Current Employer
Leidos Innovations

I joined the IS&GS division of Lockheed Martin UK in February 2016 as an Integration and Verification Architect working with the National Air Traffic Services (NATS). In August 2016 the IS&GS Division of Lockheed Martin merged with Leidos Innovations Ltd.

Formerly known as Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and formed in 1969, Leidos Innovations are leading Information Technology Systems Integrator.

As an Integration and Verification Architect with Leidos I have been working with NATS on the SESAR programme. SESAR is a synchronised European effort by civil and military airlines, air navigation service providers, airports, agencies, and manufacturers to modernise air traffic.

I worked on the design and implementation of an integration and verification strategy that schedules software builds and hardware and virtual platforms from various sources and suppliers into a series of planned quarterly integration and verification cycles.

Following the spread of my cancer in June 2016 and the start of my chemotherapy treatment I was hospitalised for some time and returned to work a few months later on a part time basis to continue my treatment and my work. However, with the further spread of my cancer in January 2017 I have been unable to work. I am still undergoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment and although my long term prognosis is not great, I do still hope to return to work and am extremely grateful for the support I continue to receive from my employer.

Freelance Experience

Cymbaline Solutions Ltd.

Cymbaline Solutions is my own company, founded in 2004 with the aim of providing Senior Test and QA Management specialising in the definition of test policy as well as test management and test team leadership. I also have extensive experience in, requirements, change, defect and release management and software development process improvements. As a freelance principal consultant for Cymbaline Solutions, I have worked for the following clients:

University of Oxford
Programme Test Manager

Feb 2013 to Jan 2016

I was a Programme Test Manager for the Student System Programme within the IT Division of the University of Oxford. The Student Systems Programme is responsible for delivering the development of Oxford’s IT-based systems used by academic and administrative staff, applicants and students in support of many aspects of teaching and learning.

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CAP Gemini
Test Consultant

Jul 2012 to Jan 2013

Capgemini are the prime contractors for the Aspire project to deliver a high profile set of solutions to the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). As the Functional Test Manager I was responsible for the system and integration testing of multiple projects within a series of well-defined and strict releases of the overall programme using an Agile methodology.

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London Ambulance Service
Test Consultant

Sep 2007 to Jun 2012

During my time at the LAS I was responsible for defining and setting up the organizational test policy inline with an ITIL project environment. This included the creation and board level approval of the test and acceptance strategy and the overall test management of a major new Call Taking and Dispatch system inline with that strategy.

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EDS/HP
Test Consultant

Aug 2004 to Nov 2006

My role as a Test Consultant within the Joint and Maritime Systems Group of EDS Defence was initially to define and deploy a common programme level test strategy and a set of test tools across all of the projects within the group using the Rational toolset. I then stayed on in a Test Management role to oversee the testing and acceptance of version 5.0 of Joint Operational Command System.

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Work Experience

Previous Employers
Cerner Senior Test Manager
 Nov 2006 - Aug 2007

As the Senior Test Manager for a leading U.S. healthcare solutions provider I was responsible for the overall Test Management of the NHS London Cluster Programme.

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ImagoQA / Microgen Test Consultant
 Sep 2000 - Aug 2004

I worked as a Test Consultant for ImagoQA, a specialist software testing consultancy later acquired by Microgen. I spent the majority of my time working for a single client: Airbus

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EDS Systems Engineer
 Sep 1993 - Aug 2000

I joined EDS as a systems engineer after leaving University and gradually moved from development through integration and testing to team leading and finally Test Management.

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ICI Computer Applications Engineer
 Sep 1991 - Aug 1992

During my third year at university worked placement I worked as a member of the software production team at ICI designing & implementing their Laboratory Information System (LIMS)

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Courtaulds Computer Programmer
 May 1984 - Jan 1987

I worked as a Computer Programmer in the Industrial Engineering department of a large textiles plant where I developed Management Information Systems to measure productivity & quality.

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University
Teesside University
BSC (Hons) Software Engineering
(2ii)
Sep 1989 - Jun 1993

The course concentrated on the production of quality software for both industrial and commercial applications by the use of established software engineering techniques such as quality plans, requirements specifications, functional specifications, design documentation, software testing and maintenance.

Main modules included:

  • Quality Assurance and Project Management
  • Human / Computer Interaction
  • Real Time Systems
  • Design Methods and Environments
College
New College, Durham
BTeC National Diploma in Computer Studies
(8 Distinctions & 4 Merits)
Sep 1987 - Jun 1989

Main modules included:

  • Quantitate Methods
  • Microcomputer Architecture & Programming
  • Programming in COBOL