Front-End Developer

I've really enjoyed my time at Team Rubber where we have been involved in some pretty big and impressive projects for clients such as The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, The U.K. Government and lots of other public bodies. But things change and now I'm looking for the next challenge in my career.

These are exciting times to be a front-end developer with browsers becoming more standards compliant and technologies such as HTML5, CSS3, SASS, ARIA and JQuery all helping users have a much better experience of the web.

Curriculum Vitae

Profile

I am a professional front-end web developer capable of implementing the full web development cycle from concept, mock-ups, user testing, development and testing through to deployment and maintenance.

I quickly grasp new ideas and concepts, and develop innovative and creative solutions to problems. I work well on my own initiative and have high levels of motivation and also posses a strong ability to perform effectively under pressure.

I work effectively in a group by cooperating with others, being open to peoples' ideas and sharing the responsibility for developing and achieving the groups' goals.

I believe in creating highly usable, attractive, engaging and accessible websites and applications using the most appropriate tools and processes.

I am an honest and hard working individual that enjoys a challenge.

Objectives

I am now looking to build on my extensive range of technical skills within a suitably challenging role. I am keen to achieve further professional development.

My particular areas of interest include usability and user experience methodologies, implementation of W3C web standards (including WAI–ARIA), and the new front-end advances such as HTML 5, CSS3.

Skills

Development Skills

  • Advanced knowledge of XHTML and CSS used to build semantically coded, flexible, accessible websites and web applications that work across different browsers including Internet Explorer 6.
  • Advocate for the W3C web standards based development, accessibility (including WAI-ARIA) and progressive enhancement techniques.
  • Good knowledge of set up, template design and maintenance of Wordpress sites.
  • Good knowledge of micro-formats, HTML5, CSS3 and SASS.
  • Basic JQuery implementation.
  • Advocate for good user interface, user experience design and testing.
  • Sound understanding of search engine optimisation and writing for the web.
  • Other software and technologies I have knowledge of includes;
    • SVN (Subvervion version control)
    • Plone
    • Zope
    • TAL
    • Basic XSLT
    • Adobe Fireworks
    • Adobe Dreamweaver
    • Adobe Photoshop
    • Adobe After Effects
    • Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel etc.)
    • Lotus/Domino
    • and various Open Source software
  • Audio Software includes:
    • Soundforge
    • Reason
    • Recycle
    • Cubase
    • Reaper
    • and Windows Media (streaming technologies)

Management Skills

  • Liaise with customers and communicate their needs where necessary to others in the team.
  • Provide input in determining project scope; define design parameters of projects.
  • Oversee design and coding of other web developers.
  • Collaborate with project management on web team assignments, work flow and scheduling.
  • Determine standards, processes and styles for web development to ensure a high level of efficiency consistent with current standards and trends.
  • I have performed personnel functions including performance evaluations, hiring, rate recommendations, promotions, transfers and holiday scheduling.
  • Evaluation and implementation of internal procedures, reports and presentations.

Career Summary

  • Freelance Front-End Web Developer

    April 2011 – Present

  • Front-End Web Developer and Team Leader

    February 2007 – April 2011
    Team Rubber.
    35 King Street,
    Bristol. BS1 5DZ United Kingdom

    Team Rubber is the family name of three companies:

    • Delib – builds web based applications to more effectively involve people in governance.
    • Rubberductions – devises and produces original comedy, drama, music and commercial films.
    • Rubber Republic – creates viral and social media advertising campaigns for brands and agencies.

    At Team Rubber we build websites (using Zope and Wordpress) and web applications for Governments (with XHTML, CSS, Javascript, Python, Zope, Deliverence and Plone).

    My responsibilities as a front-end developer include:

    • Semantic mark up
    • Web Standards
    • CSS
    • Accessibility
    • Progressive enhancement
    • Graceful degradation
    • Microformats
    • Cross browser compatibility
    • Performance optimisation
    • Usability testing
    • Prototyping/mock ups
    • User interviews
    • Stakeholder interviews
    • Persona specification

    My responsibilities and achievements as Team Leader include:

    • Team morale
    • Team personal development
    • Mentoring
    • Training
    • Devising and progressing the companies internal development processes including;
      • Quality Assurance
      • Agile development
      • Marketing

  • Web Development Officer

    March 2004 – Present
    Nottinghamshire County Council.
    West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. NG2 7QP United Kingdom

    Developing and maintaining the Social Services Intranet and the Social Services area on the public website.

