About me: further detail

Over 18 years worth of knowledge and experience in fields of web, New Media and IT
Able to work individually or as part of a team with good social skills
Quickly able to grasp new technologies and integrate them with existing technologies
Good at showing initiative within job role and taking ownership of a situation
Able to explain technical jargon in to everyday language.

Skills

Web:
HTML, CSS, some JavaScript and XML experience. Expert web usability, standards and accessibility knowledge. Web analytics and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) techniques. Knowledge in Content Management Systems (CMS)

Software packages:
Adobes’ PhotoShop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Premiere, some Flash and Acrobat experience, Apples’ DVD Studio Pro and Final Cut Pro, Content Management Systems (CMS) in particular WordPress, QuarkXPress, Autodesk Cleaner and Office (Microsoft and Open) related software. Expert knowledge in file format conversions.

Operating Systems:
Windows (including support, servers, IIS), MacOS 9/X (including support and Servers), some Linux environments and some back office application experience.

Networking:
Knowledge and practical experience of networking design/infrastructure including Wireless (802.11). Experience of practical implementations of Open Source, UNIX, Macintosh and Microsoft network infrastructures and cross platform/open standards support within those networks.

Awards

2010 – Interactive Media Award, Best in Class for Norfolk Constabulary website

2010 – Institute of Internal Communications Award for MAST News

2007 – Interactive Media Award, Best in Class for Office of Government Commerce website

Experience

Freelance

2008 – Present

Project: Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner – www.suffolk-pcc.gov.uk
The former Suffolk Police Authority hired me to develop and deliver the Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner’s website. Working closely with the staff of the Police Authority I was able to deliver them a new website based on the WordPress CMS that met their requirements as well as web, accessibility and legislation standards.

Project: 80’s Picture House – www.80spicturehouse.co.uk
80’s Picture house is a weekly international podcast about all things cult 80’s. My task was to design a website that could deliver rich content and social interaction with their audience. The website (again based on WordPress) is in its initially stages (the website was launched in December 2012), but already, the podcast has had an increase in usage and traffic and the podcast has had an increase in audience.

More examples of my freelance projects can be found in the portfolio section.

Web Consultant

Norfolk Constabulary (Police), Norfolk, 2008 – Present
My main responsibility when joining the constabulary was to modernise their web presence, both internally and externally. The first system that I modernised was the Intranet with a catch, no budget; I had to use their existing platform and software. The Internet websites (three in total) were next to be modernised, which was a year long project. I had various roles:

Co-wrote the technical/functional specification and was a stake holder in the tendering process
Understanding the business requirements and matching goals to technical limitations
Advised in the choosing of a Content Management System to meet the needs of the technical specification and budget
Tendered and procuring of hosting services for the websites
Consulted on all technical aspects of the project
Technical leader on the Project Board
Tested the prototype website to make sure it met W3C, accessibility and browser standards before release
Designed the main User Experience (UX) for the homepage from the prototypes given, to meet the needs of the users
Creating and branding Social Media channels (Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube) as well as trained the staff who would be using them
Project management of the delivery of Suffolk Constabulary website based on Norfolk’s Constabulary website, working closely with staff, developers and senior management.

Internet/Intranet Web manager

Office of Government Commerce, HM Treasury, Norwich, 2005-2007
In 2005 I became the web manager for the OGC Internet, Extranet and Intranet websites. My main responsibilities were the day-to-day management and maintenance of the sites which included content submission to the Content Management Systems (CMS) and monitoring website/service availability. Whilst in the role, the Internet website underwent a ‘modernisation’ upgrade where I was a senior technical consultant on the project board. I was tasked with providing technical advice and guidance on the new website, as well as addressing the accessibility issues. My other main duties included:

Ensuring that the websites were compliant with the UK Government web guidelines, W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Provide technical advice, support and solutions to fellow members of staff to enable web delivery of their content so that their content met Government regulations.
Provide teacher training of the CMS’s for content authors of the websites.
Provide and analyse the Internet website analytics (by using WebTrends software) and make suggests to the Web Project Board on how the Internet website could be improved by using Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Usability techniques based on those results.
Provide 2nd level technical support by using ITIL procedures to the users of the website.
Reproduce complex presentation graphics for the websites, so that the graphics met with the OGC Brand Design Guidelines.
Communication with 3rd Party Suppliers with regards to products and services.

