Experience

University of Plymouth

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Head of IT Product Development & Delivery

  • Nov 2022 - Present

• Interim Head of IT Product Development and Delivery

  • Aug 2022 - Nov 2022

• Information Technology Portfolio Manager

  • Jan 2021 - Aug 2022

• Lead Technical Architect

  • Jul 2012 - Jan 2021

  - Help shape and support the creation of a clear view of the current and target architecture- Support and advise the TIS Business Partners with their business engagement- Help develop and support the university’s IT strategy and architecture- Engage with the business to help enable the effective exploitation of technology- Manage appropriate supplier/vendor engagement- Deputising for the Head of Strategy & Architecture- Supporting the Head of Strategy & Architecture and the Enterprise Architect in creating a green field Enterprise Architecture- Helping the development and evolution of the university’s ICT strategy- Leading a team of 4 Technical Architects NB at Plymouth Technical Architects are expected to deliver across all the domains, particularly business, application, technology, data, security and solution- Ensuring target architecture meets business requirements, complies with statutory and regulatory requirements, university strategies, Enterprise Architecture policies & roadmaps (business, technology & application) and follow TOGAF best practices- Working with departmental Business Partners to ensure correct alignment of business requirements, business cases to release funding and suitable architectural change requests are raised to modify the As-Is architecture - Managing pipeline, workload and priorities for the Technical Architecture team- Ensuring clear communication between stakeholders and the university’s ICT delivery mechanism- Engaging and managing mega-vendors, vendors, partners and 3rd party suppliers- Providing clear advice and guidance around potential solutions and technologies; particularly topical are the various XaaS and the pros and cons of on-premise versus cloud or hybrid- Developing in-team and cross-team processes to ensure product delivery- Horizon scanning to maintain technology and process awareness- Procurement activities including Digital Marketplace and OJEU

• Team Leader Desktop Applications Team (Wintel)

  • Jul 2005 - Aug 2012

  - Delivering the university enterprise Wintel desktop and all its associated components- Innovating application delivery through the introduction of application and desktop virtualisation technologies- Compiling business requirements, generation of specifications, design and annual build of desktop- Pastoral duties- Stakeholder engagement- Cross-university communication

• Senior Computing Officer, Desktop Applications Team

  • Mar 2003 - Jul 2005

  • Introducing a centrally managed Electronic Software Distribution (ESD) solution that is still embedded today…the delivery mechanism supports the ever-changing teaching & learning and administrative needs across the university• Developing and evolving enterprise methodologies and processes for application repackaging• Training and matrix managing a cross-university team of application repackagers• Architectural and technical design & build of required infrastructure to support Wintel desktop systems• Continual rationalisation of the application portfolio



Ryu Ju Jutsu Association

• Chief Instructor

  • Jan 1998 - Present

  I have been training in the martial arts since 1975 when I attended my first jujutsu class in a portacabin outside St Mary's Church, West Chiltington, West Sussex. When the club closed I continued my training at the Ashington Judo Club (West Sussex). Then in 1979 I moved to Plymouth to study at Plymouth Polytechnic and continued my training and study of jujutsu under Peter Farrar sensei and Brian Graham shihan. Farrar sensei went on to found the National Samurai Jiu Jitsu Association, later renamed The Jitsu Foundation - now one of the largest jujutsu groups in the UK.In 1997 I left the Jitsu Foundation and founded the Ryu Ju Jutsu Association to further my studies and development of jujutsu.Over the years I have had the honour of meeting and training with many fine instructors far too numerous to mention here; but having said that, there are two amazing instructors that I just have to mention:- Billy Doak shihan who, in my opinion, was the finest exponent of jujutsu and the most honourable martial artist that I have had the pleasure to know and call 'friend'; and- Maestro Piero Rovigatti who is not only a fine gentleman but a prodiguous and excellent martial artist.My great sense of spirit and adventure has allowed me to experience and experiment with other martial disciplines; in no particular order they include Karate, Judo, Aikido, Kung Fu, T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Aiki Ju Jitsu, Iaido, Wing Chung, Kempo. I always enjoyed the Japanese systems more, probably because they are closer to jujutsu than the non-Japanese systems; despite everything jujutsu steadfastly remains my favourite and thus my lifelong energies are focused on attempting to master the incredibly sophisticated and complex martial art of jujutsu.The energy and spherical movement of good Aikido has always held a fascination for me and I have been lucky enough to have experienced the energy and teachings of Chiba sensei, Gwynne Jones sensei and Dave Rubens sensei.



University of Plymouth Enterprise

• Information Manager

  • Nov 1997 - Mar 2003

  - Providing information and marketing assistance to the company director- Maintaining and managing core ICT systems including, but not limited to, Novell and Microsoft directory services and file systems plus a variety of mail and database servers- Managing a small team of IT Professionals providing 1st, 2nd and 3rd line user support- Designing and developing an in-house CRM and bid management system- Managing a small team of in-house developers- Collating ICT business requirements, options appraisals, product selection, procurement, implementation, run and maintenance



The Jitsu Foundation

• Research And Development Manager

  • 1994 - 1996

  - Day to day managerial operations- Organising staff workloads- Developing and maintaining IT systems- Producing databases and automated reporting systems- Maintaining budgets for all divisions- Developing new educational courses for students and instructors- Retraining, motivating and developing instructors- Training new national, area and regional instructors- Producing and issuing internal reports- Developing and compiling grant applications e.g. British Sports Council



PEP Research & Consultancy Ltd

• Materials Laboratory Manager

  • 1989 - 1994

  - Establish effective office management and IT systems- Management of quality systems to NAMAS requirements- Effectively market the laboratory- Design suitable tests for specific non-standard projects- Work with collaborative establishments ie Building Research Establishment- Plan and organise staff workloads- Introduce new test procedures- Plan moves towards blanket Quality Assurance- Liaise with clients at all levels- Preparation of quotations - Establish effective office management and IT systems- Management of quality systems to NAMAS requirements- Effectively market the laboratory- Design suitable tests for specific non-standard projects- Work with collaborative establishments ie Building Research Establishment- Plan and organise staff workloads- Introduce new test procedures- Plan moves towards blanket Quality Assurance- Liaise with clients at all levels- Preparation of quotations



Plymouth Polytechnic

• Research Assistant

  • Dec 1984 - May 1989

  - Prepared working drawings and specifications for new research complex- Developed test instrumentation to structurally test new complex- Design computer controlled data acquisition system- Wrote all the software to control the data acquisition system- Acted as Resident Engineer during the construction of new complex- Test loaded new complex and measured structural deformations- Prepared laboratory test programme to model structural elements- Supervised laboratory test programme- Compiled the test reports for the above programme



Scott Wilson (now part of URS Corporation)

• Civil Engineering
• 400 - 500 Employee

• Graduate Engineer

  • 1988 - 1989

  - Prepare detailed working drawings and specifications- Design structures in concrete, steel, masonry and timber- Carry out structural inspections, particularly with respect to masonry buildings- Liaise with clients and other members of the design teams - Prepare detailed working drawings and specifications- Design structures in concrete, steel, masonry and timber- Carry out structural inspections, particularly with respect to masonry buildings- Liaise with clients and other members of the design teams



Kenchington Little and Partners

• Technician Engineer

  • 1982 - 1983

  - Structural inspections, including masts and towers- Report writing- Reinforced concrete and structural steelwork detailing- General purpose surveying - Structural inspections, including masts and towers- Report writing- Reinforced concrete and structural steelwork detailing- General purpose surveying



Hilcon Co (Leatherhead) Ltd

• Trainee Building Site Manager

  • 1976 - 1977