I'm Robert (Rob) Wood, an experienced Senior Front-End Developer based in York, UK. As a Team Lead and Product Owner I have a proven track record in optimising e-commerce platforms, reducing website load times by 80%, and leading teams with a 100% retention rate.
Multi-skilled technologist
With over 30 years of diverse experience in technology and design, I blend a rich array of soft and hard skills to empower employers and clients in achieving exceptional results.
My journey
I began my career as an administrative assistant, where I quickly discovered a knack for troubleshooting and supporting colleagues through design and layout issues, particularly with Microsoft Office, Lotus and WordPerfect applications. My proactive, solutions-focused approach soon led to a part-time role in Technical Support. This opportunity allowed me to deepen my technical expertise while building both hard and soft skills through collaboration with internal teams and external clients alike.
In this role, I noticed a knowledge gap in our department and decided to dive into web development by picking up Microsoft FrontPage. What started as a self-guided exploration soon laid the groundwork for my career. The simple web pages I created as part of my learning became the company's very first website, marking a turning point in my professional journey.
From there, I was promoted to Webmaster, evolving into the company's 'go-to guy' for all things Internet. My portfolio expanded to include internet and intranet sites for prominent organisations such as Lloyd's of London, the Association of Chief Police Officers, and the NHS. My work even caught Microsoft's attention, earning me an invitation to demonstrate at a conference in Brighton on the Dynamic Web's rapid evolution.
Throughout my career, I have enjoyed mentoring and leading teams, guiding Technical Support juniors to achieve industry-recognised qualifications from Microsoft, Novell, and Lotus. More recently, I built and managed a front-end development team within a fast-paced, agile environment. I'm particularly proud of my 100% retention rate across all teams I've managed, reflecting my commitment to fostering a positive and growth-oriented workplace.
Availability:Available for freelance and contract work.
Skills
I have developed a strong foundation of knowledge in many areas, but I believe there is always more to learn. As such, I prefer not to consider myself an expert, as I value continuous growth and exploration.
Every day is a learning day!
Programming
HTML/PHTML99.5%
PHP55%
JavaScript95%
React.js75%
Next.js75%
Typescript75%
Magento 2 (Front-end)90%
Design
Photoshop90%
Illustrator85%
InDesign80%
Figma65%
CorelDraw90%
Core PhotoPaint90%
CSS, Preprocessors & Frameworks
CSS99.5%
Sass/SCSS90%
Less60%
Tailwind CSS70%
Bootstrap70%
PostCSS90%
Package Management
NPM90%
Webpack80%
Gulp80%
Node.js60%
Version Control
Git80%
Subversion50%
Team Foundation Server50%
SEM
CRO85%
Technical SEO95%
Project Management
Jira85%
Confluence65%
Linear80%
Notion70%
Integrated & Cloud Services
Cloudflare90%
AWS S395%
TinyPNG95%
Work history
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Web Developer - 03/2025 to Present
See Green, Clifton Moor, York
As a Web Developer at See Green, I have been responsible for creating and maintaining websites for a variety of clients. My role also leverages my previous years of experince in the world of web development, and looking forward to sharing my experiences with my less experiences colleagues, while also enhancing my skills with their knowledge.
Contract & Freelance Work - 08/2024 to 03/2025
Self-Employed
Following the end of my contract with PerfectDraft/AB-Inbev, I have taken the opportunity to work on a number of pet projects, including developing a new, modern personal website to showcase my skills and experience, creating an AI CV and cover letter tool for job seekers, developing a website for wex-work.com - a platform for people looking for work experience opportunities, and also providing technical consultancy to a business training and development organisation.
Senior/Technical Product Owner - 01/2023 to 08/2024
PerfectDraft (formerly: Beer Hawk) - Anheuser-Busch InBev, London
Technology used: Magento 2, CMS, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Jira Software, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Piano Analytics, Hotjar, TinyPNG, Adobe Creative Suite
As a Senior/Technical Product Owner at PerfectDraft - Anheuser-Busch InBev, I planned and upgraded existing Magento stores, successfully migrating nine bespoke European stores to Magento 2. This comprehensive project spanned various business aspects and was delivered in seven languages, creating a user-friendly self-service environment. I organised and provided training and guidance to over 20 colleagues with diverse levels of technical competency, fostering knowledge sharing and minimising the impact on technical teams. I supported fellow Product Owners by offering platform-specific technical knowledge and assisting them in planning and designing their solutions. Additionally, I provided CMS-based front-end development to alleviate the workload of the Development team and support Marketing, Merchandising, and Content Editors. I implemented functional and user experience improvements by collaborating with senior stakeholders and pursuing self-initiated projects, resulting in enhanced usability and increased user satisfaction. I was recognised as the primary resource for all facets of Magento CMS development and configuration, delivering expert guidance and support to team members across the organisation.
As a Senior Front-End Developer at PerfectDraft - Anheuser-Busch InBev, I played a crucial role in developing and maintaining the Magento 2 e-commerce platform for both B2C and B2B customers. My responsibilities included ensuring cross-platform stability, enhancing SEO performance, and optimising response metrics to improve user experience and site performance. I collaborated closely with senior stakeholders, design, and marketing teams to deliver high-quality, optimised content aligned with business objectives. Additionally, I implemented procedures for image optimisation, reducing the website's image footprint by approximately 80%, and established coding standards and best practices to minimise code review failures. I managed and mentored the front-end team, fostering a collaborative environment that encouraged skill development and innovation. My efforts in process innovation enhanced collaboration and communication across disciplines, resulting in improved customer retention and increased conversion rates. I also served as Scrum Master, ensuring seamless project delivery and team collaboration, and rapidly adapted to new operating systems and development environments to maintain high productivity.
