WordPress Developer | Premium Website Builds, Performance, Technical SEO, AI Search & Conversion Implementation

Premium Website Builds, Performance, Technical SEO, AI Search & Conversion Implementation

We are looking for an experienced WordPress Developer to support the development of premium, high-performing websites for our clients.

You will work alongside our internal strategy team, web designer, and senior copywriter. Depending on the project, you may receive approved designs, wireframes, brand guidelines, website copy, reference websites, and creative direction.

Your responsibility is to translate that direction into a polished, fast, technically sound WordPress website that supports conversion, organic search visibility, AI-powered discovery, and long-term business growth.

This is a project-based contractor role with the potential for consistent, long-term work as our website pipeline grows.

-About Us-

We are an AI-forward digital strategy and marketing agency serving premium businesses and organizations across North America.

Our clients expect websites that feel current, elevated, credible, and strategically built. We do not create websites simply to look attractive. Every website should strengthen the client’s positioning, improve the customer journey, support organic and AI-search visibility, and create measurable opportunities for leads, bookings, or revenue.

Our internal team typically leads:

* Website and business strategy
* Brand positioning and creative direction
* Sitemap and page planning
* Website copy and messaging
* Conversion strategy
* SEO, GEO, and content direction
* Final creative approval

The developer is responsible for translating this direction into an exceptional finished website.

-What You Will Own-

You will be responsible for:

* Building WordPress websites from approved designs, wireframes, brand guidelines, and creative direction
* Accurately implementing premium website designs without reducing them to generic page-builder layouts
* Creating responsive desktop, tablet, and mobile experiences
* Building reusable global styles, components, sections, and content structures
* Configuring themes, plugins, custom post types, and ACF fields
* Integrating forms, scheduling platforms, CRMs, payment tools, email platforms, and other third-party systems
* Implementing approved calls to action, lead-generation flows, forms, and booking experiences
* Optimizing website speed, Core Web Vitals, and frontend performance
* Building a clean, scalable, secure, and maintainable backend
* Implementing technical SEO requirements, schema markup, redirects, metadata, and structured data
* Supporting AI-search discoverability through semantic HTML, crawlable content, clear information architecture, structured website content, and consistent entity signals
* Configuring analytics, pixels, and conversion events based on an approved tracking plan
* Using AI tools responsibly to improve development efficiency, testing, documentation, and quality
* Completing technical quality assurance before launch
* Documenting plugins, licenses, integrations, custom code, and important website configurations
* Identifying technical risks, limitations, or opportunities before they affect the project

-The Standard We Expect-

Our websites serve high-end clients and must feel polished, contemporary, and intentionally developed.

You must be able to recognize when:

* A build does not accurately reflect the approved design
* Typography, spacing, or visual hierarchy feels inconsistent
* A desktop layout does not translate effectively to mobile
* An animation or design feature negatively affects usability or performance
* A plugin creates unnecessary security, maintenance, or speed concerns
* A proposed feature will create technical debt
* A page or conversion flow introduces unnecessary friction
* AI-generated design or development patterns make a website feel generic, repetitive, or interchangeable

We are not looking for developers who rely on generic templates, repetitive page-builder sections, excessive plugins, bloated development practices, or one-size-fits-all AI-generated outputs.

Strong visual judgment is required, but this is not primarily a web-design position. You will collaborate with our team to execute the approved creative direction at a high standard.

-Required Experience-

You should have:

* At least five years of professional WordPress development experience
* Strong experience developing websites from supplied designs or creative direction
* Strong knowledge of WordPress architecture
* Proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
* Working knowledge of PHP
* Experience with Figma and designer-to-developer workflows
* Strong responsive and mobile-first development skills
* Experience with Gutenberg, Kadence, Bricks, ACF, or custom WordPress development
* Experience creating reusable design systems and global components
* Experience with staging environments, version control, deployment, and rollback procedures
* Experience integrating forms, CRMs, scheduling tools, payment systems, APIs, and webhooks
* Experience with WooCommerce or custom website functionality
* The ability to create clean, maintainable builds without unnecessary plugin dependency
* Experience using AI tools to improve development workflows while maintaining quality, originality, security, and technical accuracy

-Performance and Core Web Vitals-

Website performance is a priority from the beginning of every build, not a final cleanup task.

You should understand how to optimize:

* Largest Contentful Paint
* Cumulative Layout Shift
* Interaction to Next Paint
* Image and video delivery
* Responsive image sizing
* Lazy loading
* Caching
* CDN and Cloudflare configuration
* JavaScript and CSS delivery
* Font loading
* Plugin performance
* Database performance
* Hosting and server configuration

You should be able to demonstrate previous performance improvements and explain the decisions that produced them.

