> there are even bigger images correction: there are even bigger issues
(I said I was in a rush) Tom On 18 June 2012 14:49, Thomas Morton <[email protected]> wrote: > Looking at the job description I have some concerns that it has been > written without the input of someone experienced in hiring individuals for > technical or pseudo-technical roles - especially in the current economic > climate. > > You seem to be looking for someone extremely versatile, experienced > and independent... on a *very* entry level salary packet. > > I was under the impression, from previous discussions, that the developer > position was to be contractor-style - or at least remote working in the > region ~10 hours a week. > > As a developer, from the description page, I see the following roles: > > * Developer > * Sysadmin > * Project manager > * Advocate > > Four very distinct roles. > > To pick on one specific issue; expecting this person to work on Mediwiki > core, or an extension, is going to be problematic. That's a whole position > on its own and you are going to find that ongoing "other work" will make > project work of that sort untenable. > > (speaking as someone who is in much this position at the moment; my > project work is on hold pretty much all the time whilst clearing up > management issues). > > I worry that there is not a lot of work described in this job; or at least > the responsibilities are bitty and ill-defined. You're risking having > someone who will sit for long portions of the day drumming their fingers on > the desk. (speaking as someone who was hired to do this once, and quit > after 3 months due to boredom). It would be good to define (internally, on > the WMUK wiki) the roles this developer will have to fulfill and, from a > technical perspective, what we'd like to achieve in, say, the next year. > > The salary is most concerning though; you're looking for experience and > versatility - two major technical skills (sysadmin and developer) plus > management experience/skill - at a basic entry level rate. I think you will > struggle to find competent applicants. > > I'd fit, fairly well, this job description (and I think am pretty good at > it) - and any London based job under £35K would struggle to tempt me. Under > £30K is not even worth considering. (n.b. I'm not saying this because I'd > plan to apply if you raised the salary :)). You;fe > > What I recommend is hiring a more general community liaison (we need this > anyway IMO), with experience in technical projects. They can do most of the > PM style work. Then contract out specific projects (yes, including MW > extension writing) as and when needed. Keep a contractor on retainer for > sysadmin and internal dev work (~10 hours a week etc.). > > Particularly as you have numerous skilled dev/sysadmin contractors within > the community who will likely offer discounted rates. Building on the WMF > model; with a competent project manager most of the dev/sysadmin work could > be community driven. I've already offered to pitch in, but there is no > public project to achieve this that I know of. > > If we have a budget of £30K to go into development this is not enough to > hire a full time developer/sysadmin/manager. It's enough to contract the > work and to begin to build a volunteer centric development department. > > Mike wrote an excellent starter to this here: > http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/2012_Developer_budget The current job > description seems to be the opposite of many of those (good) proposals > (although I know Mike also wrote the job description). If we take the list > of upcoming requirements from that page there are even bigger images; it > talks about a robust backup strategy - which is quite a specific set of > experience. Even worse is the security review stuff - no dev/sysadmin you > hire for £25K will be capable of a robust security review. > > As always; just my 2p :) > > Tom > > (sorry to be over-critical, but I am in a rush today so this is first > draft sent :)) > > On 18 June 2012 13:41, Jon Davies <[email protected]> wrote: > >> We will shortly be advertising for our developer post. We will be >> spreading the word far and wide, especially within the community, but all >> suggestions gratefully received. >> So far (outside leads: >> Mozilla >> Tech hub >> Civi-CRM >> Google academy >> >> Thanks >> >> Jon >> >> >> -- >> *Jon Davies - Chief Executive Wikimedia UK*. Mobile (0044) 7803 505 169 >> tweet @jonatreesdavies >> >> Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and >> Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513 >> Registered Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, >> London EC2A 4LT. United Kingdom. >> Telephone (0044) 207 065 0990. >> Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate >> Wikipedia, amongst other projects). It is an independent non-profit >> organization with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for >> its contents. >> >> Visit http://www.wikimedia.org.uk/ and @wikimediauk >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimedia UK mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l >> WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org >> >> >
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