My Profile
Summary
- I’m Richard — a Web Developer and Digital Designer.
- I've been designing and developing for 8 years.
- I work for a Staffordshire based creative agency, leading all things digital.
- 20+ WordPress projects
Experienced Web Developer specialising in WordPress development with a strong focus on performance optimisation and user experience. Proven track record of delivering scalable, maintainable solutions for businesses across various industries. Passionate about clean code and staying current with emerging web technologies.
I'm using these tools right now
- Bricks Builder
- Advanced Themer
- Advance Custom Fields Pro (ACF)
- ACSS (Automatic CSS)
- Frames Component Library
- Gutenbricks
- WS Forms
- Flyingpress
- Perfmatters
- GA4/Plausible
- Conversion Bridge
- RankMath
- Cursor
- VS Code
- Linear
- Postmark
- Bugsnag
- Cloudflare
- Cloudways/Rocket.net
Professional Experience
Web & Technical Lead Jan 2025 - Present
Ellodave Creative Agency
Responsibilities
- Lead technical strategy and provide expert guidance to the Senior Leadership Team on digital solutions and technology roadmaps
- Architect and implement scalable, high-performance web solutions across multiple client projects
- Establish and enforce development standards, coding best practices, and quality assurance protocols
- Drive innovation by researching and implementing emerging web technologies and industry best practices
- Manage and optimise hosting infrastructure across multiple environments, ensuring maximum uptime and performance
- Implement comprehensive security frameworks and stay ahead of evolving threats to safeguard client assets
- Leading the responsible adoption of AI-assisted development tools, establishing guidelines and best practices that enhance team productivity while maintaining code quality and security standards
- Lead data analytics initiatives, creating actionable insights from GA4 and other analytics platforms
- Coordinate with design and marketing teams to ensure seamless integration of technical solutions
- Provide technical training and knowledge transfer to agency staff
Web Developer Jul 2019 - Jan 2025
Ellodave Creative Agency
Responsibilities
- Work with the project lead/SLT to understand client requirements and provide technical knowledge during project planning.
- Optimise website performance by identifying and resolving technical issues and bottlenecks.
- Stay informed about the latest security threats and implement security measures to safeguard websites.
- Manage client web hosting environments.
- Routine server maintenance – perform backups, restores, updates when required.
- Manage user roles and permissions.
- Report on project feasibility, potential task timescales, and technical requirements for development or new build.
- Provide technical guidance/training to other staff regarding content management/best practices.
- Advise SLT on potential technical improvements/additions to workflow.
- Aid with data collection and reporting (analytics) – helping to streamline client data and report findings back to the wider team.
- Project estimations.
- Shaping development and deployment processes.
Digital Designer & Web Developer Jul 2017- Jul 2019
Ellodave Creative Agency
Responsibilities
- Built, customised, and maintained websites based on design specifications.
- Developed functionality to enhance website performance and user experience.
- Ensured responsive design and optimal performance across various devices and browsers.
- Diagnosed and troubleshooted website issues, addressing bugs, errors, and other issues.
- Collaborated with the design team to implement visual and/or interactive elements that complement the design concept.
- Created video animation and infographics.
- SVG Animations/Lottie.
- Email campaign creation using Mailchimp.
- Video Editing using Adobe Premiere
- Social Media assets.
- Pmax assets.
- Client promotional videos.
Junior Designer Jan 2016- Jul 2017
Ellodave Creative Agency
Responsibilities
- Assisted with editorial projects using InDesign.
- Asset editing and export for web.
- Produced promotional graphics for web.
- Supported Graphic Designers with basic HTML and CSS editing.
Education
BA (Hons) Visual Communication
University of Wolverhampton Sept 16- Sept 17
Foundation Degree, Graphics & Digital Design
Staffordshire University Sept 15- Sept 16
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma, Art & Design, Graphics & Interactive Media
Newcastle Under Lyme College Sept 14- Jun 15
Technical Skills & Expertise
- WordPress Development
- Plugin Development
- WooCommerce Integration
- Page Speed Optimisation
- Server Maintenance and optimisation
- DNS Record Management
- Cross-Browser Testing
- SFTP
- GA4
- Looker Studio Dashboarding
- Google Tag Manager Integration
- Figma
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Premiere
- Adobe After Effects
Key Strengths
Technical Leadership & Problem Solving
- Proactively identify and resolve complex technical challenges, including scaling servers ahead of high-traffic campaigns and implementing virtual queuing systems during peak demand periods
- Developed custom WordPress plugins to streamline workflows
- Led the implementation of agency-wide VPN infrastructure, facilitating secure remote access during COVID-19 and supporting ongoing hybrid work model
- Anticipate potential technical and accessibility issues during design phase, proposing practical solutions that balance user experience with technical efficiency
Communication
- Effectively communicate technical concepts to non-technical colleagues through various channels including Teams, project management platforms, and face-to-face meetings during peak demand periods
- Build strong client relationships through responsive phone and email support, translating complex requirements into actionable technical solutions
- Raise design considerations early in project lifecycle, collaborating with creative teams to ensure technical feasibility
- Contribute strategic insights to weekly design meetings and cross-functional planning sessions
Quality Assurance & Attention to Detail
- Maintain rigorous code review standards and comprehensive cross-browser testing protocols
- Developed and enforce pre/post-launch checklists covering content accuracy, performance optimization, security vulnerabilities, and SEO best practices
- Ensure all deliverables meet both client specifications and agency quality standards
Autonomy & Resilience
- Operate effectively as sole technical lead, independently managing web infrastructure and making critical technical decisions
- Navigate multiple rounds of client feedback, balancing both leadership and client requests, with technical best practices and project constraints
- Adapt quickly to changing priorities and emerging challenges while maintaining project momentum
Collaborative Team Player
- Partner closely with design team to implement cohesive visual and interactive experiences
- Support marketing team in developing data-driven client performance reports and analytics insights
- Foster knowledge sharing across departments, contributing to agency-wide technical understanding
Recent Builds
Recent Writing
-
There's a padlock, so it's safe... right?
What's the first thing that comes to mind if I direct your attention to that little padlock icon at the top of your browser window - secure, trusted, safe? What if I told you none of these are correct. The padlock in fact has nothing to do with a website's security and trustworthiness.
Read more -
Is this your P@ssword123!?
Good password security does not need to be complicated. Keep them random and never reuse them. Make your life simpler, automate the process and use a password manager!
Read more
In my own time
I have a keen interest in technology and smart home tech, constantly exploring the latest advancements to integrate into my work and personal projects. I'm am an avid coffee enthusiast, enjoy city breaks and capturing/documenting our adventures with short travel videos.
On the side, I've also had the pleasure of helping a number of small businesses and friends build an online presence. Most recently: