Mike Thomas

Tech Leader. Engineering Manager. Software Developer.

Twitter
@determinedmoth
LinkedIn
michaelthomas-
Email – Copied!
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+44 (0) 7979 750211
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About me

I’m a team leader with over 15 years web programming and infrastructure experience. The majority of this experience has been in creative digital marketing agencies and recruitment marketing, while more recently I have been managing a software development team in the professional services sector.

I help build and shape high-performing teams by working closely with developers and senior management to ensure that processes, systems and people are performing effectively.

Who I work with

I work effectively with small to medium-sized businesses who, usually as a result of rapid growth, require a technical leader to take the helm of their engineering team in order to optimise processes, and provide the motivation required to meet changing business goals.

With broad skills in digital technologies, I can also help entrepreneurs to build business-ready MVPs, proof of concepts and teams.

I prefer short to medium-term contracts, although I’m always happy to discuss any type of opportunity.

What can I do for you?

These are just some of the technical and people challenges I have recently helped overcome;

  • Technical debt (specifically several EOL PHP projects)
  • Infrastructure automation
  • Software deployment strategies
  • Service provider migrations
  • Performance management (timekeeping, negativity, bullying)
  • Unity vs Factionalism

I work to resolve these issues by introducing (or improving) internal communication processes such as frequent one-to-ones and retrospectives, and by ensuring that there are safe environments where everybody feels able to contribute. Technical debt, for example, can have up-stream blockers, and it's important that senior management teams are accessible and willing to contribute.

This communication enables teams and individuals to identify and reflect upon their common goals and personal ambitions, and helps them understand how these can lead to successful outcomes for themselves and the business.

Skills

  • Broad experience of programming, infrastructure and operational management
  • Recent software engineering management experience
  • Specialised digital marketing and employer branding industry experience
  • Outstanding people and performance management
  • Deep understanding of digital marketing technologies and their business application
  • Product architecture / GAP analysis
  • Excellent written and verbal communications (stakeholder, client-facing, technical presentations)
  • Developing/maintaining business and personal networking leads
  • Project planning and SDLC delivery
  • Excellent ability to attract, recruit and retain diverse talent

Technologies

  • PHP, SQL, JavaScript, HTML/CSS (Laravel, Lumen, Concrete5, WordPress and more)
  • Operations knowledge of Linux (RHEL, CentOS), Apache, PHP, CLI
  • Specific Azure, Rackspace and AWS experience
  • Provisioning and server automation (some Puppet)
  • Source control (Git, SVN)
  • Domain and DNS management
  • Management tooling (far too much Jira, Excel, Trello)
  • Marketing tooling (HubSpot, Mailgun, Campaign Monitor etc)

Experience

Brands

  • McDondald’s
  • The Guardian
  • National Grid
  • Rough Trade
  • Aviva
  • WorldPay
  • EE
  • Capita

Startups

Testimonials

Blog

  • 30th September 2020
    When to leave the best job ever.

    One of the trickiest conversations I have to have as a team leader is when there’s no path left to run for good engineers.

  • 29th September 2020
    In search of lost teams.

    John Arundel, software consultant and writer, asks me about helping troubled teams.

Twitter
@determinedmoth
LinkedIn
michaelthomas-
Email – Copied!
Tel
+44 (0) 7979 750211
Blog