Kevin Prince BSc MIITP
69 Avoca Valley Road
Heathcote
Christchurch 8022
Phone 03 3844554
Mobile 021 2220638
E-Mail kevin@access1in5.co.nz
Profile
A flexible, multi-faceted and highly motivated IT Professional with a passion for enabling users to achieve the most from technology. I am quick to learn new concepts, domains and skills. I have a can-do attitude and extensive experience as both manager and engineer working across a diverse range of equipment, cultures and environments including not-for-profit. I am a highly effective manager of people and resources with proven success in influencing without authority. I have excellent communication skills, including negotiation, requirements capture, and public presentation. In particular I am able to work with both technical and non-technical people bridging the potential communication gulf between them.
Key Technology/Techniques
HTML, WAI ARIA, UML, Screenreader, Magnification, Mouse-alternatives., Training, MS Office, Process Improvement, Change management, SQL, Agile, Customer-Facing, Holistic view of Technology Solutions, Requirements, Exploratory and Structured testing.
Key Skills
Team Building and Management Successfully built and lead teams at varying levels with a focus on strategic opportunities and growing the capabilities of all.
Requirements capture Translating customer requests into deliverables and testable
Accessibility Expert in adaptive technology and the needs of sensory, cognitive and physically impaired computer users.
Office Suite Super-user Word and excel superuser including accessible publishing.
Training Groups or one-on-one at varying levels
System Test Analyst and Auditor Scripted and exploratory testing from defined user requirements. Production and execution of test plans in agile and other environments
SDLC, Process and Systems Design Experienced in all aspects of the SDLC from requirements to testing
Social Media Developed, implemented and ran social media accounts for a large NFP
Advocacy Lead technical advocacy and submissions to Govt for a large NFP.
Public Speaking and Presentation Regular speaker at technical and related conferences.
Education & Training
Graduate Diploma in Information Design CPIT 2015 on
NZ Sign Language Deaf Aoteroa
BSc (Hons) Professional Computer Studies Southampton Solent University
Linux introduction NDS
Project Management Animation/NDS/Royal Signals
British Computer Society Professional Graduate Diploma Southampton Institute
Systems Analysis and Design (UML) Learning Tree
Spanish intensive and advanced NDS
Diploma in Engineering Management, Univ. of Greenwich
BTEC Diploma in Telecommunications Royal Signals
Work History
Feb 2014 – Date Independent Contractor – Access 1 in 5
Web accessibility audits and consultancy for multiple customers.
Accessibility Research Interviews and consultancy (Contracted by AUT)
Member of Funding Information Services Technical Advisory Committee – providing technical advice/oversight to Board of NFP.
Electorate trainer and Mobile manager for 2014 General Election
Subject matter expert for production of Accessibility guide to Government. (Contented Ltd)
Community and Programme lead for Nethui 2014 and Nethui South (InternetNZ)
JAN 2007 to FEB 2014 Various Technology Consultant Roles – Royal NZ Foundation of the Blind
Manager reporting directly to the Executive Director from Sept 2008.
Applied knowledge of digital capabilities to internal process improvement particularly in requirement capture and the application of IT to existing processes.
Took on the strategic management of the desktop applications used within the RNZFB and am consulted on the suitability and accessibility of new Enterprise systems such as CRM and network upgrades in collaboration with the IT Manager and stakeholder requirements.
Lead development of technology policies and positions for the RNZFB.
Developed, and implemented, a strategy to create a Digital Accessibility team.
Needs Assessment and applications for funding from Workbridge and other funders to provide members with appropriate adaptive technology.
Provision of training and consultation in IT issues to members and employers.
Installation and configuration of adaptive tech in a diverse range of business systems and platforms.
Close liaison with employers, tertiary institutes, funders and IT services to provide and implement accessible solutions.
Presented RNZFB policy and comment to external audiences on behalf of the Exec Director.
Set Business plan objectives in line with organisational business planning and managed team budget.
Built strong relationships with technology and educational organisations not typically aligned with the RNZFB such as InternetNZ, CoreEd, BLENNZ, ALGIM, DIA, MoE
Led and collaborated on the development of external submissions with relevant SMEs and the Comms team. This saw a significant rise in the breadth, quality and number of submissions submitted by the RNZFB.
Raised the profile of the RNZFB in the technology and digital domain from virtually invisible to regularly consulted by organisations such as InternetNZ, Government and Local Government.
Commented on accessibility on radio, TV and at Industry conferences including HINZ, ALGIM and Nethui. Contributed the major portion of two editions of RNZ’s One in five programme on access to IT and Talking Books
Created and manage the @rnzfbtech twitter account.
Developed, proposed and implemented a social media strategy for the RNZFB that includes twitter, facebook, email and telephone outlets.
Built an awareness of, and a desire for, accessibility within internal systems and communications.
Consulted and trained external and internal organisations on digital accessibility
Supported and widened the RNZFB visibility on copyright matters.
Doubled the income from consultancy in the first year of the team.
Budget responsibility for $150,000 – $200,000.
Achieved significant saving of $40,000 p.a. in year 2010/11 by reassessment of lease equipment requirements and renegotiation with the supplier. This equipment was deployed across the organisation so achieving agreement required both negotiation with, and a strategic overview of the differing requirements of, all departments.
Change managed the team through restructuring and a major service redesign.
NOV 2007 – Date Co-Owner and Director – Avoca Valley Boarding Cattery.
Successful boarding cattery with 3 part-time staff.
SEPT 2006 Emigrated to Christchurch New Zealand
FEB 2002 to SEPT 2006 NDS UK Ltd Senior Integration Engineer (Team Leader)
FEB 2002 to SEPT 2006 NDS UK Ltd Senior Integration Engineer (Team Leader)
Project Manager and lead engineer for a migration to IBM Rational Clearcase Configuration Management System including definition of requirements and system architecture analysis and definition.
Responsible for a team of up to 10 engineers including recruitment of remotely managed engineers in India.
Production of Functional, sub-system and customisation documentation to support customers and Electronic Programme Guide development teams.
Definition of the UK based components and GUI design for the NDS Digital Personal Video recorder. (Deployed in New Zealand as ‘My Sky’)
Requirements capture (business and technical) and production of technical proposals.
Negotiation with customers and suppliers to agree mutually acceptable deliverables.
Assessment of risks and opportunities to End-to-End system, customer’s business and NDS delivery plans.
Liaison with System Architects to ensure proposed systems met future NDS roadmap development.
Budgetary effort assessment.
Subsequent tracking of Agile development progress, debug and delivery.
Technical Project Manager of a major software unification project (combination of 2 existing customers with diverse STB implementations). Successfully delivered and lead to further enhancements.
Chair of the NDS Internal STB Quality Forum Sub-Committee for Requirements Management
Technical Lead for the NDS’ South American customers supporting the full software development lifecycle.
Project Engineer for the integration of NDS equipment with a replacement 3rd party traffic system in a live broadcast system
SEPT 1985 to JULY 2000 Apprentice to Senior Telecoms Engineer, British Army
Senior engineer responsible for the introduction of new equipment, change management and training to the Territorial Army.
Team leader responsible for installation and configuration of Military and Civilian telecoms systems worldwide. (Matrixed teams of 2 to 9 depending on the Project Requirements.)
Responsible for installation, commissioning and liaison with defence agencies and civilian contractors worldwide.
Two 6 month attachments as Senior Shift Engineer in a Network Operations Centre providing fixed and satellite communications worldwide in support of operations.
Military Apprentice leading to the provision of mobile field communications to the British Army worldwide.
– Personal Details:
New Zealand and British Citizenship
Married
References available at interview