ABOUT ME

Driven and motivated web professional specialising in Umbraco but with wide range of technical skills, abilities and experience in all areas of web from development and design through to UX and server administration.  An excellent communicator with the ability to understand and translate client needs into quality websites.  Has considerable experience in building Umbraco CMS based websites with focus on front-end development but with an increasing experience of developing back end technology including MVC.  A continual self-learner, highly adaptive and always seeking to learn new skills and techniques as well as being personable and friendly who can both lead teams and enjoys being a team player.  Is an active member of the Umbraco community, has contributed improvements to the open-source Umbraco CMS and was invited to speak about accessibility at the Umbraco Web Developer conference, Codegarden 2019.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Web Management Officer

Leicester City Council
2016 - Present

Duties include designing, developing and building Umbraco websites for a vast range of services and customers from inception through to deployment, using UX techniques to wireframe and prototype designs with customers to provide site specifications, customising Umbraco backoffice to provide additional functionality by creating plugins, custom property editors and custom sections. Wider duties involve continually working to improve, update and maintain suite of over 80 websites including server management and administration, liaising between clients, developers and hosts, writing documentation and providing customer support to clients.

Achievements:

Awarded Umbraco Certification

Contributed to the Umbraco CMS using pull requests to address Umbraco issues earning the c-trib badge on OurUmbraco

Designed and developed websites including for the Families Information Service that was acknowledged by OFSTED as being the most accessible in the UK

Invited and delivered 45 minute talk at Umbraco Codegarden 2019 on Accessibility to over 100 attendees

Written articles for skrift.io and 24days.in on Umbraco Back Office Accessibility and contributing to Umbraco

Trained over 350 members of staff at Leicester City Council on web accessibility

Built REST API's using WebApi to deliver content to front-end

Managed server setup and web hosting using IIS on MS Server 2008 - 2017 including security certification

Solved problems relating to errors and bug fixes using variety of tools from SQL queries to scanning logs to using testing tools in Visual Studio

Developed Selenium Webdriver tests in Visual Studio for identifying issues and
running repeatable tests

Integrated third party Java Script Library in to Umbraco Back office to provide functionality such as converting JSON data to populate a web calendar

Created custom dashboards in Umbraco backoffice to improve editor experience and to provide critical data not normally available

Created, manage and maintain Github repo for Leicester City Council

Continually researching web best practises including developing expertise in accessibility as well as knowledge of SEO and QA

Worked with Google Analytics to provide critical information in improving performance and usability of websites

 

Technologies used:

  • Umbraco
  • HTML/CSS/LESS/SCSS
  • C# / Razor
  • ASP.Net
  • Javascript/Jquery
  • Github
  • MS SQL
  • Adobe Photoshop / Illustrator / Indesign / XD
  • Selenium
  • REST Api / webApi

Web Architect

Leicester City Council
2014 - 2016

Duties included building Umbraco websites, managing support requests for help with sites, designing and publishing a range of logo's and web icons for desktop and mobile apps according to client specification, providing support for a variety of web services from server management, sql queries, security through to quality assurance and accessibility

Achievements:

Awarded Umbraco Certification

Trained on using PLESK server administration panel

Passed and awarded badges on Codeschool for completing number of courses including the full Javascript Roadtrip course

Technologies used:

  • HTML/CSS/LESS
  • Javascript
  • jQuery
  • VBA

Research & Intelligence Officer

Leicester City Council
2012 - 2014

Duties included providing a research and intelligence service analyzing research and creating evidence from which decisions can be made by senior officials at Leicester City Council. Specialised in creating and publishing high quality infographics and data visualisation some of which online and interactive using web technology.

Achievements:

Developed Mapping system to dynamically display statistics using Office National Statistics API onto web pages

Developed Research Framework across Leicester City Council

Managed consultation platform and designed variety of forms and surveys using javascript

Developed a range of tools in Excel VBA for analyzing and presenting complex data

Designed and developed statistics dashboards for customers to get realtime data on their service areas

Technologies used:

  • HTML / CSS
  • Javascript
  • d3.js
  • VBA

Policy & Performance Officer

Leicester City Council
2009 - 2011

Achievements:

Technologies used:

  • Umbraco
  • Excel

Data Developer

Leicester City Council
2004 - 2009

Achievements:

Technologies used:

Business Development Manager

STRIDE
2000-2004

Achievements:

Technologies used:

SKILLS & TOOLS

Frontend

  • HTML / CSS / LESS / SCSS
  • Javascript
  • Bootstrap / Foundation
  • Gulp / Grunt

Backend

  • Umbraco
  • Asp.net / MVC / C#
  • MS SQL

Wireframe / UX

  • Bootstrap Studio
  • Adobe XD
  • Invision Studio

Graphic Design

  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Illustrator

Other Tools

  • Visual Studio
  • Visual Studio Code
  • Node.js / Npm
  • Git
  • Chrome Developer Tools
  • Blender
  • IIS
  • VBA
  • MapInfo
  • SPSS

Others

  • Git
  • IIS
  • Accessibility
  • UX
  • UI
  • VBA
  • Mapinfo
  • R

EDUCATION

  • BA Communication & Media Studies
    University of Sunderland
    1994-1997
  • BTEC Business & Finance
    Leicester College
    1992-1994
  • BTEC Engineering
    Hinckley College, Leicestershire
    1991-1992
  • GCSE's including Maths, English, Physics, Chemistry, Sociology all grade C and above
    Bosworth College, Desford
    1989-1991

AWARDS

  • PRINCE 2 Project Management Fundamentals
  • PRINCE 2 Project Management Practitioner
  • Umbraco Certification

INTERESTS

  • Drawing / illustrating / painting
  • Music
  • Film geek - I love sci-fi and horror!
  • Playing in my band 'Courtney Askey' on lead guitar