Stoke-On-Trent, England, United Kingdom
Driven by creative mind, I enjoy problem solving and understanding how systems work. These strong interests guided my education along a route of engineering and programming. I believe solutions should always be suitable to the client. Knowledge of a wide variety of technologies and practices provide me with the ability to design and develop suitable solutions which can handle each clients' individual requirements. Emphasis is on suitable as users require accessible platforms where they can access the correct level and quality of data to compete their task in hand. This improves end-users’ job performance and experience. Outside of work, I enjoy keeping active by cycling, playing tennis and exploring new places.
Through continued exposure to consulting and software development, I have been able to further develop my experience and knowledge across these interconnected areas. PROCESSES Experience working with a large global company manufacturing medical devices and equipment to statistically calculate stock targets for products across many warehouses. Investigated the affect of categorising customers as either make-to-stock or make-to-order for the appropriate aggregation of demand to buffer with safety stock. Opportunity to use Sequoia Excel Add-ins and OnTarget as internal tools to calculate and present results. Also, worked to calculate statistical stock targets for a couple of spirit brands, which bottled products within a single region and distributed them globally. Segmenting the SKU portfolio was key to identify optimal bottling frequencies and optimising overall stock targets. Recommendations considered the multiple bottle sizes and duty rules for international exporting of products. TOOLS Recently I have strengthened my DevOps (continuous software development and deployment) understanding through the usage of various offerings of the Azure DevOps platform. This has enabled me to collaborate with external software developers to deliver new solutions for Sequoia and its clients. To further improve my ability as software developer, I have investigated topics such as the SOLID principles of software design, Domain-Driven-Design (DDD) and Test-Driven-Development (TDD). These aim to guide the creation of highly structured, maintainable, extendable and robust software.
As the IT Director of Sequoia, I have the opportunity to help run the business. IT has always been a strong interest of mine that I use to continually improve colleague productivity and IT security. One of my first projects was to migrate Sequoia to the Microsoft 365 platform, to provide modern, robust, secure and affordable business IT services through communication, file management and device security. I am part of the drive behind Sequoia’s Cyber Essentials certification, to provide confidence to Sequoia’s clients that their data is securely used during assignments. Cyber Essentials is a recognised and UK Government backed scheme to protect businesses of all sizes against a range of common cyber-attacks.
My involvement in developing OnTarget’s various stock management has provided me with a good foundation of supply chains and stock target theory, which is at the heart of OnTarget. Opportunities to work on consultancy assignments has strengthened this knowledge, through exposure to real-life client scenarios and problems to overcome. PROCESSES & STRUCTURE I had experience in investigating the suitability of a client’s worldwide supply chain, which included long supply lead-times with the challenge of a constraint on manufacturing capacity. Statistically calculating stock requirements, using an Excel model, at key points along their supply chain, for a range of scenarios, identified potential improvements to raise their service level to customers. TOOLS OnTarget is Sequoia’s online inventory management tool, which I am the developer of the data import processes. This functionality provides clients with the ability to easily import their data into it. A flexible wizard-like process guides users through the process of validating and manipulating various data sources to meet the requirements for OnTarget’s architecture. A key responsibility of mine is maintaining the worldwide deployment and hosting of OnTarget, along with applying the updates containing enhancements to each client’s instance. This provides me with visibility of the full DevOps process of continuous software development and deployment. For quickly calculating stock targets for simple scenarios, I was the lead of the development of Sequoia’s Excel Add-ins. These packages make custom formulas available to use in Excel and communicate with a remote API to perform the calculations securely and reliably.
Technical involvement working for several companies based in Sheffield and Leeds. Building events for festivals, theatres, discos and corporate awards evenings, across the country in a variety of venues including Sheffield, Leeds, Chesterfield, Southport and Peterborough. Stage Manager for supervising the technical build, running and take-down of events. Rigging complex lighting and sound setups prior and loading out productions. Follow spot operator for several theatre and corporate events. Developed a multi-user level Microsoft Access database for Leeds University Union, with an inventory of assets and facility to generate quotations. Further ability to forecast budgets and track year cash flow side by side, for equipment, technical staff, training and hires
Working full time for a contracting company over holidays between university terms. After graduating worked part time in conjunction with Freelance opportunities. Supervised direct labour and subcontractors on contracts. Communicating project progress on site with client and architect. Produced full survey of dilapidations for Thetford in Sheffield following 30 years of use by client. Producing a bill of quantities to reinstate six warehouses of approximately 30,000 square feet to the condition at time of lease including removal of mezzanine floors, making good and decoration to value of £500,000. Preparation of accounts totalling £500,000 for works at Spode China with local authority, Stoke on Trent. Monitored progress of works and supervised labour to put forward a schedule for all works carried out. Produced fire audit schedule of works required at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire. Processing incoming tenders for Quantity Surveyor and communicating with sub-contractors for quotations. Completing online tender Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQs). Implemented company registration with Constructionline and Chas accreditations. Co-ordinating Health and Safety training and practises from government legislation into company operations and keeping records. Communicating with external Health and Safety consultants. Main IT technician for company, where developed and installed main financial job costing database using Microsoft Access. Produced rendered 3D drawings of two blocks of sustainable housing using Google Sketchup to support the planning application to the local authority based on the architects’ drawings.
Regularly working to provide a technical service to the Student’s Union internally run entertainment events, which includes discos and live events. Technical positions include Stage Management, Front of House and Monitor Sound engineering, Lighting Designer and Laser Operator. Developed asset inventory database with user level access in Microsoft Access with quotation extension to manage the technical equipment and maintenance history owned by Sheffield Union. Repairing and providing general maintenance to intelligent lighting fixtures and a range of sound equipment.
Working with Technical Manager concerning Senior, Easter and other major training sessions. Chairing weekly meetings and relaying information and feedback from the Entertainments Office to other members of the Technical Services Committee. Be in communication between Technical Manager regarding the Entertainments Department’s scheduling and the upkeep of equipment
Working with the Technical Manager and keeping record of financial matters and relaying to rest of committee. Responsible for organising the upkeep and maintenance of office and other facilities. Joint responsibility to fully crew events with rest of the committee.