Matt Gibson

Freelance since 2012, I’ve developed websites and mobile apps while taking occasional contracts for previous employers like Simplyhealth. Among other things, I’ve:

• Ported Get Running from iOS to Android, a job that involved audio playback, custom Canvas-drawn widgets, use of the Compatibility Library, Facebook Open Graph integration including a (WordPress-based) web service, and much more.
• Created a couple of other mobile apps including my pet projects of Meditation Chimer and On The Scales.
• Helped several organisations and individuals make the most of WordPress, including the Kings Weston Action Group.
• Learned a lot about Android, Java, iOS, Swift, PHP, HTML5, CSS, responsive web design, Bootstrap, and a whole bunch of other things, on the grounds that they might come in handy :)

• Fixed and optimised a wide variety of very large, complex SQL queries, re-coding them for speed and accuracy, working effectively with existing development team to understand the source system and requirements (SQL Server; Oracle)
• Improved run times for the Sales team’s management information reporting system, in several cases reducing reporting time from hours to minutes
• Worked with business analysts and the Sales team to understand reporting requirements and deliver new reports and enhancements while keeping to tight deadlines
• Provided SQL and C# coding assistance during the creation of a new web-based customer “onboarding” tool

• Transferred customer and policy data from a single SQL Server system to separate SQL Server and Oracle systems following the sale of a sector of business (SSIS; SQL Server; Oracle PL/SQL)
• Ensured compliance with both terms of the sale and GDPR requirements, including creating audit reports (SQL Server; Oracle; SSRS) and ad-hoc auditing
• Fixed a large number of issues in existing management information reports, and created more than 20 new reports from scratch, working closely with the business to gather requirements (SQL Server; SSRS)
• Reverse-engineered a third-party workflow system to provide a suite of new workflow reports (Oracle; SSRS)

• Migrated an Oracle PL/SQL-based ETL system to SQL Server Integration Services including requirements analysis and thorough documentation, providing a faster, more resilient system (Oracle; SQL Server; SSIS.)
• Developed a suite of SQL Server Reporting Services reports for a key business area to help manage a complex workflow and improve customer service (Oracle; SSIS)

• Back-end development for a meeting scheduling system (PHP; Laravel; Mandrill API; Amazon EC2)
• Some front-end development including Zurb Foundation and jQuery work.

• Replaced an Informatica PowerCenter ETL system with equivalent new SQL Server Integration Services workflows, including extensive testing and auditing of the new system (SQL Server; SSIS)
• Worked flexibly with a business analysis team and end users to understand and define current process and future requirements

• Provided a detailed, end-to-end written analysis of an extensive financial reporting system (SQL Server; DTS; SSIS; Oracle; Oracle Discoverer; Tableau)
• Worked with key stakeholders and both internal and external auditors to improve reliability, accuracy and auditability of the system

• Joined as Visual Basic and SQL Server developer
• Promoted to lead developer; implemented the company’s first data warehouse (SQL Server; DTS; VB.NET)
• Promoted to Technical Architect, supporting all IT projects (SQL Server; SSIS; VB.NET)
• Rolled out Reporting Services company-wide, effectively liaising with business and training teams to ensure a successful delivery (SQL Server; SSRS)
• Following merger, worked on complex migration project to move company data from SQL Server to new Oracle system (Informatica PowerCenter ETL; SQL Server; Oracle PL/SQL)
• Spent final two years as Management Information specialist in the Commercial Underwriting department, creating a new data warehouse specifically for the role and helping the Commercial Director analyse everything from customer demographics to product profitability (SQL Server; Oracle; SSIS; SSRS)

• Development role as part of a 100-strong team to create a new Windows-based customer enrolment system for field sales team (Visual C++; SQL Server; VB; MQSeries)
• Worked closely with business analysts and technical architects to write business logic and front-end code based on detailed specifications (UML; Rational Rose)
• Supported successful live rollout of the system, including working in tier-3 support following successful delivery, handling a wide variety of fixes and enhancements (Visual C++; VB; MQSeries)

• Development of a new policy administration system, at the time the largest Windows NT/SQL Server project in Europe (Visual C++; SQL Server)
• Originally a contract developer, I was hired on a permanent basis to support the system following successful delivery (Visual C++; SQL Server; VB)
• Promoted to lead the eight-strong maintenance team, delivering all system fixes and enhancements, including much hands-on coding (Visual C++; VB; SQL Server)

• Several different roles at this IT consultancy firm, often being “dropped in at the deep end” on client sites and having to get up to speed quickly and effectively
• Development work for clients including British Telecom, Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest, plus internal work (Visual C++; VB; SQL Server; TANDEM TACL script)
• Initial experience with SQL Server (version 4.2!) while redeveloping an Access database to significantly speed up an overnight data load