PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Strategic and solutions-focused professional with a strong background in architecting practical, scalable technical solutions and aligning them to real business outcomes.

Experienced in client engagement, critical problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration, with a proven ability to drive technical direction while maintaining focus on strategic goals.

Known for calm leadership, clear thinking, and a focus on delivering tangible value to clients and businesses alike.

Seeking to move into a client-facing strategic architecture or leadership role where technical depth, business insight, and collaborative decision-making are valued.

KEY SKILLS

Strategic and Technical Strengths:

●    Solution Architecture and System Design

●    Critical Problem-Solving and Analysis

●    Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management

●    Cross-Functional Collaboration and Team Guidance

●    Business Process Understanding and Optimisation

●    Strategic Decision-Making and Project Direction

Technical Skills:

●    PHP - Laravel Framework

●    Automated Testing (Including TDD Workflow)

●    REST API Design and Integration

●    Database Architecture and Design

●    Version Control (Git) and Workflows

●    Linux Server Familiarity (Ubuntu)

●    Docker, Docker Compose

●    CI/CD Pipelines, DevOps Workflows

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

T Shirt & Sons Ltd

HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT | DECEMBER 2019 - PRESENT

●    Architected and built a multi-client API integrations platform supporting order and inventory management across major brands, directly contributing to client retention through design flexibility and operational efficiency.

●    Led the technical direction of major projects, balancing business goals with scalable, maintainable technical design.

●    Supported commercial teams in securing new business through rapid feature development, flexible platform design, and direct client engagement on technical solutions.

●    Designed and delivered RESTful APIs and web applications using PHP (Laravel) with modern workflows including TDD, Docker-driven development environments, and CI/CD pipelines, streamlining and standardising the deployment process.

●    Collaborated directly with operational teams and senior leadership to align technology solutions with evolving business strategy, contributing to digital transformation initiatives.

●    Rebuilt and refocused the development team following business acquisition, fostering a collaborative, empowered technical culture aligned to business goals.

●    Delivered operational improvements through automation, workflow optimisation, and resilience-focused deployment practices, reducing reliance on manual processes and increasing release reliability.

●    Built and maintained positive working relationships with clients of all sizes, delivering API functionality, supporting change requests, testing integrations, and ensuring technical service quality.

SENIOR DEVELOPER | SEPTEMBER 2017 - DECEMBER 2019

●    Architected and delivered key internal systems, including a bespoke production management platform capable of handling tens of thousands of daily orders, and an integrated shipping solution supporting multiple carriers and client accounts.

●    Led ongoing performance improvements of core platforms, achieving a 20% increase in print operation efficiency through code refactoring and database query optimisation.

●    Built strong working relationships across all levels of the business, enabling effective collaboration on cross-departmental projects and aligning technical delivery with operational needs.

●    Progressed naturally into a leadership-focused role, taking on greater responsibility for technical direction, team collaboration, and strategic alignment ahead of promotion to Head of Development.

SENIOR DEVELOPER (FREELANCE AND CONTRACT) | JUNE 2015 - SEPTEMBER 2017

●    Initially contracted to troubleshoot critical issues within the company’s production workflow system.

●    Quickly established myself as a trusted technical advisor through proactive problem-solving, clear communication, and consistently delivering high-impact fixes.

●    Expanded role beyond initial scope by consulting on and supporting the development of a bespoke Time & Attendance and Payroll system.

●    Played a key role in opening a second production site in Europe, ensuring systems were duplicatable, well-tested, and supporting central Orders API changes to enable multi-site production operations.

Freelance FileMaker Developer

JANUARY 2005 - JUNE 2015

●    Ran a successful freelance business for over 10 years, delivering projects across sectors ranging from small businesses to multi-million-pound companies.

●    Built strong relationships and pitched tailored solutions at Director level, winning clients from larger development firms through technical ability and business understanding.

●    Delivered projects to deadline and budget while managing multiple ongoing engagements at varying stages and complexity.

●    Managed freelance developers for specific project needs, maintaining quality and meeting commercial objectives.

●    Designed a proprietary MVC (Model-View-Controller) framework for FileMaker, pushing the platform’s capabilities and improving application structure and scalability.

●    Contributed to community-developed FileMaker modules, including email marketing platform integration.

●    Maintained an active web presence and marketing effort, securing regular new business through referrals, online outreach, and professional networking.

●    Stayed at the forefront of emerging technical trends within the FileMaker and wider development community to continuously enhance service offerings.

Design By Knowledge

HEAD OF OPERATIONS | APRIL 2000 - JANUARY 2005

●    Led day-to-day business operations for a business development agency specialising in the Creative Services sector.

●    Maintained strong client relationships and high client retention rates through consistent communication and delivery alignment.

●    Set and managed budgets against sales forecasts, contributing to financial planning and operational stability.

●    Project managed the onboarding of an invoice factoring company to improve cashflow, ensuring sustainable operations and supplier confidence.

●    Designed and developed a proprietary CRM system tailored to business needs, streamlining client management, project tracking, and internal communications.

●    Transitioned from a primarily technical IT support background into a strategic, business-led operational role.

LanBase / Workplace Technologies / NTL / Virgin Media

NETWORK SUPPORT ANALYST | SEPTEMBER 1998 - APRIL 2000

●    Provided first-line IT support for approximately 150 users across sites in Thatcham and London.

●    Designed and implemented a local backup strategy for the Thatcham site, ensuring critical data resilience and recovery capability.

●    Developed and delivered internal user training on the Goldmine CRM system, improving adoption and user effectiveness across departments.

●    Adapted to organisational changes through a series of acquisitions, maintaining service continuity and supporting evolving business needs.