WordPress Full-Stack Developer - Secure Multi-Client Dashboard Portal (Real-Time Networking Data)

Project Overview We're building SERAPHIM Portal, a secure client-facing web application implemented within WordPress. Authorized users log in, complete multi-factor verification, and view a controlled, real-time dashboard of approved network/operational metrics (HALO/UniFi data). One centralized portal will serve multiple clients while maintaining strict data isolation between them. This is not a standard WordPress website-build role. The work is closer to building a secure SaaS-style web application that happens to live inside WordPress, custom backend logic, authentication, database architecture, and live external API integration, not page building or theme customization. Production deadline: Desktop web version must be fully functional and live by September 30, 2026. Responsive (tablet/mobile) optimization follows afterward as a final phase. What You'll Be Building - Secure authentication: email/password login, forgot-password flow, email verification, and two-factor authentication (email and/or authenticator app) - Role-based access for three user types: Client User, Admin User, and Technical/Admin User - Strict multi-client data isolation, no client can ever access another client's dashboard, metrics, or account data - Custom database structures for users, client accounts, roles/permissions, dashboard-device associations, and audit logs - Integration with UniFi API (or a validated secure alternative) to pull real-time/near-real-time metrics - A desktop dashboard displaying only the approved, client-specific metric set, with proper loading, unavailable-data, and integration-error states - Audit logging for authentication and security-sensitive admin actions - Architecture recommendations where technical decisions are still open (see below) Required Skills & Experience - Strong, production-level experience with custom WordPress development, not limited to themes/page builders - Advanced knowledge of WordPress architecture: hooks, actions, filters, roles & capabilities - Experience building custom plugins or backend functionality from scratch - Strong PHP, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and SQL/MySQL Experience with the WordPress REST API and integrating external APIs - Proven experience building secure auth systems: 2FA, session management, password recovery, role-based access control - Experience architecting multi-tenant / multi-client systems with strict data isolation - Experience designing custom database schemas and supporting data layers within or alongside WordPress - Experience building real-time or near-real-time dashboards connected to external data sources - Ability to implement metric components, charts/indicators, and proper loading/error states from an approved UI design - Practical networking knowledge: gateways, network monitoring, secure communications - UniFi API / UniFi Gateway experience strongly preferred Familiarity with VPNs/secure tunnels (StrongSwan or similar) is a plus - Experience securely managing API credentials, tokens, rate limits, and failure handling Responsibilities - Review our existing WordPress environment and recommend the most appropriate portal architecture - Validate the real-time data source and integration method (UniFi API or a secure alternative) - Build backend, authentication, roles/permissions, client isolation, audit logging, and required database structures Implement the approved dashboard design and connect it to live, authorized metrics - Build one centralized portal capable of securely supporting multiple client accounts - Complete security, access-control, integration, and performance testing before launch - Deploy the desktop version live by September 30, then handle responsive optimization as a final phase - Collaborate with our designer, who will provide visual design and UI direction Ideal Candidate English is a must for this role. You combine WordPress development with real backend engineering: API integration, database design, application security, and networking fundamentals. You're comfortable evaluating unresolved technical decisions (e.g., final integration path, whether a VPN/secure tunnel is needed), recommending the right approach, explaining tradeoffs, and then executing, within a time-sensitive delivery plan. Open Items You'll Help Finalize Final client-facing metric set and any service-tier visibility rules Final integration method (UniFi API vs. alternative) Whether a VPN/secure tunnel layer (e.g., StrongSwan) is required Hosting/infrastructure configuration for production