Principal Front End Software Engineer

KingMakers

Principal Frontend Software Engineer at KingMakers delivering frontend experiences for sports betting platforms. Leading engineering standards and collaborating across teams to shape technology across Africa.

Posted 7/23/2026full-timeCape Town • 🇿🇦 South AfricaLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates strong expertise in Frontend Development, particularly with JavaScript and React, while effectively mentoring team members and driving high-quality, responsive applications. Proficient in implementing best practices for performance optimization, automated testing, and architectural decisions across multiple systems.

Highest-signal resume keywords

JavaScript/React DevelopmentFrontend Architecture DecisionsPerformance Optimization TechniquesAutomated Testing StrategiesMentorship and Leadership Skills

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Frontend Design and DevelopmentFull-Stack DevelopmentREST PrinciplesUI Design and ImplementationHTML5/CSS3 ProficiencyAPI IntegrationCloudflare WorkersComponent-Based DesignDevOps/CI/CD UnderstandingAI Tooling Integration

Soft Skills

Strong Ownership MindsetExcellent CommunicationAnalytical and Problem-Solving SkillsAttention to DetailCollaborative Nature

Tools & Technologies

GitWebpackBabelViteSassLess

Certifications & Qualifications

Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering or Computer Science

Industry Keywords

High-Traffic EnvironmentsResponsive DesignAccessibilityMicro-Frontend ArchitecturesWeb Vulnerabilities Mitigation

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

BabelGraphQLJavaScriptReactSCSSWebpack

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Set and uphold high standards for frontend code quality, maintainability, and performance across the Sportsbook and Revenue Product domains.
Operate as a floating principal resource, contributing to multiple teams and systems, and helping shape and clean up frontend architecture across the organisation.
Drive frontend development on core sportsbook features including bet content presentation, sports data and odds display, push pricing, and Cloudflare-based publishing workflows.
Actively adopt and champion AI tooling to accelerate delivery, improve code quality, and move faster — this is a non-negotiable part of how we work going forward.
Guide and uplift junior and mid-level engineers through code reviews, pairing, and knowledge sharing. Raise the bar for frontend engineering across teams.
Take full ownership of your area of focus — from scoping to shipping — covering all aspects of your project and delivering across different systems and domains.
Contribute to and enforce frontend architectural decisions, component standards, and engineering best practices across teams.
Build fast, responsive, accessible applications optimised for high-traffic, high-volume environments — including users on low-end devices and constrained infrastructure.
Work seamlessly with backend engineers, product managers, designers, and other stakeholders to deliver integrated, high-quality solutions.
Implement automated testing strategies to ensure robust, bug-free releases across systems.
Be part of on-call rotations for critical systems, with a focus on root-cause prevention, not firefighting.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
10+ years of experience in frontend design and development.
Strong expertise in full-stack development, REST principles, UI design, implementation, testing, and support.
Proven experience mentoring and coaching other engineers.
JavaScript/React: Advanced knowledge for building complex, production-grade applications.
Frameworks: Deep expertise in React; familiarity with Remix is a strong advantage.
HTML5/CSS3: Proficiency in semantic HTML, CSS, and preprocessors (e.g. Sass, Less).
Version Control: Strong experience with Git and collaborative workflows.
Build Tools: Familiarity with modern frontend build tools (Webpack, Babel, Vite, etc.).
Performance Optimisation: Strong knowledge of techniques to enhance app speed, responsiveness, and resilience under high load.
Testing: Hands-on experience with unit, integration, and end-to-end testing.
API Integration: Proficiency with RESTful and GraphQL APIs.
Edge & CDN: Experience with Cloudflare Workers, Pages, or similar edge publishing workflows is advantageous.
AI Tooling: Comfortable adopting and integrating AI-assisted development tools into daily workflows.
UI/UX Principles: Solid understanding of design principles, accessibility, and responsive design.
Security Best Practices: Awareness of common web vulnerabilities and mitigation strategies.
Architecture Patterns: Experience with component-based design and micro-frontend architectures.
DevOps/CI/CD: Understanding of CI/CD practices for frontend deployments.
Strong ownership mindset — you take initiative, speak up, and see things through.
Ability to adapt fast, operate with limited context, and still deliver quality work.
Leadership and mentorship skills to guide and grow team members.
Excellent communication for conveying technical concepts clearly across teams and seniority levels.
Analytical and problem-solving skills with a bias for action.
Attention to detail to deliver polished, production-ready solutions.
Collaborative and cross-functional by nature.
Empathy for users — especially those on constrained devices or low-bandwidth environments.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Pension Fund (Liberty Life): Company-supported retirement plan with employer matching contributions.
Medical Aid (Discovery Health): Company contribution towards your monthly medical cover premiums.
Comprehensive Group Risk Cover: Includes life insurance, disability income protection, critical illness benefit, and funeral cover for you and eligible dependants, as per scheme rules.
Performance Bonus: Discretionary bonus aligned with individual impact and overall contribution.
Employee Wellness Programme (ICAS / October Health): Confidential counselling and holistic support services available to you and your immediate family.
Annual Leave & Birthday Day Off: 20 working days of annual leave per year, plus one additional paid day off on your birthday.
Work From Anywhere (10 Days): Up to 10 business days per year to work remotely from a location of your choice.
Hybrid & Flexible Working: This role follows a hybrid model with 2 days in-office and 3 days remote, structured around team and operational needs.
Parking: Complimentary company-supported parking at our office, providing easy access to a prime professional workspace