Service designer volunteer roles in Nottingham

Purpose of the role:

We are seeking a WordPress / PHP Developer to help build and maintain the core web systems that power our public platform and membership services. This is not a commercial web development role. This is about creating digital infrastructure that belongs to the community and serves long-term social impact.

About the role:

As WordPress / PHP Developer, you will be responsible for developing and maintaining the CIC’s main website and connected digital services using open-source technologies. You will help ensure our platforms are stable, secure, accessible, and capable of supporting growth in membership, education, and fundraising. Your work will directly affect how people access information, join the community, and engage with the organisation.

Experience Qualification and Requirements

Formal qualifications is desirable but STRONG experience and passion beats and tops this always.

Main Responsibilities/ Key Duties

· Develop, maintain, and improve WordPress-based websites and systems that support organisational operations, services, and growth.

· Build, customise, and extend WordPress themes and plugins using PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and related technologies.

· Ensure code is clean, secure, maintainable, and aligned with WordPress and open-source best practices.

· Integrate open-source tools and third-party platforms, including membership systems, learning platforms, data tools, and APIs.

· Support the development and maintenance of secure member portals and restricted service areas with role-based access and permissions.

· Ensure websites are responsive across devices and browsers and optimised for performance, speed, and reliability.

· Apply accessibility standards to ensure inclusive access and usability for all users.

· Implement security best practices, including updates, patching, backups, access controls, and vulnerability prevention.

· Monitor platforms and assist with regular maintenance, upgrades, and issue prevention.

· Work closely with designers, content teams, and systems leads to translate functional needs into technical solutions.

· Advise on technical feasibility and recommend improvements where systems or tools create limitations.

· Assist with troubleshooting, debugging, and resolving technical issues across WordPress environments.

· Document code, integrations, system architecture, and technical processes clearly for technical and non-technical users.

· Ensure all systems comply with data protection, GDPR principles, safeguarding requirements, and ethical data handling standards.

· Collaborate with safeguarding and digital leads to minimise risk when handling sensitive or survivor-related data.

Essential Skills and Experience

· Strong practical experience with WordPress and PHP development.

· Experience building or customising WordPress themes and plugins.

· Solid understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

· Experience integrating third-party tools, plugins, or APIs.

· Knowledge of WordPress security, performance optimisation, and update management.

· Ability to document technical work clearly and work collaboratively across teams.

· Understanding of GDPR principles and secure data handling.

· Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently.

· Equivalent professional or voluntary experience accepted.

Desirable Skills and Experience

· Experience working in non-profit, CIC, or community-led organisations.

· Familiarity with open-source or low-cost digital platforms.

· Experience building membership portals or learning platform integrations.

· Basic understanding of hosting environments or server configuration.

· Experience supporting volunteer-led or safeguarding-focused digital environments.

What This Role Offers You:

Founding role in a community-owned digital infrastructure project.

Leadership-level experience in open-source platform development.

Opportunity to build systems that directly support social change.

Experience working across digital, education and membership teams.

Direct contribution to a public-facing platform for justice and empowerment.

Priority consideration for future paid roles as the C.I.C. becomes financially sustainable.

What This Role Is Not For:

People who want to work only with proprietary or closed systems.

Anyone uncomfortable working with serious or sensitive subject matter.

Those seeking guaranteed or immediate income.

Individuals unwilling to document their work or follow shared standards.

People who prefer not to collaborate with non-technical teams.

If you believe technology should belong to the people who use it and that open-source systems can support truth, protection and collective power, this role gives you the chance to build the digital foundations of a movement.

Join the Digital Infrastructure Team and help create platforms that serve community, not corporations.

About this Role: Lead Full Stack Engineer

Commitment: Part-time (volunteer, unpaid role)

Contribution Requirements: Minimum 10-15 hours a week; minimum 6 months.

Professional Volunteering

Professional volunteering is skills‑based service performed with the same reliability, accountability, and quality expected in a paid professional role. Volunteers are core contributors whose work directly supports our mission of global compassion, collaboration, and action.

