Experience

Astun Technology Ltd

• United Kingdom
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Geographic Information Systems Consultant

  • May 2022 - Present



Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

• United Kingdom
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Planning & Performance Manager

  • Aug 2018 - Dec 2021

  Led a team of information specialists in research, analysis, provision and dissemination of information and intelligence to support strategic planning and improvement. Supported the Council’s strategic planning and the development of the Council Plan. Responsible for the development, maintenance and application of the Council’s Geographical Information Systems. Acted as the Council’s Gazetteer Custodian, Ordnance Survey Principal Contact and Assistant Census Officer. Procured systems and managed relationships with numerous suppliers and users. Monitored performance of various Council functions and contributed towards service improvement.

• Information & Systems Support Manager

  • Dec 2013 - Aug 2018

  Led a Business Support team delivering services for those parts of the Council that deal with Planning, Technical Services, Consultancy, Highways, Transportation, Regeneration, Economic Development, Housing, Building Control, Asset Management, Direct Services, Community Safety and Cultural Services. Managed a budget of over £380,000, and a team of eleven professional officers, responsible for IT systems, project management, data management and analysis, business process re-engineering, geographical information and gazetteers, supporting well over a thousand users across the Council and partner organisations including Tees Valley Unlimited, Tristar Homes/Thirteen Group and Tees Achieve. Responsible for creating the Directorate’s Information System Strategy, for business continuity, service planning, performance, improvement and delivery.Represented the Council in a number of roles including as Gazetteer Custodian and OS Principal Contact, and the Directorate at corporate forums including Corporate ICT and Digital Communications Strategy Groups. Deeply involved with business improvement and performance management. Procured solutions and managed contracts with technology and data providers on behalf of the Council and partner organisations.Provided the interface between Xentrall, the Council’s corporate ICT supplier, and all business functions within the Directorate. Worked with telecom providers on the provision of improved broadband services across the Tees Valley.

• IT & GIS Manager

  • Mar 2001 - Dec 2013

  A member of the management team, this role incorporated responsibility for corporate GIS, departmental IT management and e-Government initiatives in addition to service planning, performance management, policy and contract compliance matters. Key member of corporate CRM, Network Integration and Information Governance steering groups. Procurement of technical products and services. Experienced with the development of, and compliance with, Service Level Agreements including the management of Mapping Service Agreement as well as numerous application and data licences. Active in a number of Regional and National groups including Local Government Geographic Information Committee (LoGGIC) and Local Government Information Network (LoGIN), played an energetic part in determining information strategies. Delivery of papers and strategy; internally to officers and members, and externally to other agencies including British Computing Society (BCS) and Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE). Day to day management of technical specialists including recruitment, appraisal and motivation of staff to create an effective team. Responsible for attracting new business, generating income to match costs and realising tangible Geshon efficiency savings. Introduced a quality system within section leading to ISO9000 accreditation. Successfully implemented and supported numerous enterprise IT solutions.

• GIS Project Manager

  • Mar 1998 - Mar 2001

  GIS Project Manager, responsible for planning and implementing GIS systems throughout the Authority. Duties have involved scoping, designing and building a corporate GIS system, and training users to obtain maximum benefits. Responsible for identifying costs, securing funding and overseeing budgets. Managed projects include the creation of a land & property gazetteer, street gazetteer, land use database, production of a digital Local Plan, as well as a multitude of client specific applications. Conversant with full range of digital mapping products, Service Level Agreements and relevant British Standards. Provided GIS and Mapping consultancy and training services to other Local Authorities and the Police Service.



exeGesIS SDM

• Talgarth, Brecon, Powys

• GIS / IT Consultant

  • Oct 1995 - Mar 1998

  The first full time employee of exeGesIS, played a major role in company expansion to achieve a ten-fold increase in turnover. Customer focused with excellent interpersonal skills, Fully involved in consultancy, pre-sales, proposal preparation, project management, application development, installation, and support. Specialised in producing rapid, low cost solutions on PC platforms. Responsible for designing and presenting professional training courses and workshops. The first full time employee of exeGesIS, played a major role in company expansion to achieve a ten-fold increase in turnover. Customer focused with excellent interpersonal skills, Fully involved in consultancy, pre-sales, proposal preparation, project management, application development, installation, and support. Specialised in producing rapid, low cost solutions on PC platforms. Responsible for designing and presenting professional training courses and workshops.



GeoSurvey Holdings

• Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

• Surveyor / Instructor / Advisor

  • Mar 1992 - Sep 1994

  Providing all manner of specialised survey services to Saudi Arabian Military. Collected and processed topographic data using GPS satellite positioning receivers, theodolite, and electronic distance measurement equipment, and processing software. Managed small survey projects and provided instruction to military personnel. Evaluated existing software and assisted in the design of new digital mapping application software. Developed and documented standard operating procedures and software user guides.



Geodetic Surveys (UK)

• Swindon, Wiltshire

• Surveyor

  • Oct 1991 - Mar 1992

  Responsible for positioning oil rigs and sub-sea pipelines. Successfully liased with demanding clients on high value projects in an uncompromising environment. Produced specification documentation, project progress and completion reports. Responsible for positioning oil rigs and sub-sea pipelines. Successfully liased with demanding clients on high value projects in an uncompromising environment. Produced specification documentation, project progress and completion reports.



Belize Government, Lands & Survey Department

• Belize

• Survey Leader (Voluntary project)

  • Jul 1991 - Oct 1991

  Directed positioning services for a team of scientists. Helped set up a pilot Geographic Information System to manage the coastal zone environment. Directed positioning services for a team of scientists. Helped set up a pilot Geographic Information System to manage the coastal zone environment.



Ordnance Survey

• United Kingdom
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 700 & Above Employee

• Cartographic Surveyor

  • Apr 1984 - Sep 1988