Designer - 08/2014 to 01/2018
Super Break (Malvern Group), York
As a Designer at Super Break (Malvern Group), I worked as part of a small team to redesign and optimise the main SuperBreak.com website, along with its international variants, co-branded sites, and white-label affiliate partner websites. My efforts resulted in an increase in user engagement and improvement in conversion rates. I created various images and icons for the web with a strong focus on SEO, leading to an increase in organic search traffic and improved rankings for key search terms. I assisted developers with front-end development queries while producing imagery and animations for emails, social media, and third-party advertising campaigns, increasing engagement rates. Additionally, I designed print materials for the national mainstream press and developed HTML email templates, achieving an increase in open rates and a boost in click-through rates, while ensuring brand consistency across all platforms.
Technical Author - 03/2013 to 08/2014
AI TrackRecord (formerly: Management Services 2000 Limited), York
As a Technical Author at AI TrackRecord, I conducted comprehensive analysis and interpretation of specifications and applications developed by Access Intelligence to create administration and user guides/manuals. I tailored my writing style and language to suit diverse audiences and facilitated a formal, structured document review process to ensure complete accuracy and consistency across all materials.
Support Analyst - 08/2012 to 03/2013
AI TrackRecord (formerly Management Services 2000 Limited), York
As a Support Analyst at AI TrackRecord, I delivered first and second-line support to clients in the financial and automotive sectors, ensuring timely resolution of issues and maintaining high customer satisfaction. I triaged incoming support requests, gathering essential information to enable prompt incident resolution by the development team while addressing issues directly as time allowed. I communicated daily incident status updates to developers, testing teams, and clients, ensuring transparency and effective collaboration throughout the resolution process. Additionally, I conducted product training for clients both on-site and remotely, utilising in-person and online telecommunication methods to enhance user understanding and product adoption.
Developer - 12/2003 to 08/2013
AI TrackRecord (formerly: Management Services 2000 Limited), York
Technologies used: IIS, ASP, XHTML, JavaScript, XML/XSL, SQL Server
During my tenure as a Developer at AI TrackRecord, I contributed to the design and development of multiple web-based compliance monitoring applications for the financial sector. I developed 'digital ink' services to convert handwriting into digital formats and created a web-based application to streamline the production and documentation of paper-based forms. I also redesigned and developed the company website, enhancing user experience and functionality to better reflect the brand's identity and engage visitors. Additionally, I designed and developed a website for the Yorkshire (North & West) Army Cadet Force, fostering awareness and support for its initiatives.
As a Senior Developer at dezap, I was instrumental in the phased development of an online ticket purchasing and administration system for a prominent York-based sports and events organisation. I created multiple websites using a bespoke Content Management System (CMS) developed in-house, ensuring tailored functionality and a seamless user experience. I also developed and supported several web-based applications to optimise user experience and enhance functionality. Additionally, I developed a presentation generator system that enables users to create printable presentation handouts by retrieving XML data from a custom presentation management tool.
Developer (Grade 2) - 03/2000 to 06/2002
ioko365 (formerly: Infocom UK Ltd), York
Technologies used: IIS, ASP, XHTML, XML/XSL, SQL Server
As a Grade-2 Developer at ioko365, I designed, developed, and supported multiple websites and applications for several well-known brands. My work resulted in increased user engagement and ease of administration. I produced comprehensive documentation for project proposals, guiding the development process through delivery and support, which contributed to improved project completion time and client satisfaction ratings. I also engaged with clients in consultant, advisory, and developer roles, successfully delivering projects that enhanced client relationships and achieved high client retention and project delivery success rates.
Web Development Manager / Technical Support Manager - 11/1994 to 03/2000
Infobank Software Corporation [ISC] (formerly: Software Corporation plc), York
As the Technical Support Manager at Infobank Software Corporation, I managed a team of Junior Technical Analysts, overseeing their professional development and improving team performance through mentorship and guidance. Later as Web Development Manager I pioneered the company’s transition to the World Wide Web by designing and developing its first website, significantly boosting the visibility of the business and its services. I conducted training and support workshops on Internet technologies for peers and external clients, enhancing their technical skills and boosting productivity. Additionally, I designed and developed websites and web-based applications for internal use and clients, improving workflows, functionality, and user experience. I also established a cohesive corporate style for software and documentation, contributing to an increase in brand consistency across all platforms.
Historic/Other Contract & Freelance Work
Self-Employed, Various
As a self-employed professional, I have undertaken various contract and freelance roles across multiple disciplines, including web development, technical support, customer service, consultancy, project management, technical writing, training, graphic design, branding, conversion rate optimisation, SEO, marketing, social media, content management, e-commerce, CMS, Flash development, file management, collaboration, efficiency, and innovation. My projects have included ongoing development of the website for Tite & Lewis, a London-based law firm, creating a bespoke press release management system for EMI Group, and programming the Environmental Report 2001/2 for the BBCi website. I have also developed an engaging and interactive microsite for the BBC, a user-friendly content management engine, and a web-based file exchange system to streamline client project management. Additionally, I have provided technical consultancy services for London-based design agency Salterbaxter, advising on best practices and innovative web solutions.
