Want to know if this job is worth applying to?
South Africa
Remote only
This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a WordPress Developer based in South Africa.
As a WordPress Developer, you will build, customize, optimize, and maintain high-quality websites for an international client environment.
You will work across both front-end and back-end development, turning business and design requirements into responsive, reliable digital experiences.
The role combines hands-on WordPress development with PHP, theme and plugin development, performance optimization, SEO, and security.
You will take ownership of troubleshooting technical issues and ensuring websites remain fast, stable, secure, and user-friendly.
Your work will directly contribute to website performance, search visibility, usability, and overall digital quality.
The position is well suited to an independent developer who is comfortable managing projects remotely and solving problems proactively.
You will also have opportunities to contribute to meaningful projects while developing your technical expertise within a collaborative international environment.
Build and customize WordPress themes, layouts, templates, and styles using HTML, CSS, PHP, and WordPress development best practices.
Develop custom WordPress plugins, extensions, and functionality when existing solutions do not meet project requirements.
Manage both front-end functionality and back-end components, including server-side logic and database interactions.
Optimize website performance, page-load speeds, Core Web Vitals, and overall user experience across devices.
Implement technical and on-page SEO best practices to improve website structure, crawlability, performance, and search visibility.
Ensure websites are responsive and provide consistent, user-friendly experiences across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
Conduct security checks and audits while managing WordPress core, theme, and plugin updates according to security best practices.
Diagnose and resolve website errors, plugin conflicts, broken functionality, performance issues, and other technical bugs.
Perform regular website and database backups and support restoration or recovery when necessary.
Test websites, updates, and new functionality before deployment to ensure reliability, compatibility, security, and performance.
Maintain clean, scalable, and reliable code while following established WordPress development standards.
Independently manage development tasks, prioritize technical issues, and communicate progress effectively in a remote environment.
3+ years of professional experience in WordPress development.
Strong proficiency in WordPress, PHP, HTML5, and CSS3.
Proven experience developing and customizing WordPress themes.
Hands-on experience building, modifying, and maintaining custom WordPress plugins.
Strong understanding of both front-end and back-end web development.
Experience working with WordPress databases and server-side functionality.
Knowledge of responsive and mobile-first development principles.
Practical experience optimizing website speed, Core Web Vitals, and overall performance.
Understanding of technical SEO and SEO-friendly website development.
Knowledge of WordPress security practices, including core updates, plugin management, backups, and ongoing maintenance.
Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to identify root causes and implement effective fixes.
Ability to work independently, organize development tasks, and meet deadlines in a fully remote environment.
Strong attention to detail and a commitment to producing clean, reliable, high-quality work.
Ability to collaborate effectively with international teams and communicate technical issues clearly.
A proactive approach to learning new technologies, solving problems, and improving website quality.
Competitive compensation based on experience and qualifications.
Fully remote opportunity from South Africa.
Opportunity to work with an international organization and global clients.
Meaningful WordPress development projects with genuine technical ownership and impact.
Exposure to a broad range of WordPress development, optimization, SEO, and security challenges.
Collaborative, high-performing working environment.
Opportunities to strengthen and expand your technical expertise.
Long-term career growth and professional development opportunities.
Full-time independent contractor engagement.