Business Change Analyst, Barclaycard (1987–2016)
As Business Change Analyst at Barclaycard, I bridged legacy systems and modern web technologies to deliver mission-critical solutions across multiple strategic programmes. Partnering with business stakeholders, I scoped requirements, built rapid prototypes, and scaled them into robust, multi-tier applications that streamlined operations, improved data access, and enhanced user engagement.
Key Projects & Achievements
Cardpac Replacement
• Transformed core SAS reporting into an interactive HTML front end, backed by MySQL and PHP. This migration reduced end-user processing times by 70% and eliminated manual data exports.
Sky Surround Systems
• Replaced a decades-old mainframe application with a C#.NET internet solution, enabling real-time credit monitoring and customer notifications. The new platform supported 24/7 availability and achieved a 99.8% SLA.
Goldfish Card Platform, Partridge System & Apple Prototype
• Rapidly built VBA prototypes to validate business rules for three internal reporting systems.
• Led the conversion of each prototype into secure, Citrix-hosted, SQL Server-driven applications, integrating multi-user access and automated batch processing. Deployment cycles shrank from months to weeks.
First Plus Intranet
• Converted complex MS Visio process diagrams into dynamic Drupal intranet pages. I developed bespoke Drupal modules and custom themes to visualise workflows and capture live user feedback—boosting internal adoption by 60% within the first quarter.
Technical Leadership & Continuous Improvement
• Championed agile practices and stakeholder workshops, ensuring cross-functional alignment from requirements gathering through UAT and go-live.
• Authored detailed technical specifications, user guides, and training materials that accelerated team onboarding and reduced support tickets by 35%.
• Maintained version control and change governance through rigorous code reviews, defect tracking in Jira, and automated deployment scripts.
• Negotiated hardware and licensing contracts, optimised server configurations, and enforced security best practices to comply with financial regulations.
My tenure at Barclaycard demonstrates a proven ability to modernise mission-critical applications, reduce operational friction, and deliver measurable business value through strategic use of web and database technologies.
Early Career: Accounts & Warehouse Automation, Barclaycard
I began my career in Barclaycard’s Accounts Department. I was promoyted to managing reconciliation for all PDQ terminals and voucher readers—a £6 million annual portfolio. I took charge of procurement, supply, and international distribution of over 20,000 devices per year, negotiating vendor contracts that balanced cost efficiency and reliability. Spotting manual bottlenecks, I learned EPROM programming to automate firmware updates and which led me to the computerisation of our warehouse and ordering systems. By designing real-time inventory tracking and automated dispatch workflows, I eliminated errors and cut fulfilment times by 50%, laying the technical foundation for my transition into systems development.
Systems Analyst, Barclaycard
Building on my automation success, I moved into Systems Analysis, translating business processes into scalable applications. I prototyped VBA-based proofs of concept for the Goldfish Card Platform, Partridge System, and Apple reporting tools, then converted them into secure, Citrix-hosted, SQL Server multi-tier applications with automated batch processing. I led human–computer interaction testing for major web clients—Argos, Santander, Thomas Cook—optimising user journeys and implementing MySQL/PHP back ends. For Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, I migrated process controls into an interactive Drupal intranet, enhancing audit transparency and internal adoption.