Project Manager

Most technology projects don't fail on the technology. They fail on scope, vendors, data migration and the gap between what the business needs and what engineering is building. I've spent much of my career closing that gap, as a developer who moved into project and programme management, so I can follow the technical detail and still keep the plan, the budget and the stakeholders in view.

Who this is for

• Businesses re-platforming eCommerce or core systems who need one person accountable for getting it live.
• Companies working with an agency or integrator who want someone on their side managing the vendor.
• Startups with a launch date and more work than the team can organise on its own.
• Programmes that have stalled, changed hands or lost momentum and need steadying.

What I do

Planning and scoping. I turn goals into a plan people can deliver against: what's in, what's out, what it depends on, and what it will cost. I'm open about risk from the start, so there are no surprises at go-live.

Vendor selection and management. I've run vendor selections, chosen integrators and managed agencies on the client's behalf. I keep partners to their commitments and make sure the business keeps ownership of its own platform.

Getting the business ready. Launches succeed when the people who'll use the system are involved early. I coordinate internal teams through user acceptance testing, data migration and cut-over, so the business is ready on launch day.

Technical oversight. Because I've been a developer and an architect, I can review a design, question an estimate and spot integration or performance problems before they become delays.

Delivery cadence. I set up the process, usually in Jira, and keep it honest: clear priorities, regular reporting, and decisions made quickly.

How it has worked before

At Rapha I was Programme Manager for the replacement of their bespoke eCommerce platform with SAP Hybris. I selected a small, experienced integrator, coordinated Rapha's own staff through testing and data migration, and delivered on time in 13 months, launching across 16 locales in 8 languages and 8 currencies.

At TK Maxx I led integration, architecture, security and data migration on TJX Europe's Hybris re-platform. When the programme moved from one agency to another, I was kept on to provide continuity and saw it through to launch.

At LaSenza I joined the integrator's team as a developer on an Oracle ATG eCommerce transformation. When the team lost confidence in how the project was being run, I stepped up as Project Manager and brought it to within a month of launch. LaSenza then went into receivership and the project was stood down. It's still where I learned the most about rebuilding a team's confidence mid-project.

At LK Bennett I diagnosed why the eCommerce site failed under traffic spikes, produced a prioritised plan of fixes and worked with their team and partners to deliver it. Online conversion more than tripled, from 0.49% to 1.5%.

At Aviva I directed project managers across database conversion and consolidation projects, built the business case that secured funding, and delivered the first migration myself.

More recently, at Dancefight I managed the small team that built the first prototype, which launched in 2020 and led to my joining as CTO.

How we'd work together

I can take on a whole programme or step into one that's already running. Engagements can be full time for the length of a project, or a few days a week alongside your own team. I work remotely, with on-site time in the EU or Australia when the project needs it.

We agree the outcomes up front, and the price reflects the size of the project and the time it will take. A first conversation is free: tell me what you're trying to deliver and I'll give you an honest view of how I'd approach it.