Senior Web Platform Engineer

University of Chicago•Chicago, IL

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Web Platform Engineer is the technical lead and co-owner of Advancement’s web platforms and supporting technologies. The role combines hands-on back-end web development and platform administration with responsibility for architecture, integrations, security, reliability, releases, and long-term platform health. It leads and provides expertise in software support and development, including analyzing, designing, developing, debugging, and modifying code for end-user applications, beta releases, and production support. The position manages the development and implementation of applications, web pages, and user interfaces, and resolves complex administration, maintenance, integration, and troubleshooting issues in production environments. Working closely with Communications, which leads business and digital experience requirements, and other Advancement teams, the engineer translates approved needs into practical technical solutions. The role advises on approaches, alternatives, and tradeoffs based on business needs, technical requirements, risk, and long-term supportability; determines technical architecture and implementation approaches; manages delivery and ongoing support; and coordinates with central IT Services, vendors, and managed service providers when work depends on enterprise infrastructure or services. The position owns technical development, administration, reliability, security, and supportability for Advancement websites, web applications, and supporting technologies. This includes back-end work for Alumni Weekend, the University Magazine, campaign websites, and other external-facing digital resources, as well as the features, components, templates, integrations, and improvements that support fundraising, constituent engagement, and digital communications. It manages the lifecycle of WordPress, Drupal, and other approved platforms; establishes technical standards; maintains integrations and digital measurement capabilities; leads testing and releases; and supports platform operations, security, recovery, and incident response. The engineer also represents Advancement Technology in intake and planning, assesses feasibility, effort, dependencies, risks, sequencing, and support implications, and leads technical evaluation and coordination with vendors and University technology teams. The role evaluates emerging technologies, including AI and automation, and leads experimentation and implementation of approved solutions while ensuring appropriate architecture, integration, security, privacy, accessibility, and supportability. It contributes to professional development, designs systems and tools, solves complex technical problems, reviews and tests code, and serves as a technical consultant and resource for University projects. Other related work may be assigned.

Requirements

College or university degree in a related field, or equivalent education and professional experience as described in the preferred qualifications.
Knowledge and skills developed through 5–7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
At least five years of professional experience developing, administering, or leading production web platforms, web applications, or CMS-based environments.
At least three years of hands-on experience with WordPress and Drupal environments, including configuration, upgrades, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
Demonstrated proficiency with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, plus working knowledge of server-side web technologies, databases, APIs, and system integrations.
Demonstrated knowledge of web security, privacy, access management, accessibility, responsive design, browser compatibility, analytics implementation, SEO, and web performance practices.
Working knowledge of web infrastructure fundamentals, including hosting, DNS, SSL/TLS certificates, content delivery and caching, databases, cloud or managed hosting environments, and application-platform infrastructure dependencies.
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively and explain complex ideas clearly and simply.
Ability to manage confidential information with discretion and tact, and to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
Ability to work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting; self-motivation and initiative; and the ability to prioritize multiple projects and independently follow through with attention to detail.

Nice To Haves

Experience serving as the technical lead or primary technical owner for an enterprise web platform or portfolio of websites.
Experience managing the technical lifecycle of production websites or platforms, including development, testing, deployment, upgrades, monitoring, release management, incident resolution, and ongoing maintenance.
Experience implementing or supporting integrations involving APIs, data flows, identity, marketing, CRM, Salesforce Experience Cloud, or other enterprise systems.
Familiarity with source control, automated testing, deployment automation, monitoring, and the design or development of web automation.
Experience establishing development standards, reusable components, documentation practices, quality assurance processes, or platform governance.
Project management experience supporting complex websites, web applications, or platform initiatives, including independently planning, documenting, prioritizing, and delivering complex work from requirements through production support.
Experience evaluating technical options and communicating effort, dependencies, risks, constraints, and tradeoffs to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Experience operating web platforms where hosting, infrastructure, identity, or security services are provided by centralized technology teams or managed service providers, including coordinating across vendors, service providers, infrastructure teams, and other technology partners.
Background in higher education, advancement, fundraising, nonprofit, or another complex organization with multiple stakeholders and enterprise technology dependencies.
Proficiency with design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Adobe Photoshop, or comparable tools.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.

Responsibilities

Serve as technical lead and co-owner of Advancement web platforms, websites, web applications, and supporting technologies, overseeing development, administration, reliability, security, and long-term supportability.
Design, develop, configure, and maintain back-end website and web application capabilities, including features, components, templates, integrations, and technical improvements for Advancement digital resources.
Establish and maintain architecture, development, platform, and technical design standards, and determine technical architecture and implementation approaches for approved work.
Translate approved business and digital experience requirements into technical solutions, prototypes, proofs of concept, and implementation plans.
Evaluate and select web platforms, technical tools, and supporting technologies with business owners and partners, considering requirements, integrations, security, maintainability, and supportability.
Manage the lifecycle of WordPress, Drupal, and other approved platforms, including configuration, upgrades, maintenance, technical debt, performance, monitoring, and future platform needs.
Build and maintain integrations with Advancement and University systems, including APIs, data flows, consent tools, and identity services; assess related impacts on configurations, data models, migrations, URLs, and data flows.
Implement and maintain digital measurement capabilities, including analytics, tagging, conversion tracking, and related data collection, based on approved requirements.
Ensure platforms and code meet accessibility, usability, user-centered design, SEO, responsive design, browser compatibility, security, performance, and technical quality standards.
Lead testing, deployment, release readiness, and production implementation of web changes.
Maintain platform reliability, recovery procedures, operational readiness, and technical incident resolution, including security, access controls, vulnerability response, privacy controls, user provisioning, and related compliance requirements.
Maintain reusable components, technical documentation, and operational procedures; define and maintain supported web services, service expectations, support boundaries, and technical incident classifications.
Represent Advancement Technology in shared intake and planning; assess feasibility, effort, dependencies, risk, sequencing, and support implications before scope or delivery commitments are made.
Identify when demand, risk, or technical complexity exceeds available capacity and recommend changes to scope, sequencing, or resourcing.
Lead technical evaluation and management of web technology vendors and service providers; coordinate technical dependencies with managed service providers, central IT Services, and other University technology teams.
Evaluate emerging technologies, including AI and automation, and lead experimentation and implementation of approved solutions while ensuring appropriate architecture, integration, security, privacy, accessibility, and long-term supportability.
Pursue professional development, including building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions, with attention to diversifying the advancement profession.
Design new systems, features, and tools; solve complex problems and identify opportunities for technical improvement and performance optimization.
Review and test code to ensure appropriate standards are met.
Act as a technical consultant and resource for faculty research, teaching, and administrative projects.
Perform other related work as needed.