Experience

Sun Branding

• United Kingdom
• Design Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Team Leader at Sun Stratergy

  • Jun 2022 - Present

  Bradford, England, United Kingdom I organise and manage the shift leaders and graphics teams in the UK and India to produce print ready artwork right first time, delivering on brand products consistently across multiple packaging formats. For the last four years I have mainly worked on and been the production lead on an account called Upfield. A typical week will see me attend pre production meetings with the client to discuss new projects, highlighting potential issues that could arise from choosing a certain print process or… Show more I organise and manage the shift leaders and graphics teams in the UK and India to produce print ready artwork right first time, delivering on brand products consistently across multiple packaging formats. For the last four years I have mainly worked on and been the production lead on an account called Upfield. A typical week will see me attend pre production meetings with the client to discuss new projects, highlighting potential issues that could arise from choosing a certain print process or printer. I carry out final checks on the majority of work that is sent to be printed, I also carry out artwork and retouching tasks where required, I compile and present a weekly quality meeting to my team, I attend and chair a daily production meeting. Other parts of my job include focusing on best practices and standard operating procedures to ensure the highest quality standards are met. I develop and maintain strong quality and brand awareness throughout the graphics team, ensuring KPI’s are met and in-line with clients expectations. I rationalize resources in line with customer needs and business justification to ensure that resources required for production is available and utilized effectively. I anticipate potential problems and plan/adjust deadlines accordingly to plan and prioritise the work of others, taking into account business demands and the work of other areas. I review and improve existing systems and processes in order to improve effectiveness. I identify and introduce new systems and processes to improve the end-to-end service. I promote Brand Quality Assurance throughout the graphics team to deliver consistently excellent results. I project manage large scale projects. I attend and manage monthly and quarterly account reviews to support the continual improvement of services by exceeding clients expectations on quality and delivery.

• Senior Graphics Operator

  • May 2015 - Oct 2022

  Bradford, United Kingdom Working in the Graphics Department, my role is both varied and challenging from day to day, from building print ready first artworks, to helping our creative department produce design files, to creating 3D visual models for customers such as Bacardi, Unilever, Walmart and Aldi. When I started at SBS, my role was as a Brand Executive for Unilever, household and laundry sector, I also created 3D models for shrink sleeve products. I then moved onto to building artworks for customers such as ASDA… Show more Working in the Graphics Department, my role is both varied and challenging from day to day, from building print ready first artworks, to helping our creative department produce design files, to creating 3D visual models for customers such as Bacardi, Unilever, Walmart and Aldi. When I started at SBS, my role was as a Brand Executive for Unilever, household and laundry sector, I also created 3D models for shrink sleeve products. I then moved onto to building artworks for customers such as ASDA and ALDI, making them print ready as I built them, so all the repro was done at the artwork stage. During my time at SBS I have helped out other departments when required, such as the creative department, working on design briefs, re-touching photography, and producing presentations to show clients such as ALDI, Walmart and Jordans Ryvita. I currently manage the accounts for Upfield and Bacardi, ensuring all work flows through from 1st Artwork to Repro to despatch, on time and 100% accurate.



Matthews Brand Solutions

• Artworker/QC

  • Nov 2009 - Apr 2015

  Bradford, United Kingdom I worked in the pharmaceutical department on various accounts, creating and designing artwork for cartons, leaflets, labels and foil packaging. My roll consisted of interpreting a rough brief from the customer and applying changes or re-working existing products ready for launch. The role was extremely challenging as with all the work being for a major pharmaceutical company the level of accuracy needs to be 100% right first time every time. I dealt with a worldwide customer base on a daily… Show more I worked in the pharmaceutical department on various accounts, creating and designing artwork for cartons, leaflets, labels and foil packaging. My roll consisted of interpreting a rough brief from the customer and applying changes or re-working existing products ready for launch. The role was extremely challenging as with all the work being for a major pharmaceutical company the level of accuracy needs to be 100% right first time every time. I dealt with a worldwide customer base on a daily basis. My other roll at MBS (when required) was as QC, which involved proofreading and checking every job that was sent to the customer was perfect, a role which required a very astute eye for spotting any mistakes. I was also able to branch out and work on a trio of different accounts in the company, helping out when needed to meet seasonal demands. I was heavily involved setting up and implementing a new pharma account, as well as my role as artwork/QC, I was also managing and coordinating workloads, implementing workflows, customer service and providing a sound base from which the account could expand successfully. Show less



SGS & Co

• United States
• Advertising Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Repro Operator

  • May 2009 - Nov 2009

  Hull, United Kingdom At SGS the studios create a digital final art file ready for Repro, the site I worked at dealt exclusively with Proctor and Gamble products, specifically creating print ready files for their washing range, which included packaging for Ariel, Bold, Fairy, Lenor etc. The packaging includes boxes, poly bags, wraparounds, cartons and self adhesive labels. My Responsibilities include flagging any errors or deviations from standard work procedures. Provide production requirements during the design… Show more At SGS the studios create a digital final art file ready for Repro, the site I worked at dealt exclusively with Proctor and Gamble products, specifically creating print ready files for their washing range, which included packaging for Ariel, Bold, Fairy, Lenor etc. The packaging includes boxes, poly bags, wraparounds, cartons and self adhesive labels. My Responsibilities include flagging any errors or deviations from standard work procedures. Provide production requirements during the design phase to help development of printable designs, this could be print trial set up files, colour accurate proofs etc. Add appropriate colour control marks for graphics process control and printer registration and ID marks to all files. Creates Colour Separated Press Ready files from approved starting material such as Design Templates, Print Proof Manager’s brief, ensuring all P&G and printers specific guidelines are followed, and such that every design is reproduced consistently and in a sustainable way across all printers irrespective of printing process and substrates, the printing process being Litho, Gravure and Flexo Printing. In my role at SGS I used Adobe Illustrator CS3, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign and Artpro Version 9. I was employed on a 6 month contract to produce work for a major relaunch of thousands of Proctor and Gamble products. Show less