OGC Successful Delivery Toolkit™ Manager / Lead Technical Developer

Office of Government Commerce, HM Treasury, Norwich, 2003-2005
The Successful Delivery Toolkit was a product with a collection of “Best Practice” methodologies (ways of working) for project management (PRINCE2), IT Service Delivery (ITIL) and other UK Government procurement related topics. The Toolkit was delivered to customers free of charge primarily via the Internet, but it was also available off-line as a CD-ROM product. On the project I was the Lead Technical Developer and Brand Designer for the Toolkit. I was responsible for:

The evolution and maintenance of the Toolkit website, as well as the off-line CD-ROM. The Toolkit was coded in HTML, JavaScript and CSS.
Ensuring that the Toolkit product met the UK Government web guidelines, W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Designing and producing the marketing material for the Toolkit product, and liaising with the team’s Marketing Officer to achieve this. The Toolkit marketing material consisted of a CD, brochure and promotional DVD.

In the last six months of my involvement with the project I became the Project Manager. It was my responsibility to finalise and launch the last version of the Toolkit. Being the Project Manager was an excellent opportunity for me to develop my skills with PRINCE2; an industry standard in project management.

Due to my technical background, I was tasked with procuring the tools needed for the Toolkit project; these included software, hardware and 3rd party services. This naturally led me to procure and manage the tendering process for the mass CD duplication of the Toolkit product (10,000+ CDs).

Also, because of my graphic design background, I was called upon from time to time to provide ad-hoc design work for fellow members of staff. The types of products that I designed were: CD-ROMs, DVDs, posters, fliers, newsletters and brochures.

Technology & Media Officer

Office of Government Commerce, HM Treasury, Norwich, 2001-2003
When the OGC was formed in 2001, I became a team member of the Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC). The TIC’s main mission was to research upcoming and emerging IT technologies and evaluate if there were any benefits and cost savings on applying these technologies within the UK wide Government sector. Due to my background in IT and media, my main responsibilities were to:

Create, produce and manage customer deliverables in the form of CD-ROMs, fliers, brochures, publications and websites.
Create, support and manage the diverse computer systems within the TIC; these included desktops, laptops and server machines in both Windows and MacOS 9/X operating systems. This also included maintaining the software licence database for audit purposes.
Provide In-depth evaluation of new technologies, such as Content Management Systems, Operating Systems, Wireless Technologies and Open Source Software. I was also the senior technical member in the OGC Microsoft Office Procurement Framework project, which, through licensing costs reductions saved over £100 million tax payer money.
Procure hardware, software and other miscellaneous equipment that fit the needs of the team, and to maintain the budget records.

Apart from these general responsibilities, I was also the Events Manager for the OGC Video Conferencing User Group. The group met four times a year to discussed all things Video Conferencing. It was my responsibility to arrange the speakers and venue for the group at little to no cost. The events proved to hugely popular by receiving very high levels of feedback and praise.

Education

B.A. (Hons) Interactive Media
University of Sunderland, Tyne & wear (1996 – 2000)

HCE Chemical & Pharmaceutical Science
University of Sunderland, Tyne & wear (1995 – 1996)

A-Levels: Chemistry & Physics
Hundred of Hoo School, Hoo St. Werburgh, Kent (1992 – 1995)

Other:
ITIL® Level 2 Foundation – Qualified
PRINCE2® Foundation – Qualified
CIPS Purchasing Techniques and Methods Level 1 – Credit