Senior WordPress Developer

Senior WordPress Developer

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Senior WordPress Developer based in South Africa.

This is a fully remote development role for an experienced WordPress professional who can take ownership of websites from development through ongoing optimization and maintenance. You will build and customize high-quality websites across both front-end and back-end environments. The role combines custom theme and plugin development with performance, SEO, security, and responsive design expertise. You will also troubleshoot complex technical issues and ensure websites remain fast, reliable, secure, and maintainable. Working independently, you will contribute to projects with meaningful ownership while collaborating with a high-performing international team. This is an opportunity to deepen your technical expertise while delivering measurable improvements to web experiences.

Accountabilities:

• Build and customize WordPress themes, layouts, templates, and styles using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP.
• Develop custom WordPress plugins, extensions, and functionality based on specific business and website requirements.
• Create responsive, user-friendly interfaces that perform effectively across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
• Develop and maintain back-end functionality using PHP, WordPress core capabilities, databases, APIs, and server-side logic.
• Optimize website performance, including Core Web Vitals, page-load speeds, caching, database performance, and overall efficiency.
• Implement technical and on-page SEO best practices to improve site structure, crawlability, performance, and search visibility.
• Conduct security checks and audits while managing WordPress core, theme, and plugin updates.
• Maintain reliable backup and website maintenance procedures.
• Diagnose and resolve compatibility issues, broken functionality, bugs, performance bottlenecks, and other technical problems.
• Test websites and new functionality across browsers and devices before deployment.
• Maintain existing WordPress websites while continuously improving functionality, performance, security, and user experience.
• Deliver clean, scalable, and maintainable code while taking ownership of projects and technical outcomes.

Requirements:

• 4–5+ years of professional experience in WordPress development.
• Strong knowledge of WordPress architecture, PHP, HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript.
• Proven experience building and customizing WordPress themes from scratch.
• Hands-on experience developing, customizing, or modifying WordPress plugins.
• Strong understanding of MySQL, database management, and back-end web development.
• Experience with responsive and mobile-first development principles.
• Strong knowledge of WordPress performance optimization, caching, and Core Web Vitals.
• Understanding of technical SEO and SEO-friendly web development practices.
• Experience applying WordPress security best practices, updates, backups, and ongoing maintenance procedures.
• Familiarity with APIs and third-party integrations.
• Ability to independently diagnose and resolve complex WordPress technical issues.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to clean, maintainable, high-quality code.
• Excellent communication, organization, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage priorities and work effectively and independently in a fully remote environment.

Benefits:

• Fully remote, full-time independent contractor position based in South Africa.
• Competitive compensation based on experience and qualifications.
• Opportunity to take meaningful ownership of WordPress development projects.
• Work on websites requiring a broad range of front-end, back-end, performance, SEO, and security expertise.
• Opportunity to collaborate with an international, high-performing team.
• Exposure to diverse WordPress development challenges and real-world technical projects.
• Opportunities to strengthen technical expertise and continue professional development.
• Potential for long-term career growth within a global remote working environment.