Spicer Hallfield

• Product Development Technician

  • Nov 2008 - Apr 2009

  Bradford, United Kingdom My role was to boost sales by creating and designing new and exciting products. Unfortunately at the beginning of April the company went into administration and consequently most of the workforce was made redundant, including myself. During my time at Spicer Hallfield I learnt a number of new skills to enhance my roll. These included assessing and changing to cheaper and more reliable suppliers for the purchasing of new tooling to service the factory. Attending various trade shows to meet… Show more My role was to boost sales by creating and designing new and exciting products. Unfortunately at the beginning of April the company went into administration and consequently most of the workforce was made redundant, including myself. During my time at Spicer Hallfield I learnt a number of new skills to enhance my roll. These included assessing and changing to cheaper and more reliable suppliers for the purchasing of new tooling to service the factory. Attending various trade shows to meet customers and canvas new ideas that I had to take the company forward. Chairing sales meetings to present the new ideas I had to the sales force. The products I was involved in developing were wedding albums, both traditional and digital, photo frames, struts, mounts, folders and picture frames. As stated above, circumstances beyond my control meant that a lot of my ideas and hard work did not make it to fruition which I felt bitterly disappointed about as most of my creations never made it to market. Show less



Hallmark Cards

• United States
• Retail
• 700 & Above Employee

• Artworker

  • Feb 2003 - Nov 2008

  Bradford, United Kingdom My role at Hallmark involved receiving a design brief and constructing the card to a mock-up supplied, applying required finishes as requested by the customer, i.e. Cutter, Foil, Emboss, UV Varnish, Flitter, Virko and Flock. I would prepare the card using Illustrator, Photoshop and In Design to go through the whole process without a hitch, identifying any problems which may occur. My role included colour correcting files and also creating finishes from scans supplied or from scratch. I also had… Show more My role at Hallmark involved receiving a design brief and constructing the card to a mock-up supplied, applying required finishes as requested by the customer, i.e. Cutter, Foil, Emboss, UV Varnish, Flitter, Virko and Flock. I would prepare the card using Illustrator, Photoshop and In Design to go through the whole process without a hitch, identifying any problems which may occur. My role included colour correcting files and also creating finishes from scans supplied or from scratch. I also had to output the cards attaching various finishes for the customer to sign off. The type of work I produced was usually greeting cards, sometimes I was asked to produce Gift Tags and Gift Wrap, also Boxes for Boxed Cards. Another role of my job was to create 3D greetings cards in a programme called Devizor from the PDF document, this involved putting linked codes on every page to create the desired finish for the card, the software was also capable of producing packaging & other 3D object such as boxes & tubes used in everyday life. My role in this project was to create the 3D models and also to troubleshoot any problems that occurred, which were numerous. After travelling for the first three and a half months of the year, I returned to Hallmark Cards where I returned to my old department to work on the packaging in the repro department. It was a similar role to the one I had before except this time I was constructing such items as, Christmas crackers, boxes, gift bags, point of sale products etc. I thoroughly enjoyed this as the briefs were a challenge to work with. My job was to interpret the initial design brief, construct the files, apply any last minute changes by the customer, which ranged from simple colour corrections to re-designing products. I would then make a mock up of the product and to make sure that the PDF’s I sent to China were press-ready. Most of the work I did was for the major supermarkets and high street stores, such as Morrisons, Asda, Safeway and Next. Show less



John Breare Printers

• Apprentice Printer/Plate Maker/Artworker

  • Sep 1990 - Jan 2003

  Bradford, United Kingdom I started an apprentice at the above company on leaving school, spending 3 years learning about all aspects of the printing trade, starting with desk top publishing, then plate making and reprographics then onto printing, ending in the print finishing department. This experience I feel was invaluable as it taught me about every aspect of the printing process. After my apprenticeship it was decided that I would work in the Repro Department where my flare for design could be best applied. My role… Show more I started an apprentice at the above company on leaving school, spending 3 years learning about all aspects of the printing trade, starting with desk top publishing, then plate making and reprographics then onto printing, ending in the print finishing department. This experience I feel was invaluable as it taught me about every aspect of the printing process. After my apprenticeship it was decided that I would work in the Repro Department where my flare for design could be best applied. My role involved taking the job from customers brief, designing the job, liaising with the customer to get the job right, and then overseeing the job to the print stage, troubleshooting any problems that I encountered during this process. During my time here I used Corel Draw 9 on a PC. The type of work I produced was general commercial print, e.g. Letterheads, Business Cards, Leaflets, Company Brochures and Certificates. Also I used to produce all kinds of Self Adhesive Labels for all major supermarkets featuring several types of barcodes. Show less