Senior Developer

This is a very part-time freelance contractor position, with tasks allocated strictly on an as-needed basis. There are no guaranteed hours, minimum workload or ongoing weekly commitment. You will be engaged as a senior developer and will be expected to work quickly, independently and to a high professional standard, commensurate with your experience and hourly rate. The work will primarily involve supporting existing WordPress websites, resolving technical issues and occasionally assisting with new website development or more complex development tasks. ### Scope of Work Responsibilities may include: * WordPress troubleshooting and development * Diagnosing and resolving website errors * Plugin and theme troubleshooting * PHP, CSS, HTML and JavaScript changes where required * WooCommerce troubleshooting and development * Website migrations, staging and deployment * DNS, hosting and SSL-related tasks * Resolving conflicts between plugins, themes and WordPress * Website performance and technical optimisation * Implementing designs or functionality from supplied instructions * Maintaining and updating existing client websites * Investigating technical issues and recommending the most efficient solution * Assisting with more complex development tasks where senior technical expertise is required As this is a senior developer position, you will generally be expected to investigate and resolve problems independently rather than requiring detailed step-by-step instructions. Where there are several possible solutions, you should recommend the most appropriate approach, particularly where a proposed solution may affect website performance, security, existing functionality or future maintenance. ### Task Allocation Tasks will generally be allocated through our designated Slack channel. Only work that has been specifically assigned or authorised should be undertaken and billed. Because this is an as-needed arrangement, the volume of work may vary considerably. Some weeks there may be several tasks, while at other times there may be no work allocated. There is no expectation that you remain continuously available when no work has been assigned. ### Estimates and Approval For most tasks, I will provide a brief outlining the issue or required outcome. You will be expected to review the task, identify what is required and complete it efficiently. If a task is likely to take significantly longer than expected, or if you discover additional work outside the original scope, you must advise me before proceeding with that additional work. Where requested, please provide an estimate before commencing. Additional time should not be incurred without approval where the work is materially outside the original task. ### Billing and Time Tracking Your agreed hourly rate will be managed through Upwork. Time billed should: * relate directly to authorised tasks * accurately reflect the time spent performing the work * be reasonable for a senior developer with your level of experience * exclude general administration, unrelated research or time spent becoming familiar with standard technologies that would reasonably be expected within your skill set Where Upwork time tracking is being used, time should be allocated to the relevant authorised task. Manual time should only be added where appropriate and agreed. The expectation is that senior-level tasks are handled efficiently. Where a task can reasonably be completed quickly by an experienced developer, the time billed should reflect that. ### Communication Communication should be clear, concise and focused on the work being undertaken. If you encounter an unexpected issue, significant risk or something that may substantially affect the time required, please raise it promptly rather than continuing without approval. Once a task has been completed, please provide a short summary outlining: * what was done * any significant changes made * whether the issue has been fully resolved * anything that still requires attention * any recommendations I should be aware of ### Website and Client Security You may be provided with access to client websites, hosting accounts, staging environments, DNS services and other confidential systems. All login credentials, client information and business information must be treated as confidential and must not be shared with any third party. Access should only be used for the purpose of completing authorised work. No work should be subcontracted or passed to another developer without prior approval. Reasonable care must be taken when making changes to live websites. Where a change carries material risk, appropriate backups, staging environments or other safeguards should be used where practicable. ### Client Communication Unless specifically requested, communication regarding allocated tasks should be with me or the Manifest Website Design team rather than directly with the client. You should not contact a client, make commitments to a client, provide pricing or agree to additional work on behalf of Manifest Website Design unless specifically authorised to do so. ### Independent Freelance Arrangement This is an independent freelance contractor arrangement rather than an employment position. There is no guarantee of future work, minimum hours or minimum earnings. Individual tasks will be allocated according to business requirements, your availability and the skills required for each project. Work and payments will be managed through Upwork in accordance with the applicable Upwork contract and platform terms. The purpose of this arrangement is to give Manifest Website Design access to an experienced senior developer when specialist technical assistance is required, while allowing work to be allocated flexibly as individual needs arise.