Expectations include:

• Consistent weekly availability

• Timely communication and responsiveness

• Ownership of assigned tasks and follow‑through

• Participation in team meetings and workflows

• Alignment with organizational values and processes

About Solution Community:

Solution Community is an international non-profit organization pioneering an innovative social platform dedicated to enabling actionable change. With volunteers from over 70 countries, we are a testament to the power of global collaboration. Our team members bring experiences from some of the world’s most successful companies, including Apple, Toyota, Walmart, Meta, and many others, creating a rich tapestry of knowledge and passion.

Our Mission:

Solution’s mission is to foster a global community of compassion, uniting individuals and organizations to solve the world’s social problems. We are the bridge that connects non-profits, businesses, philanthropists, and volunteers, empowering them to create meaningful change for current and future generations.

Our Vision:

Imagine a world where every person has the opportunity to thrive—a world united by collaboration, compassion, and action. At Solution Community, we are turning that vision into reality, driving transformative change that reshapes the future.

Summary of Role:

As a Lead Full Stack Engineer, you will lead Solution Community’s mission by building, improving, and developing the technical systems that power our global, volunteer‑driven organization. This role contributes directly to leading the creation of accessible, reliable, and scalable tools that enable volunteers to collaborate, deliver services, and support communities worldwide.

Engineers work across both front‑end and back‑end components, participate in technical planning, and collaborate with cross‑functional teams to deliver meaningful, user‑centered solutions. This position is ideal for someone who wants to apply their senior engineering expertise toward social impact while growing within a supportive, mission‑aligned team.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and Maintain Applications: Design, build, and maintain robust and scalable web applications using Firebase for backend and React/Next.js for frontend.

• Collaborate with Cross-Functional Teams: Work closely with product managers, designers, and other developers to understand requirements, provide technical insights, and ensure alignment across the project lifecycle.

• API Development and Integration: Create and integrate RESTful APIs to connect frontend interfaces to backend services, ensuring smooth, efficient data exchange.

• Code Review and Optimization: Participate in code reviews to maintain code quality, enforce best practices, and optimize performance across the application stack.

• Testing and Debugging: Implement automated tests and perform manual testing to identify and fix bugs, ensuring high-quality, reliable software.

• Continuous Improvement: Stay up to date with industry trends and technologies, continuously enhancing your skills and contributing to process improvements within the development team.

• Deployment and Monitoring: Assist with deploying applications to production environments, monitoring their performance, and resolving any post-deployment issues.

• Documentation: Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for new features, codebase, and development processes to support future maintenance and scalability.

Position Requirements

• Proficiency in Firebase: 5-7 years of strong experience in developing backend applications using Firebase (BaaS) Framework, with a solid understanding of Functions, Auth, Storage, Security Rules and Hosting services.

• Expertise in: React and Next.js, in-depth knowledge of React and Next.js for building dynamic and responsive frontend interfaces, with a focus on server-side rendering and static site generation.

• Full Stack Development: Proven ability to work across the entire stack, from designing and implementing backend services to creating interactive and user-friendly frontend applications.

• Version Control and Collaboration: Experience with Git and GitHub/GitLab for version control, with a collaborative approach to working in a team environment.

• Database Management: Familiarity with relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and experience in designing efficient database schemas, writing complex queries, and optimizing database performance.

• UI/UX Principles: Understanding of UI/UX principles and ability to translate design mockups into functional and aesthetically pleasing web interfaces.

• Problem-Solving Skills: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues.

• Agile Methodologies: Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments, with the ability to adapt to changing requirements and deliver iterative improvements.

• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

• Continuous Learning: A proactive attitude towards learning new technologies and frameworks, staying updated with industry trends, and applying new knowledge to your work.

Recommended Profile:

• Be an open-minded person with healthy values, proactivity, reliability, courtesy, creativity, teamwork, and flexibility

• Commit to your position as a Volunteer. As our company is seeking funding, you will not be paid, and there is no guarantee of success. This project is for volunteers

• Be an expert in your domain, but ready to wear multiple hats

• Our technical stack: Firebase, GCP, JavaScript (React/Next), TypeScript, Node, Tailwind CSS

What We Offer:

• Work with a multinational team experienced in different areas

• Make a difference and contribute to international causes

• Grow professionally and emotionally, and interact with other experts in your domain of work

• Opportunity to work flexibly and remotely from anywhere in the world