Backend WordPress Developer (Remote – UK Only)

Zap

We’re looking for a skilled and motivated Backend Developer to join our growing team at Zap. This role offers flexible working hours while also including coverage of out-of-office client support requests from 6 PM – 9 PM UK time. If you thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and love working on high-impact digital projects, this role is for you.

Zap is a digital design and marketing agency based in Glasgow, Scotland. For over a decade, we’ve been transforming screens into brand showcases for clients across various industries. Our compact but talented team blends creativity and technical expertise to build cutting-edge digital experiences.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Building WordPress plugins that power massive eCommerce clients.
• Developing scalable, high-performance solutions – Our clients operate at scale, generating over 400 million per year cumulatively, with up to 3 orders per second during peak times. Your code needs to be clean, efficient, and built for scale.
• Researching and implementing innovative ways to improve our backend capabilities across client websites.
• Debugging and optimising functionality for maximum speed, performance, and scalability.
• Writing clean, efficient, and well-documented code.
• Collaborating with front-end developers, designers, and project managers to build cohesive digital experiences.
• Liaising with third-party providers to integrate external applications.
• Staying ahead of industry trends and recommending new tools, technologies, and best practices.
• Providing Out-of-Office Support (6 PM – 9 PM UK Time) – Handling client emergency requests efficiently during this period as part of your flexible schedule.

Requirements

You’ll be a confident creative with plenty of ideas and the gumption to speak them out. Our nimble team is perfect for someone who enjoys creating their niche and taking initiative.

We’re looking for experience, but the capacity to learn quickly and keep on learning is even more valuable. If you’re the type of person who wants to hit the ground running, then you’ll fit in just fine.

You’ll also be working closely with the Dev team and creatives across all of our teams. A collaborative mentality is essential, whether producing great work or just wading into the conversation on our team channels.

Work composition:

• 60% Back End Development
• 30% Testing / Quality Assurance
• 10% Front End Development

What we’re looking for:

• WordPress developer – You’re well-versed in building and utilising custom plugins, working with WP-CRON, transients, caching, and query optimisation.
• WooCommerce experience – Proven ability to develop scalable, high-traffic eCommerce websites.
• Proven experience writing scalable, clean code – You’ve built systems that can handle high order volumes and large-scale operations without breaking a sweat.
• Strong PHP and JavaScript skills – You know MySQL and REST APIs inside and out.
• Laravel and React experience is a bonus – While not required, familiarity with these frameworks is a plus.
• GIT-based workflows – Comfortable implementing and working within a version-controlled environment.
• Efficiency-focused – You care about speed, user experience, and process improvement.
• Independent and collaborative – Able to take ownership of projects and work efficiently, whether solo or as part of a team.
• Great communicator – Able to clearly articulate ideas, contribute to discussions, and collaborate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Benefits

• Salary is competitive, negotiable and dependent on experience
• Company Bonus 10% of salary once company goals are met or at the company’s discretion which has been paid the past 5 years in a row
• Service Bonus of 1,000 per annum paid into your monthly salary up to 5 years / 5,000
• We operate on a flexible hours system. That means that while your usual hours will be during normal business hours, you have plenty of flexibility within that. Want to take a long lunch break?
• We’re a fully remote team, so no 8 am commutes into work
• Work hard, play hard – we offer a minimum of 34 holidays a year (2 weeks of which can be taken over Christmas)
• You’ll also get an extra day off for your birthday, so no awkward work birthday parties
• We have a quarterly all-team meeting, which ends in a monthly all-team social
• We supply any remote working tools and equipment you need
• We are Best Place to Work Certified company
• You’ll also get full private BUPA Healthcare & Dental coverage
• You will have access to VIVUP – staff benefits & wellbeing platform
• We’re a also pension-providing employer

What’s next?

We know what it’s like not to know what’s going on with a job application. Here’s how our hiring process usually works:

• We’ll review your application and portfolio.
• If we love what we see, we’ll set up a call with our Head of Web and Head of Backend Development so we can get to know you; you can get to know us and see if we’re a good fit for each other.
• We’ll set you a short WordPress-related task – so you can show you know your stuff.
• Then, we’ll get another interview to discuss the task and answer any of your questions. Our Digital Director and Founder will join that call.
• As long as everything goes well, we’ll send you an offer!

NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES, PLEASE