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Andy Smart

Andy Smart

IT Director

Open University | Swindon

Technologies

My Portfolio Highlights

My New Course

Understanding Data Science

My New Course

Intermediate Python

My New Course

Understanding Data Science

Analytics ninja, mastering the art of extracting insights from chaos.

My Work

Take a look at my latest work.

track

Data Analyst

course

Case Study: Analyzing Customer Churn in Power BI

course

Intermediate Data Modeling in Power BI

course

Intermediate Python

track

Data Analyst

DataCamp Course Completion

Take a look at all the courses I’ve completed on DataCamp.

Courses

Introduction to Python
Understanding Data Science
Introduction to Power BI
Intermediate Python

My Work Experience

Where I've interned and worked during my career.

Scotts and Co. | Jul 2021 - Present

Director of IT Operations

Reporting to the CEO, I was promoted into a director level role to represent the technical needs of the business to the wider board, following recognition that IT is crucial to achieving the long term strategic aims of the business. Current focus is on radically enhancing analytics across the business. • Responsible for a £1.8m budget encompassing all elements of IT and project delivery and leading a department of 12FTE, providing development plans and coaching to all team members. Areas of accountability encompass technical infrastructure and support, business systems (including e-commerce systems), data management, an internal development team and PMO. • Ensuring data quality through appropriate data governance controls; established a new PowerBI framework for advanced analytics on customer behaviour and campaign performance. • Led the business through a major disaster recovery episode. Following the disaster, I instigated a major systems remediation effort following engagement with third parties that encompasses all areas of infrastructure and security. • Active contributor to the overall strategic direction of the company through attendance at director level strategic workshops and regular board meetings. Full ownership of the businesses technology strategy. • Developed and am executing an IT strategic roadmap consisting of a full review of infrastructure, the enhancement of data accessibility and data-based decision making across the business, sleeker development processes and full documentation following best practices.
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O'Brien Media Limited | Nov 2019 - Present

Digital Transformation Consultant

Part time consultancy role. • Delivered an EPOS replatform (Vend) for a £15m multichannel retail business on a six week turnaround. Initiative encompassed data cleansing and migration, stock reconciliation, integration with the BigCommerce web platform and overall project management. • Designed and led a complex data migration from an English only website to a multi-lingual, multi-currency refreshed site for a major B2B manufacturer.

Scotts and Co. | Jun 2016 - Jul 2021

Head of IT

Reporting to the FD, I had overall leadership of four teams: Reporting & Insight, PMO (incl. business analysis), Software Development and Architecture (including both application as well as network / desktop support). Focus on enabling teams across the business to achieve goals through appropriate technological and process change. • Following a decision to replatform our websites from IBM WCS, I introduced BigCommerce to the board with a recommendation that we use their SaaS based service. My recommendation was followed and, working with a development partner I was involved in selecting, my team delivered new websites in 12 weeks, on time and to budget. Yielded cost reductions of around £200k pa. • Worked on the design and implementation of a full RF based solution to our warehouse operation (1 million parcels per year), moving from entirely paper- based processes allowing a resource saving of 20% (£300k pa). This included development of a full suite of reporting and insight mechanisms to monitor and increase efficiencies. • Upgraded the business CRM and WMS package for a £60m business from inception to go-live, serving as project manager and technical lead. Removed business risk by delivering a system designed for modern operating systems. • Introduced a suite of customer operations reporting, analysing propensity for customers to call based on historical order metrics in order to predict and reduce calls to third party call centres. • Oversaw important supplier relationships – including an off-shore ecommerce provider, logistics carriers and software development vendors. • Established and empowered a team that identified and solved process deficiencies – focussing on ‘root cause’ across departments, notably in e- commerce, warehouse operations and customer services. • Introduced a PMO function and associated processes to help drive forward process improvements in support of strategic objectives outlined by the wider leadership team.

Scotts and Co. | Jun 2013 - May 2016

Information Systems Manager

Following a restructure, accountability expanded to include a data governance and development team. • Oversaw a huge reduction in third party development spend, from around c £150k pa to less than £60k pa by recruiting an internal development team. • Technical project manager of an initiative to sell on Amazon and eBay marketplaces utilising several API integrations, ultimately yielding a £650k a year revenue stream in Y1. • Streamlined the data function, transforming the team from reactive data fixing to pro-active data governance, reducing team overhead by 50% and driving significant business change. • Developed a reporting framework, improving the reporting and visibility of key metrics across the business.

Scotts and Co. | Apr 2010 - Jun 2013

Business Systems Manager

Main point of contact for process and application support related queries. • Project managed the integration of the systems and processes of a £20m fashion business following acquisition – this included a major hardware and software upgrade as well as adaptation and assimilation of processes. • Overhauled internal systems and led the project management of a promotion overhaul resulting in significant sales upturn for the flagship brand.

Scotts and Co. | Mar 2006 - Apr 2010

Data Manager

Managing the data team – line management of three direct reports. • Senior member of a project team that designed and implemented a new content management system (STEP) to hold master data for the business and integrate with catalogue and web production workflows. • Responsible for the integration of the new content management system into existing business processes – designing and implementing processes where gaps identified and supporting end users of the system. • Management of the business relationship with Stibo systems, including negotiating system modifications. • Development of advanced checking and maintenance processes to identify and correct dirty data before any issues are caused. • Responsible for the provision of systems training for business users.

WHSmith | Jan 2000 - Jan 2004

Planner

each trading cycle, presenting these plans to the warehouse teams and senior management. • Liaised with various third party contractors and internal teams to ensure a balance of the wider business needs with the Supply Chain operation. • Created yearly budgets using financial data and established sales profiles to identify potential pinch points and bulk storage issues. • Developed a suite of stock analysis reports, identifying issues such as critical availability, variances to forecast and dormant stock.

My Education

Take a look at my formal education

The Open University | 2009

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