About Steve
Experienced, hands-on, with a history of working in the financial services, retail, and automation industries.
Can work remotely (within GMT +/- 8), or hybrid anywhere in the UK (depending on site visit frequency).
Strategic and innovative technology leader with 20+ years of experience driving digital transformation and delivering business value through technology solutions. Proven ability to align technology with business goals and bring technology-enabled change to organizations of all sizes. Expert in leveraging cutting-edge technology to improve efficiency, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
Key Skills & Competencies:
- Strategic planning and implementation
- Digital transformation and innovation
- Cyber Security
- Technology solutions architecture
- Business process improvement
- IT governance and risk management
- Team management and leadership
- Budget management and cost optimization
- Vendor management and negotiation
- Up to date hands on experience with database and development tools
English
Native or bilingual
Can work on-site
Newton-le-Willows (up to 50km), Liverpool (up to 50km), Chester (up to 50km), Warrington (up to 50km), Manchester (up to 50km)
Experience
- Deepbridge CapitalChief Information & Technology OfficerDIGITAL AND ITJanuary 2021 - February 2023 (2 years and 1 month)Chester, United KingdomLeading the Digital Strategy and Transformation of Deepbridge, with the goal of a 10x increase in profits without a corresponding increase in costs. Reporting exclusively to the managing partner, leading the internal project team and directing external service providers. Due to economic factors, the role was made redundant in Feb 2023.Key responsibilities• Digital Transformation and Strategic Planning• Whole company IT architecture and cyber security• Analysis and change of existing business processes to drive efficiency and allow scalability• IT governance and risk management• Team management and leadership• Budget management and cost optimization• Vendor management and negotiationKey achievement/projects• Implemented Dynamics365 migration / consolidation of legacy disconnected marketing & sales systems• Reduced costs, mitigated security risks, and increased availability by migrating file share store from on premises server to the cloud (SharePoint / OneDrive)• Reduced costs and improved turnaround with the back-end software vendor by implementing robust development specifications and repeatable testing regimes• Reduced costs for portfolio companies by sourcing complimentary cloud resource packages• Sourced and implemented recommendations from a cyber security partnero Due to the sensitive nature of cyber, only limited details can be discussed at interview• Implemented and championed the Agile methodology across the business• Hands on (where required) with Azure Architecture, Dynamics365, M365, SQL Server, Azure Data Factory, Agile, SharePoint, Teams, Architecture, PowerBI, Cyber Security
- Afin TechnologiesSenior Vice President of Technology & InnovationJanuary 2020 - December 2020 (11 months)Immediately responsible for the architecture of the Afin products such as Buxbo, SurveyMe, Entertainment, and Entertainment's Rewards & Incentives platforms.-Prototyped / experimented / simulated new technology to try out ideas / theories and create new products.-Decided how specific technologies would be deployed, accessed, utilised, and maintained within the application lifecycle across multiple environments.-Contributed in-depth technical knowledge to lead the design of core systems development. My role combined strong technical architecture expertise, a solid understanding of core business functions, and a broad knowledge of hardware/software products/platforms to deliver and maintain application solutions to meet business needs.-Created deliverables used to provide direction for managing the organisation's portfolio of solutions-including systems (meaning not just applications, but also processes and information), shared infrastructure services, and shared application services and components to better match targeted business outcome objectives.-Monitored the wider IT world to gain a detailed understanding of all major related technology initiatives as they related to our products and used this information to lead development projects. Additionally, I applied appropriate levels of architecture governance and architecture enablement in close concert with multiple business unit leaders and development teams.-Varied duties included conducting technology assessments, developing technology strategies, providing the groundwork technology for application/system development patterns, internal consulting, and creation of requirement documents, reference architecture artefacts, design documents and presentations.-The ability to identify challenges and create solutions was critical, and specific duties included developing business proposals to resolve critical challenges.
- buxboChief Technology OfficerJune 2018 - January 2020 (1 year and 7 months)https://buxbo.app I was responsible for taking our new product, Buxbo, from inception to the v1.0 release.-Designed the Azure Cloud architecture for the new product, while keeping costs as low as possible.-AppServicePlans, Traffic Managers, Azure SQL Database with failover, WebApps, Functions, Storage Containers & Queues, Microsoft Flow used to report hourly statistics to Slack, Azure Monitor, Virtual Machines (for Data Science / AI / ML)-Technical presentation to our investors during the pitch. This included timescales and budget and staffing requirements for product development and the ongoing Azure Cloud infrastructure costs for DEV / UAT / PROD-Built a team consisting of existing staff members combined with new recruitment for the development of the product, managed using Agile-Working closely with the Marketing department to implement their designs-Project plan rework to accommodate feedback from focus groups-Regular updates to the board and investors on progress-Following the v1.0 release, day to day running was handed to the Buxbo Product Manager.
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Education
- MSc Digital and Technology Solutions, IT Strategy SpecialistThe Manchester Metropolitan University2019MSc Digital and Technology Solutions, IT Strategy Specialist
- BTEC HND Computer Studies, Computer Software EngineeringWigan & Leigh CollegeBTEC HND Computer Studies, Computer Software Engineering
Certifications
- Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA)Microsoft2016
- MCTS: .NET Framework - Application Development Foundation (70-536)Microsoft2010