    The job includes:

    • Updating the Social Services area of the public website using Live Link CMS.
    • Maintaining current applications (built in Lotus/Domino) that are on the Intranet.
    • Liasing with Social Services staff to find out business and user needs that can be solved using web technology.
    • Specifying, building, testing and deploying web based applications.
    • Constructing, conducting and evaluating a wide range of usability tests on both web projects and applications
    • Testing the functionality, usability and accessibility of the applications.
    • Evaluating the effectiveness of applications.
    • Updating information on the Social Services Intranet.
    • Training Social Services staff to allow devolution of information updates.
    • Researching and utilising the latest technologies, standards, practice and policies.
    • To contribute to the development of the best practice standards and guidelines for the production and management of web content.
    • To contribute to the development and implementation of corporate and departmental internet and intranet strategies.

  • Web Development Manager

    March 2000 – April 2003
    Dragnet E-Business Ltd,
    Fulwood Industrial Estate,
    Huthwaite, Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. NG17 6AF United Kingdom

    Dragnet was a company that creates integrated internet based solutions for businesses, specialising in its two main products, an e-commerce package that integrates with accounting systems and a content management system.

    At Dragnet I was given the opportunity to build a web development team of five people in which I was both the manager and senior developer.

    My responsibilities were wide ranging from liaising with customers to determine their needs, communicating them to the project teams and overseeing that the work was done on time and within budget.

    in April 2003 Dragnet's financial backers went into liquidation taking Dragnet with them. It's name and products are now owned by i-Dynamics.

  • Freelance Developer (Self Employed)

    June 1999 – March 2000

    In order to gain commercial experience in the IT business I set up a contracting company and gained work via agencies and word of mouth, writing specifications, designing and implementing websites.

  • Kitchen assistant/Promotions

    September 1996 – March 1999 Alley Cafe, 1a Cannon Court, Nottingham.

  • Production Operative

    November 1995 – January 1996 JMLS Library Services, Nottingham.

  • Assistant Bar Manager

    July 1995 – November 1995 Simpkins Cafe/Bar, Market Place, Leicester.

  • Cafe Co-owner (Self Employed)

    October 1993 – June 1995 Pennyfeathers Cafe, 88 Goldsmith Road, Nottingham.

  • Planner/Platemaker

    January 1993 – May 1993 Crown Print, Hayden Road, Nottingham.

  • General Maintenance Assistant

    September 1992 – December 1992 Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, Nottingham.

  • Planner/Platemaker

    September 1991 – December 1991 Printworks, Putney Road West, Leicester.

  • Planner/Platemaker

    August 1990 – March 1991 Printstream, 33 Ashville Way, Leicester.

  • Planner/Platemaker

    July 1987 – August 1990 BPCC Hannibals Ltd.,Pinfold Road, Leicester.

Education

Secondary Education

  • Countesthorpe College, Countesthorpe, Leicester.
    1983 –1987
    • 5 ´0´ levels (Including Maths and English)
    • 2 CSE's
  • Leysland High place, Countesthorpe, Leicester.
    1982 –1983
  • Dubai College, Dubai, UAE.
    1980 – 1982

Training / Further Education / Events

  • Rewired State: DotGovLabs Developer Challenge
    December 11th/12th 2010
  • Bristol Open Data Hack day
    December 3rd 2010
  • Nottinghamshire County Council.
    September 2005
    • 1 Day Course on 'Effective note-taking, minutes and agendas'.
  • Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Kensington, London.
    May 2005
    • 1 Day Course on Intranet Usability. Run by NNG (Jakob Nielsen / Don Norman Group).
  • Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Kensington, London.
    November 2000
    • 1 Day Course on Website Usability Testing. Run by NNG (Jakob Nielsen / Don Norman Group).
  • The Peoples College, Nottingham.
    September 1997 – April 1998
    • Open College Network Certificate Multimedia, Graphical Illustration and desktop publishing.
  • The Peoples College, Nottingham.
    1996
    • 12 week Sound Engineering course, learning about all the procedures involved with running a traditional studio.
  • The Peoples College, Nottingham.
    1996
    • 12 week Midi Sequencing course, learning about the 'Electronic Recording Studio'.
  • The Peoples College, Nottingham.
    1996
    • 6 week night place Cubase course.
  • Arnold and Carlton College, Nottingham.
    1991
    • 12 week course in basic desk top publishing.
  • Southfields Printing College, Leicester.
    1987 – 1990
    • B Tech. Diploma. – Machine printing; basic computing and origination.

Interests and Activities

  • Reading

    Reading classic novels, fiction and non-fiction.

  • Music

    I regularly DJ in local pubs and clubs, and have an extensive record collection that includes jazz, reggae, hip hop, dubstep, funk and disco.

    I have recently begun making computer based electronic music, and hope to have some of it released in the future.

  • Current Affairs

    I like to keep up-to-date with current affairs by reading various books, magazines, blogs, newspapers and websites.

  • Cookery

    I enjoy cooking and recently completed a day course in ‘The art of cooking with Chillis’.

  • Sola

    I am a founding member of the Sola committee that until recently organised nightclub events, parties and an annual festival.

  • Scuba Diving

    I am an PADI accredited advanced scuba diver.