Robert Ayres
Verified Expert in Project Management
Project Manager
New York, NY, United States
Toptal member since July 5, 2019
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
Expertise
Work Experience
Project Manager
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
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
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.
Project History
Digital Project Management for Web and Communications
Established effective content management system and digital communications strategy.
A.E. Chapman and Son Ltd
eCommerce Consultancy
Provided analysis and recommendations for leading venture capital firm.
Accel
User Experience Design for Next Gen Music App
Navigation paradigm and user interface for a new method of music consumption.
Yesmate
Fashion Video Tutorial Startup Venture
Project management and digital marketing.
Hair by Nicolas Jurnjack
Progressive Web App
Design and development of PWA.
FocusEcom
User Interface Design
UID for UK county council tourism website.
Northumberland County Council
Legal Firm Corporate Website
Project management and content production.
Brunton and Co
Improving Government Efficiency
Introduced new ways of working with modern communication tools.
Welsh Government
Multimedia Showcase
Project management for app demonstrating skills within the creative industries sector in Wales.
Digital Matrix
Project Management of Industry Websites
Managed agile teams to deliver digital communications products.
Reed Business Information
Education
Bachelor's Degree with Honors in Business Management
Brighton University - Brighton, UK
Certifications
JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures
FreeCodeCamp
Responsive Web Design
FreeCodeCamp
PRINCE2 Practitioner
APM Group
Skills
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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