[Hiring] Tech Lead - PHP @Future Publishing

Role Description

This role is the technical cornerstone of Membership, a strategic initiative focused on enriching our existing Vanilla Platform with advanced membership capabilities. The goal is to transform our digital reach into a high-value, authenticated ecosystem that drives audience growth and maximizes Lifetime Value (LTV).

As Tech Lead (Membership), you will provide technical stewardship and leadership to a dedicated "Lab Squad." You will architect and deploy membership features directly into the Vanilla stack, balancing the maintenance of core PHP/Symfony services with the development of modern React-based engagement tools. Reporting to the Director of Engineering, you will be responsible for the technical roadmap that turns anonymous users into loyal members through integrated engagement levers like:

• "Join the Club"
• Newsletters
• Commenting
• Polls

The Technology & Engineering department offers a collaborative, collegiate environment where the primary focus is on effective, well-engineered, and scalable solutions. We answer critical business challenges posed by our product and commercial teams as well as from within the department. Our focus is on quality in all aspects of our systems, including:

• Function
• Test coverage
• Observability
• Alerting
• Documentation

We run regular hack days and have tech-based guilds to encourage knowledge sharing and professional growth.

Qualifications

• Deep experience with modern PHP (8.x) and the Symfony framework.
• Strong experience with React and building interactive components within a larger platform.
• Proven track record of managing high-traffic sites where Varnish and edge caching are critical.
• Expert knowledge of Docker and Kubernetes for managing containerized applications.
• Experience with Temporal.io or similar orchestration frameworks.
• A strong advocate for TDD/BDD and automated testing (PHPUnit, Jest, Cypress).
• Ability to translate complex business goals into a clear technical roadmap.

Requirements

• The expected range for this role is £65,000- £75,000.
• This is a UK, Remote-based role.

Benefits

• Uncapped leave, because we trust you to manage your workload and time.
• When we hit our targets, enjoy a share of our profits with a bonus.
• Refer a friend and get rewarded when they join Future.
• Well-being support with access to our Colleague Assistant Programmes.
• Opportunity to purchase shares in Future, with our Share Incentive Plan.

Company Description

We're Future, the global leader in specialist media. With over 3,000 employees working across 200+ media brands, Future is a prime destination for passionate people worldwide looking to consume trusted, expert content that educates and inspires action - both online and off - through our specialist websites, magazines, events, newsletters, podcasts and social spaces.

We've got ambitious plans that further build on our growth momentum and unlock new opportunities – and we're looking for driven people who want to be a part of it!

We embrace and celebrate diversity, making it part of who we are. Different perspectives spark ideas, fuel creativity, and push us to innovate. That's why we're building a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to thrive.

When it comes to hiring, we keep it fair and inclusive, welcoming talent from every walk of life. It's not just about what you bring to the table — it's about making sure the table has room for everyone. Because a diverse team isn't just good for business. It's the Future.

Please let us know if you need any reasonable adjustments made so we can give you the best experience!