Technical Developer (Drupal)

What will you be doing?

We are looking for two volunteer Drupal developers to join a small, dedicated team building the Criminal Justice Hub - a free online resource helping people and communities navigate the criminal justice system in England and Wales.

The platform is built using Drupal and the LocalGov Drupal distribution, with all code managed through GitHub. We are approaching beta launch and need developers who can help us get there and beyond.

As a technical developer, you will work alongside a Head of Technical, Product Manager and Service Owner, and collaborate with volunteers across user research, content design and product management. Your key responsibilities will include:

• Building and maintaining features on the Drupal platform in line with the product roadmap
• Working with the LocalGov Drupal codebase and contributing to its development
• Reviewing and committing code via GitHub
• Collaborating with the wider team to ensure technical work meets user needs
• Troubleshooting issues and supporting the ongoing stability of the site
• Participating in regular team check-ins and sprint planning

This is a hands-on development role. We are a volunteer-run service, so there is no hierarchy for the sake of it - everyone contributes meaningfully. We are honest about the fact that we have experienced high volunteer turnover in the past, and we are now looking specifically for people who are genuinely committed to the cause and can offer consistent, reliable time to the project. If you are primarily looking for a title for your CV, this is not the right opportunity. If you want to use your skills to make a real difference in how people experience the justice system, we would love to hear from you.

What are we looking for?

Above all, we need people who are reliable and committed. This is not a token role - we need developers who will turn up, follow through and care about the work. Our team is small and volunteer-run, so every person's contribution has a direct impact, and inconsistency affects the whole team.

In terms of skills and experience, we are looking for:

Essential:

• Experience working with Drupal (ideally Drupal 10+)
• Familiarity with PHP, Twig, HTML, CSS and JavaScript
• Comfortable using Git and GitHub for version control
• Ability to work independently and manage your own time
• A collaborative attitude - you will be working across disciplines with non-technical volunteers
• Genuine interest in social justice, access to justice or public services

Desirable:

• Experience with the LocalGov Drupal distribution
• Understanding of accessibility standards (WCAG)
• Experience working in agile or sprint-based teams
• Familiarity with continuous integration or deployment workflows

We welcome applications from people at different stages of their careers. What matters most is that you are dependable, skilled enough to contribute meaningfully, and motivated by the mission rather than the job title.

What difference will you make?

The Criminal Justice Hub exists to give people and communities a stronger voice in a system that can feel overwhelming and inaccessible. Your development work will directly shape a platform that thousands of people across England and Wales will rely on to understand their rights, find support and hold the system to account.

We are a small, entirely volunteer-run team, and every contribution matters. The developers in this role will be central to taking our new platform from beta to a fully launched public service. Without reliable technical volunteers, the Hub simply cannot progress. Your work will ensure that the site is stable, accessible and built to the standards that our users deserve.

By joining us, you will also become part of the wider LocalGov Drupal community - contributing to an open-source project that benefits councils and public services across the country.

Before you apply

Please include a short message explaining why you are interested in the Criminal Justice Hub and what motivates you - we value this as much as your technical skills. Please also share your GitHub profile or a link to relevant work.

We will review applications on a rolling basis. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a short informal video call with our Product Manager and Service Owner to discuss the role and make sure it is a good fit for both sides. We aim to respond to all applicants within two weeks.