search/Recommendations and by working closely with our Product Manager and design team. This could involve masterminding a new user interface in React, Algolia search integration enhancements, improving the efficiency of an API call, innovating new strategies for a smooth user experience or helping to overcome blockers and prioritization issues.
• Project Management: Your ability to manage tasks effectively across multiple projects will be essential. Be prepared to seamlessly transition between different aspects of our projects, such as integrating with new APIs or developing new features or functionalities.
• Collaborative Leadership: You will be leading collaborations on the shared React Component Library to improve and extend it with new UI components when necessary.
• Mentorship and Growth: We value self-improvement and knowledge sharing; hence, you'll be providing mentorship to junior team members fostering a culture of growth for everyone involved.
• Performance Analysis: Part of your responsibilities will include conducting detailed software performance analyses and carrying out necessary optimizations to ensure our applications run at their best.
• Agile Leadership: As we work in a fast-paced, agile environment, you will be expected to take an active role in agile ceremonies including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, retrospectives, guiding the team in agile methodologies.
• Enhanced Security: Your advanced understanding of the security implications of software development will be critical. We expect you to prioritize security throughout the development lifecycle, advocating for best practice and leading by example.




• As a Senior Software Engineer, your contributions will be crucial in maintaining our team's vital role within the company. You will ensure that customers quickly find the best products they are looking for while experiencing an optimal user journey in the search and recommendation areas.

And now a bit about you:

• As our ideal candidate for the senior position, here is a bit more about the qualifications and experience we're looking for:
• Experience: You have at least 6-9 years of experience in full-stack development, with a considerable amount of this time spent working on both front-end and back-end systems utilizing a range of the technologies/tools we use (Azure, Terraform, TypeScript, React, Next.js, Azure Functions, Azure Devops, Pipelines, C#, .NET Core, SQL Server, Application Insights, Algolia, VWO, Adobe etc).
• Skills: You possess a thorough understanding of React with proven skills in C# and .NET Core on the back-end.
• Proficiency in our Toolset: You are not merely familiar with but proficient in SQL Server and Azure for hosting and serverless solutions. You're adept with Azure DevOps Pipelines for CI/CD and possess a comprehensive understanding of application monitoring using tools like Application Insights.
• Good to have understanding of server-side rendering (SSR) and static site generation (SSG) concepts.
• Problem-Solver: Your role as a natural problem-solver combined with being a senior team member requires a proactive and devoted approach. Your curiosity drives you to delve into software issues, dissect how applications function, and subsequently devise innovative and efficient solutions.
• Collaborative Leader: You possess the acumen for leading others through collaboration. You believe that advocacy for collective achievement enhances functionality within cross-functional teams and can add great value through the facilitation of open communication channels.
• Continuous Learning: Your commitment to fostering an environment of continuous learning is a core capability. You remain abreast of new technologies and the latest industry trends, and delight in sharing that knowledge with your team.




If you fit only some of these qualifications but you are passionate about learning and creating high-quality user experiences, we would still be thrilled to hear from you.

We live by our company core purpose of Delivering Happiness – Amazing People. We only hire amazing people like you, if this is you and if this sounds like the opportunity you have been looking for, we would love to hear from you.

Our mission

For everyone in the UK to create unique memories that last a lifetime

Our vision

To be the most trusted platform in the UK gift experience market

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity

We’re committed to creating an inclusive and caring culture with amazing people who feel a real sense of belonging. We welcome and celebrate all diverse backgrounds - from working parents who need flexibility with their hours, individuals who are neurodiverse and prefer to work a certain way to those from underrepresented communities. We’re proud to have an employee-led group pushing the agenda on all things inclusive. And we will continue to strive for diversity and that sense of belonging so that each and every one of our team have a safe and comfortable environment in which they can be themselves and thrive at work.