Robert Ayres, Project Manager in New York, NY, United States
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Robert Ayres

Verified Expert  in Project Management

Bio

Robert is a professionally certified project manager with JavaScript and front end coding skills. For the past eight years, he has run FocusEcom digital agency, servicing multinational organizations and SMEs. He has more than a decade of experience in digital project management, using Agile and PRINCE2 techniques to bring control and innovation to projects.

Project Highlights

Digital Project Management for Web and Communications
Established effective content management system and digital communications strategy.
eCommerce Consultancy
Provided analysis and recommendations for leading venture capital firm.
User Experience Design for Next Gen Music App
Navigation paradigm and user interface for a new method of music consumption.

Expertise

Work Experience

Project Manager

2011 - PRESENT
FocusEcom
  • Headed project management, planning and execution.
  • Managed social media marketing campaigns.
  • Designed and executed in-bound content marketing strategies.
  • Created content including copywriting, blog post writing, photography, and video production.
  • Created UX/UI design, graphic design, and branding.
  • Project lead for website design and build contracts.
  • Consulted, built, and integrated eCommerce websites.
  • Developed WordPress websites including custom themes and integrations.
  • Designed and developed progressive web (PWA) and native apps.

Project Inspection and Verification Officer

2005 - 2011
Welsh Government
  • Managed the assessment of multi-million £ projects that received European structural funds.
  • Chaired meetings at senior director level to ensure that projects complied with European regulations.
  • Advised European projects about project management best practices.
  • Performed financial auditing to test the financial accounting systems of the project teams.
  • Wrote project assessment reports that were submitted to the European Commission.
  • Wrote an advice booklet – Best Practice Guidance for Managing Structural Fund Projects – with tips, advice, examples, and information for project managers and teams.
  • Introduced more effective ways of working in the government by using collaborative software (Atlassian Confluence).
  • Created user experience design and user acceptance testing for a document workflow solution based on the IBM FileNet platform.

Project Manager

2001 - 2005
Digital Matrix
  • Project managed the development and production of the Mid Wales Media Directory interactive media application.
  • Strategically consulted for OFCOM, University of Wales Aberystwyth and the Welsh Creative Industries Sector.
  • Sat on the Wales Broadband Stakeholders Group, contributed to broadband infrastructure strategy and projects.
  • Managed and wrote 2 European Funding Applications.
  • Initiated and negotiated a Partnership Agreement with the University of Wales Aberystwyth and Welsh Development Agency to support a program of economic development initiatives for the creative services sector in Wales.
  • Managed the production of a major conference to showcase Welsh creative talent to top UK media business managers and TV network commissioners.
  • Introduced BBC Wales to the Guerillla TV streaming media service.

Digital Project Management for Web and Communications

Established effective content management system and digital communications strategy.

Redesign of a website using a customized WordPress theme. Integrated product catalog with WooCommerce. Comprehensive project discovery phase to determine customer requirements, pain points, and market competition dynamics. Created communications strategy based on the results of the discovery phase. Developed custom newsfeed application based on industry sources to provide relevant content for social engagement strategy.

A.E. Chapman and Son Ltd

eCommerce Consultancy

Provided analysis and recommendations for leading venture capital firm.

Carried out research and testing of e-commerce plugin ecosystem, concentrating on sales order processing, multi-channel sales and inventory management. Presented findings: eCommerce solutions, market and service trends, profitability analysis. Highlighted the main pain points for merchants and the e-commerce apps/plugins that address those points most effectively.

Accel

User Experience Design for Next Gen Music App

Navigation paradigm and user interface for a new method of music consumption.

Carried out research and user testing to refine the interface design over three versions. The concept of music super-curation came out of this testing and research phase. Results defined six major categories of listening experience for users consuming long-form music mixes and playlists. This categorization enables simplified navigation and minimizes the time needed to find highly appropriate music.

Yesmate

Fashion Video Tutorial Startup Venture

Project management and digital marketing.

Coordinated efforts of the remote team to build a pay-per-view video tutorial site. The project involved the creation of a custom Wordpress theme, high-end video production, graphic design, content management, site development. Carried out digital marketing: keyword research and bidding, display ad design and management, A/B testing, search engine optimization. Created a portfolio site of fashion magazine covers for marketing reinforcement and reputation management.

Hair by Nicolas Jurnjack

Progressive Web App

Design and development of PWA.

Corporate website identity using HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. PWA functionality is enhanced with a microservice (via Formspree API).

FocusEcom

User Interface Design

UID for UK county council tourism website.

Project discovery process including user research to formalize project goals, vision, and scope. Created natural motifs to emphasize green space and wilderness assets of Northumberland.

Northumberland County Council

Legal Firm Corporate Website

Project management and content production.

A complex project that involved photography, design, development, and content creation. Project discovery process highlighted the need to create fresh copy to describe the legal services offered. Gathered material via interviews and research and wrote all copy. The site imagery was designed to convey the deep local connections and experience of the firm. Attractive full-screen background images enhance the firm’s friendliness and approachability without sacrificing accessibility.

Brunton and Co

Improving Government Efficiency

Introduced new ways of working with modern communication tools.

Influenced top civil servants, described the efficiencies made possible by wiki-type software: for collaboration, knowledge management, content/document management, and project management. Led a subsequent project to introduce and teach users how to use Atlassian Confluence.

Welsh Government

Multimedia Showcase

Project management for app demonstrating skills within the creative industries sector in Wales.

Led a large team to bring a complex project together within a strict timetable. The app showcases the skills and work of a cluster of creative and technical businesses in Wales. Carried out a comprehensive project discovery phase to align the vision and goals of all stakeholders. Specified technical requirements and information architecture.

Digital Matrix

Project Management of Industry Websites

Managed agile teams to deliver digital communications products.

Responsible for three business information publications: ICIS, Railway Gazette, Flight International. Managed website developments and other digital communication products. Liaised with publishers and other stakeholders, carried out requirements analysis and information architecture, created wireframes and specification sheets for front and back end coders. Worked closely with graphic and user interface designers and brought everything together in regular product development iterations.

Reed Business Information
1983 - 1987

Bachelor's Degree with Honors in Business Management

Brighton University - Brighton, UK

OCTOBER 2018 - PRESENT

JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures

FreeCodeCamp

SEPTEMBER 2018 - PRESENT

Responsive Web Design

FreeCodeCamp

NOVEMBER 2007 - NOVEMBER 2012

PRINCE2 Practitioner

APM Group

Tools

Trello Development, Photoshop, Jira Project Management, Adobe Software Development, Adobe Illustrator, GitHub, Asana Project Management, Git, Figma

Paradigms

Agile Project Management, Scrum Master Consulting, PRINCE2, Kanban Project Management, UX Development

Platforms

WordPress Development, Shopify, WooCommerce Design, Magento, Google Marketing Platform

Industry Expertise

Digital Marketing Product Management

Other

User Research, UX Development, UX Development, User Onboarding, UI Development, UX Development, E-commerce marketing, E-commerce Project Management, WordPress Development, WordPress Plugins, WordPress Multisite, WordPress Development, HTML5, CSS3, Google SEO, Keyword Analysis, Google Keyword Planner, UX Strategy, JavaScript, Progressive Web Applications (PWAs), Serverless Architecture, React.js, React Native, Bootstrap, GatsbyJS, Google AdSense, CSS Grid

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