WordPress.com Business Migration, Security & Maintenance Specialist

# WordPress.com Business Migration, Security & Maintenance Specialist

We are looking for an experienced **WordPress.com managed hosting specialist** to migrate an existing production WordPress website from Microsoft Azure to **WordPress.com Business**, validate its security, and ensure the site is fully operational after migration.

The existing environment is hosted on Azure App Service with a separate MySQL database. We have complete **web application and database backups** available for the migration.

## Scope of Work

### 1. Security Validation of Existing Backups

- Review and scan both the website and database backups before migration.
- The backups were taken after a full malware cleanup using **MalCare plugin and professional cleanup services**.
- MalCare can continue to be used, but we require additional validation and reasonable assurance that no malware, backdoors, malicious database entries, compromised files, or unauthorized users remain.
- Where appropriate, restore WordPress core, plugins, and themes from clean official sources rather than blindly copying potentially compromised files.

### 2. Full Migration to WordPress.com Business

- Perform the complete migration using the provided web application and database backups.
- Migrate content, media, configuration, plugins, themes, Elementor content, users, and required customizations.
- Update all WordPress configuration, URLs, paths, settings, database references, and environment-specific variables to reflect the new WordPress.com environment.
- Remove obsolete Azure-specific settings, URLs, connection strings, caching configuration, email settings, or other configuration no longer required.
- Ensure no references to the previous Azure hostname/environment remain.

### 3. Plugins, Themes & WordPress Updates

- Update WordPress, plugins, and themes safely to supported versions.
- Ensure **Elementor / Elementor Pro** and all required plugins continue functioning correctly.
- Resolve compatibility issues introduced by updates or migration.
- Reconnect and validate premium plugin and theme licenses where required.
- Remove unnecessary, obsolete, or incompatible plugins/themes.
- Configure an appropriate automatic update strategy.

**BetterDocs / BetterDocs Pro is an important part of the scope:**

- **BetterDocs** is currently in use.
- **BetterDocs Pro** was previously disabled and moved outside the active plugins folder because it was causing WordPress errors.
- BetterDocs Pro is a **licensed plugin** and must be properly restored/reinstalled, associated with our existing license, updated to a compatible version, and made fully functional.
- Any existing documentation/content or functionality built using BetterDocs / BetterDocs Pro must continue to work correctly after migration.
- The freelancer must identify and resolve the root cause of the previous BetterDocs Pro compatibility/error issue rather than simply leaving the plugin disabled.

### 4. Functional Testing

After migration, thoroughly validate:

- Main pages and navigation
- Elementor and Elementor Pro editing
- BetterDocs / BetterDocs Pro content and functionality
- Forms and email notifications
- Images and media
- Responsive/mobile layouts
- WordPress administration
- Search and redirects
- Plugins and custom functionality
- HTTPS and domain configuration
- Existing SEO URLs, metadata, sitemap, and redirects

The project is not considered complete simply because the website loads; the migrated website must operate as expected.

### 5. WordPress.com Staging

- Configure and validate the WordPress.com staging environment.
- Establish a safe workflow for testing significant WordPress, plugin, or theme updates before deploying them to production.

### 6. Backup & Recovery

- Configure and validate the available WordPress.com backup and restore capabilities.
- Establish a solid backup/recovery practice for the complete website and database.
- Perform a restore test to verify that the site can be recovered successfully.
- Recommend an appropriate independent/off-platform backup approach where beneficial.

### 7. WordPress.com Security Hardening

Review and configure applicable WordPress.com and WordPress security best practices, including:

- Administrator/user review
- Strong authentication and 2FA
- Least-privilege access
- Plugin/theme security
- Removal of unused accounts/components
- Protection of sensitive configuration
- Malware/security monitoring
- Secure handling/removal of old credentials and secrets

### 8. Production Cutover

- Prepare and execute the domain/DNS cutover after validation.
- Preserve required DNS and email records.
- Minimize downtime.
- Keep the existing Azure environment/backups available until the WordPress.com migration has been fully validated.

### 9. Handover

Provide a brief final report covering:

- Migration completed
- Security findings
- Plugins/themes updated
- Elementor / Elementor Pro status and license activation
- BetterDocs / BetterDocs Pro status and license activation
- Configuration changes
- Staging setup
- Backup/restore validation
- Any remaining recommendations or risks

## Required Experience

**Mandatory:**

- Extensive hands-on experience with **WordPress.com managed hosting**, preferably **WordPress.com Business**
- Proven experience migrating existing production WordPress websites to WordPress.com
- WordPress malware/security remediation
- Elementor / Elementor Pro
- WordPress plugin and theme troubleshooting
- Experience troubleshooting premium plugin compatibility issues
- Backup, restore, staging, and production migration procedures

Experience with Azure App Service and MySQL is beneficial for understanding and extracting the existing environment, but the primary requirement is strong **WordPress.com managed hosting and migration expertise**.

## When Applying

Please briefly provide:

- Your experience with **WordPress.com Business**
- Examples of WordPress.com sites you have personally migrated or maintained
- Your experience with malware/security cleanup
- Your experience with Elementor / Elementor Pro
- Your experience troubleshooting premium plugins such as BetterDocs Pro
- How you would approach validating the provided backups before migration

We are looking for someone who can complete the migration professionally and potentially continue providing **ongoing WordPress.com maintenance and support** afterward.