Software Development Team Lead (.NET & API Security)

Team Lead Software Developer (.NET & API Security)

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Work Model: Fully Remote

Duration: 12-Month Fixed-Term Contract

Role Overview

• Our client is seeking an experienced Team Lead Software Developer (.NET & API Security) to lead the development and delivery of secure, scalable, and high-performance enterprise applications.

The Ideal Candidate

• The candidate will combine strong hands-on technical expertise in the Microsoft technology stack with proven technical leadership capabilities.
• This role will be responsible for guiding a development team, overseeing solution design and implementation, and ensuring that internal systems and APIs meet the highest standards of security, performance, and reliability.
• The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in .NET development, API security, database architecture, and modern front-end technologies, together with the ability to mentor developers, drive technical best practices, and collaborate with key business stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and provide technical guidance to a team of software developers.
• Oversee the planning, development, and delivery of software solutions.
• Establish and enforce coding standards, development best practices, and quality assurance processes.
• Conduct code reviews and ensure adherence to software architecture, security, and performance standards.
• Collaborate with business analysts, project managers, and stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
• Support team members in troubleshooting complex technical challenges and resolving development issues.

Software Development & Architecture

• Lead the development and maintenance of .NET applications, including API and GUI layers.
• Design, build, and secure RESTful APIs for internal and external integrations.
• Drive the implementation of scalable, reliable, and high-performance application architectures.
• Ensure application security across all components, systems, and integrations.
• Work with Entity Framework and SQL Server to develop efficient data access layers and optimize database performance.
• Oversee the development of responsive front-end interfaces using React or similar JavaScript frameworks.
• Participate in technical design discussions, system enhancements, and solution implementations.

API Security & Integration

• Define and implement API security standards and best practices.
• Ensure secure authentication and authorization mechanisms, including OAuth2 and JWT.
• Identify potential application and API vulnerabilities and implement appropriate mitigation measures.
• Ensure data integrity, confidentiality, and secure communication across platforms.
• Oversee secure integration between internal systems and external services.

Quality Assurance & Delivery

• Oversee testing, debugging, deployment, and release management activities.
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality, maintainable, and well-documented code.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex issues within existing applications and codebases.
• Drive continuous improvement across development processes and technical practices.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation, including system architecture and API specifications.

Required Technical Skills

• .NET Development: Strong proficiency in C#, .NET Framework, and .NET Core/.NET.
• API Development: Extensive experience designing and developing RESTful APIs.
• API Security: Strong knowledge of authentication, authorization, OAuth2, JWT, and secure API development practices.
• Application Security: Practical experience implementing application-level and API-level security controls.
• GUI Development: Experience with Windows Forms, WPF, or ASP.NET MVC.
• Entity Framework: Strong understanding of ORM design, Code First, and Database First approaches.
• SQL Server: Experience with database design, stored procedures, query optimization, and performance tuning.
• Front-End Development: Experience with ReactJS, JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML5, and CSS3.
• Version Control: Proficiency with Git and collaborative development workflows.
• Software Architecture: Ability to design and oversee secure, scalable, and maintainable enterprise applications.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 5 years' professional experience in .NET software development.
• Proven experience in a technical leadership, Team Lead, or Senior Developer capacity.
• Demonstrable experience leading or mentoring software development teams.
• Strong track record of delivering secure, scalable, and reliable enterprise applications.
• Experience managing the full software development lifecycle, from technical design through to deployment and maintenance.
• Relevant IT qualification in Computer Science, Software Development, Information Technology, or a related discipline will be advantageous.

Essential Soft Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership, mentoring, and team development capabilities.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Ability to translate complex business requirements into practical technical solutions.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to code quality.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver within agreed timelines.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and adaptable to changing business and technical requirements.