We understand that performance scores can be affected by hosting, third-party scripts, integrations, and approved design features. You must communicate these tradeoffs clearly and recommend practical solutions.

-Technical SEO and AI-Search Readiness-

Our internal team will establish the broader SEO, content, entity, and AI-search strategy.

You will be responsible for implementing the technical foundation accurately, including:

* Semantic HTML
* Heading hierarchy
* Crawlability and indexability
* Schema markup and structured data
* Canonical tags
* XML sitemaps
* Redirects
* Metadata fields
* Internal-linking functionality
* Clean URL structures
* Mobile usability
* Accessible markup
* Clearly structured content templates
* Consistent entity and business information
* Search-friendly rendering and performance
* Structured page layouts that are easy for search engines and AI systems to interpret
* Technical implementation that supports visibility across AI-powered search experiences

The objective is to ensure that the website does not contain technical limitations that prevent strong visibility across traditional search engines and emerging AI-powered search platforms.

No developer can independently guarantee first-page rankings or inclusion within AI-generated answers. However, the technical foundation must support the agency’s broader search, content, authority, entity, and visibility strategy.

-AI-Enabled Development and Responsible AI Use-

We are an AI-forward agency, and the thoughtful use of AI is highly encouraged.

We expect developers to understand how AI tools can improve the speed, quality, accuracy, and efficiency of website development. This may include using AI to support:

* Code generation and debugging
* Technical problem-solving
* Quality assurance
* Accessibility reviews
* Performance analysis
* Schema and structured-data implementation
* Documentation
* Content migration
* Repetitive development tasks
* Testing and troubleshooting
* Research and workflow optimization
* Process automation

However, AI should strengthen judgment and execution—not replace them.

We do not want websites that feel generic, templated, repetitive, or visually interchangeable because they were created through the same AI-generated patterns.

Every website must remain specific to the client’s:

* Brand
* Audience
* Positioning
* Industry
* Customer journey
* Visual identity
* Business objectives
* Conversion goals

The developer must review, test, refine, and take responsibility for all AI-assisted work.

AI-generated code, recommendations, content structures, schema, or technical outputs should never be implemented without validation.

We are particularly interested in candidates who understand both:

1. How to use AI to improve development workflows and delivery efficiency
2. How website architecture and technical implementation support visibility in AI-powered search experiences

Experience with AI coding assistants, automation platforms, AI-supported QA, testing tools, or AI development environments is an asset.

-Conversion Implementation-

Our strategy, design, and copy team will establish the website’s user journey and conversion objectives.

You will be expected to implement these effectively through:

* Clear calls to action
* Lead-generation forms
* Contact and booking flows
* Landing pages
* Trust and testimonial sections
* FAQ and objection-handling sections
* Mobile-friendly interactions
* Logical navigation
* Reduced friction
* Accurate conversion tracking

You should understand how development decisions affect conversion and be able to flag usability concerns or recommend improvements.

-Analytics and Integrations-

Relevant experience should include several of the following:

* Google Analytics 4
* Google Tag Manager
* Google Search Console
* Meta Pixel
* Conversion-event tracking
* HubSpot
* GoHighLevel
* Zapier
* Calendly
* Stripe
* CRM integrations
* API integrations
* Webhooks
* Email marketing platforms

Tracking should be implemented according to an approved measurement plan and tested before launch.

-Production Standards-

All projects must follow an organized and secure agency workflow.

You will be expected to:

* Develop through an approved staging environment
* Avoid making unapproved changes directly on a live website
* Use agency-approved themes, plugins, and development tools
* Avoid nulled, unlicensed, or unsupported software
* Avoid duplicate or unnecessary plugins
* Use reusable global styles and components
* Document custom code and functionality
* Maintain agency access to all accounts, files, and environments
* Store credentials through the agency’s approved password-management system
* Avoid vendor lock-in or systems that cannot be maintained by another qualified developer
* Follow backup, deployment, rollback, and launch procedures
* Complete the required technical and launch checklists
* Validate all AI-generated or AI-assisted code before implementation
* Ensure AI use does not introduce security risks, unnecessary dependencies, inconsistent code, or maintainability concerns

-Security and Maintenance-

You should understand:

* WordPress security best practices
* User roles and permissions
* Plugin and theme management
* Malware prevention
* Firewall and security configurations
* Backup and restoration procedures
* SSL configuration
* Website monitoring
* Update management
* Staging-to-production deployment
* Troubleshooting and recovery

-Accessibility and Quality Assurance-

You should understand modern accessibility practices, including:

* Semantic HTML
* Keyboard navigation
* Focus states
* Color contrast
* Form labels
* Alt-text implementation
* Accessible menus and interactions
* Reduced-motion preferences
* Appropriate heading structure

Before launch, you will be responsible for technical QA across:

* Desktop, tablet, and mobile layouts
* Current browsers
* Forms and notifications
* Booking and payment flows
* Links and redirects
* Website functionality
* Performance
* Indexability
* Metadata and schema
* Analytics and conversion events
* Accessibility
* Security
* Backups
* Content and visual accuracy
* AI-assisted code and technical outputs
* Structured content and technical search readiness

Our internal team will conduct a separate creative, content, and client-facing review.

