Technical Architect in development · Solution Design · Delivery
Infrastructure, networking and Modern Workplace solutions, designed properly and delivered cleanly.
I help turn technical requirements into practical solutions, from discovery and scoping through to quotation, implementation, documentation and handover.
Profile
Technical depth, structured design and practical delivery judgement.
I am an IT Project Engineer developing towards technical architecture, with a background that spans service desk, third-line escalation, project delivery and business operations. That gives me a grounded view of both the technical design and the operational reality the solution has to land into.
My strongest work sits between solution design and implementation: discovery, scoping, quotation support, technical planning, hands-on deployment, documentation and handover. Recent delivery has included UK-wide network refreshes, boundary security appliance implementations, Microsoft 365 and Azure migration activity, SharePoint and Teams collaboration projects, application rollout support and Cyber Essentials Plus preparation.
I also take an active interest in Copilot and AI adoption, particularly around security best practice, permission hygiene, data exposure, information protection and making sure AI tools are introduced safely rather than simply switched on. I have also worked in sensitive, reliability-focused environments where security, controlled change and clean handover were central to delivery.
Where I add value
Useful where the work needs more than simple task delivery.
I am best suited to technical work that needs clear thinking before anyone starts making changes. That includes discovery, technical scoping, solution design, network and infrastructure refreshes, Microsoft 365 and Azure migration planning, Modern Workplace improvements, Copilot readiness, security-focused implementation and clean handover into support.
Shape the requirement
Clarify what the client actually needs, identify constraints, understand risk and turn an unclear requirement into a practical technical direction.
Design and scope the work
Translate discovery into a sensible solution, with the right balance of technical design, commercial scoping, quotation support and delivery planning.
Deliver and hand over cleanly
Implement with care, document what has changed, and make sure the end result can be supported properly after the project has finished.
Selected project work
Selected work, framed by context, role and outcome.
These examples are intentionally high-level where the work involved sensitive, regulated or commercially confidential environments. The focus is on the type of problem, my role in the work and the kind of outcome delivered.
UK-wide chartered surveying firm
Supported a full network refresh across a UK estate, covering discovery, solution design, scoping, quotation and implementation. The work required practical design decisions across multiple sites, with delivery planned around business continuity and clean handover into support.
Sensitive infrastructure environment
Delivered a boundary security appliance implementation within a critical infrastructure environment, focusing on secure edge design, controlled change and reliable handover.
UK automotive group
Delivered network refresh activity across 18 UK sites, including acquisitions, new-build locations and existing-site refreshes. The work involved repeatable delivery, local site considerations and a consistent technical standard across a changing estate.
1,500-user organisation
Supported technical change for a large organisation during an acquisition-led transition. The public detail is kept high-level, but the work reflects experience in environments where technical planning, stakeholder communication and controlled execution matter.
Experience
Built through support, delivery and design exposure.
I have developed through technical support, senior escalation work, project delivery and increasing exposure to solution design. Alongside IT, running a customer-facing swim school business has strengthened how I think about responsibility, communication, planning, service quality and decision-making in live operational environments.
IT Project Engineer
8.5 years at Optimising IT · Previous roles: 3rd Line Support Engineer and IT Support Engineer
- Deliver projects across LAN, WAN, firewalls, switching, wireless, boundary security and client-site infrastructure.
- Take network and infrastructure work from discovery, solution design and scoping through quotation, implementation and handover.
- Work across Fortinet, Cisco Meraki, VMware, Hyper-V, Windows Server, Microsoft 365 and Azure environments.
- Support Modern Workplace transitions using Windows 10/11, Intune, Autopilot, Entra ID, SharePoint and Teams.
- Support Microsoft Copilot and AI readiness conversations, with a focus on permissions, data security, information protection and responsible adoption.
- Contribute to multi-site network programmes, data centre refreshes, Azure migration activity, technical roadmaps and design-led project planning.
- Produce technical documentation, run discovery sessions and support Cyber Essentials Plus preparation.
Swim School Co-owner
Nearly 10 years as co-owner · Previous role: Swim Instructor
- Co-own and operate Aquanauts Swim School, supporting children across a range of ages and abilities.
- Manage day-to-day operations, staff scheduling, safety procedures, parent communication and service quality.
- Develop learning programmes focused on water safety, confidence and stroke improvement.
- Apply the same operational discipline used in IT projects: clear communication, planning, risk awareness and calm handling of live issues.
IT Services Technician
- Provided IT support across a school environment of approximately 1,200 students, 200 staff members and parents.
- Supported network and system improvement projects, including Windows XP to Windows 7 migration work.
- Worked with Group Policy, VDI, remote access, server support, desktop support and VMware 5.5 deployment.
IT Technician
- Delivered IT support for more than 1,000 students, 150 staff members and parents.
- Supported CCTV server deployment, Windows XP to Windows 7 migration work, Active Directory, Group Policy, DHCP and DNS.
Capability
Core technical capability areas.
The common thread is practical architecture: understanding the environment, designing something workable, implementing it properly and leaving behind documentation that is useful after the project has finished.
Networking
LAN, WAN, firewalls, switching, wireless, boundary networks, Fortinet and Cisco Meraki.
Infrastructure
VMware, Hyper-V, Windows Server, server support and data centre refresh work.
Microsoft Cloud
Microsoft 365, Azure, SharePoint, Teams, Intune, Autopilot, Entra ID and Copilot readiness.
Modern Workplace
Moving legacy environments into cleaner, more manageable Microsoft workplace platforms, with consideration for secure AI adoption.
Security
Boundary security implementation, information security best practice, Cyber Essentials Plus readiness, Copilot governance and AI security considerations.
Solution Delivery
Discovery, solution design, scoping, quotation support, migrations, rollout planning, implementation and handover documentation.
Education & wider experience
A practical foundation and a wider view of the world.
My route into IT was practical from the start, supported by formal apprenticeship training and experience in school, MSP and project-led environments. Outside of work, travel and volunteering have shaped how I approach unfamiliar situations and people.
Advanced Apprenticeship for IT & Telecoms Professionals
Zenos IT Academy · September 2010 to February 2011
Covered Microsoft Networking Fundamentals, CompTIA A+ IT Technician, ICT systems, communication, professional competence and employability.
GCSE
Churchdown Secondary School · September 2005 to June 2010
Includes Maths, English, Science and ICT.
Travel, volunteering and conservation
Experience includes teaching English in Tanzania, wildlife conservation in South Africa, caring for orphaned rhinos, and unconventional travel through Mauritania, North Korea, Afghanistan and South East Asia.
Contact
For infrastructure, networking, Modern Workplace, Copilot readiness or solution design conversations.
Open to conversations where practical delivery, technical judgement and clear scoping matter.