-Documentation and Handoff-

Every completed project must include clear documentation covering:

* WordPress theme and builder
* Plugin list
* License ownership and renewal requirements
* Custom code and its location
* Forms and notification routing
* Website integrations
* Analytics and tracking configuration
* CDN, DNS, caching, or hosting considerations
* Redirect implementation
* Backup and security configuration
* AI tools or automations that materially affect the website or maintenance process
* Known limitations
* Ongoing maintenance requirements

The website must be maintainable by another qualified developer if necessary.

-Communication and Project Ownership-

We value proactive, direct communication.

You should:

* Identify concerns early
* Ask questions before making assumptions
* Communicate when information or assets are missing
* Explain technical recommendations clearly
* Raise concerns when a request may affect performance, accessibility, security, or maintainability
* Provide realistic timelines
* Communicate delays before deadlines are missed
* Accept and implement feedback professionally
* Keep project tasks and progress updated
* Take responsibility for the quality of your deliverables
* Be transparent about when and how AI is being used
* Never use AI as a substitute for validation, technical judgment, or original problem-solving

We do not expect you to agree with every request without question. We expect you to identify risks, explain tradeoffs, and recommend the strongest practical solution.

-What Success Looks Like-

A successful developer will consistently deliver websites that:

* Accurately reflect the approved design and creative direction
* Look polished across desktop, tablet, and mobile
* Feel distinctive to the client rather than generated from a repetitive template
* Load quickly and perform reliably
* Are clean, scalable, and maintainable
* Support the approved conversion strategy
* Meet the technical SEO requirements
* Are structured for modern search and AI discoverability
* Function correctly across forms, integrations, and tracking
* Pass technical and launch quality assurance
* Use AI intelligently without compromising originality, quality, security, or maintainability
* Require minimal supervision
* Can be confidently presented to premium clients

## Project Structure

We will begin with paid, project-based work to assess:

* Development quality
* Accuracy to approved designs
* Responsive execution
* Performance
* Backend structure
* Technical judgment
* AI capability and responsible AI use
* Communication
* Reliability
* Documentation
* Responsiveness to feedback

Successful candidates may receive consistent website builds, redesigns, optimization projects, technical support, and ongoing maintenance work.

To Apply

Begin your proposal with the word **“Performance.”**

Please include:

1. Links to three WordPress websites you personally developed.
2. At least one project where the design was supplied by another designer.
3. A clear explanation of your role in each project.
4. The theme, builder, plugins, and development stack used.
5. Whether each website was custom-built, based on a supplied design, or adapted from a template.
6. One example of a premium or technically complex website you developed.
7. One example of a website you significantly improved for speed or Core Web Vitals.
8. Before-and-after performance results where available.
9. How you preserve design quality while optimizing website speed.
10. How you approach mobile implementation when primarily given desktop designs.
11. How you prevent page-builder and plugin bloat.
12. How you structure reusable components and global styles.
13. Your staging, QA, deployment, and handoff process.
14. Your experience implementing technical SEO requirements supplied by an SEO strategist.
15. Your experience building websites for AI-search readiness or supporting GEO strategies.
16. Your preferred WordPress development stack and why.
17. Your preferred pricing structure.
18. Your current capacity and typical turnaround time for a standard business website.
19. Which AI tools you currently use in your development workflow.
20. How you validate AI-generated code or technical recommendations before implementation.
21. One example of how you used AI to improve efficiency or quality without creating a generic, repetitive, or lower-quality result.
22. How you ensure AI-assisted development remains secure, maintainable, and specific to each client.

Please do not submit websites unless you can clearly explain what you personally developed.

Shortlisted candidates may be invited to complete a **paid, contained development exercise** before being assigned a full client project.

We are looking for a dependable long-term development partner who can translate strong strategy, design, and copy into fast, polished, conversion-focused WordPress websites that meet the expectations of premium clients. This would start off part time with the ability to be full time.

The ideal candidate uses AI to work more intelligently and efficiently while maintaining strong technical judgment, originality, accountability, and attention to detail.