1. Personal Statement:
Qualified Chartered Engineer with a wide range of experience in management and project/programme
management. Extremely experienced team builder, able to motivate provide direction and leadership for
teams especially during times of change. Strong influencing and negotiating skills with the ability to identify
key stakeholders and develop and maintain long lasting, value add relationships to benefit all parties. Open-minded
and lateral thinker, approaching issues presented to me in a highly creative, innovative and
inclusive manner. Diplomatic and integrate well into any situation, adapting quickly and modifying my
approach to establish and maintain key links and partnership.
Employment History
May 2014 to Present: Curriculum Manager – Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Fife College
· Lead and manage the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering academic and vocational portfolio,
delivering high quality engineering training within Fife College. Responsible for the development of
the strategic plan for the next 3-5 years, delivering the business plan and developing long term
strategies and quality enhancements;
· Financially responsible for monitoring and reporting the control and spend of £1.2million annual
departmental budget to the Finance Director with personal responsibility for a range of plant and
equipment valued up to £4million;
· Entrepreneurial and commercially aware, I develop concepts and ideas enabling economical
delivery on a variety of products. Able to motivate teams ensuring they perform and achieve the
delivery through cost control, efficiency and quality improvements;
· Key account manager for a number for local and national engineering companies. Working in
partnership with government bodies (Skills Development Scotland), developing a greater
awareness of the wider business environment. This has resulted in continual development of
national policies which have influenced national training and employment trends;
· Experienced Project Manager responsible for planning, managing and completing, within budget
and timescales, a variety of medium to large projects across multiple multi-utility sites;
· Involved in a number of recent restructuring initiatives. This has resulted in the development and
implementation of a number of effective change management strategies, which I have led
employees through the process in an effective and transparent way;
· Responsible for the recruitment and development for 22 multi-disciplined employees. Continually
seeking and securing external funding to develop their Continually Professional Development (CPD)
through knowledge transfer with a variety of industrial partners, annually reviewing and
implementing strategies ensuring their skills are up to date and relevant;
June 2009 to May 2014: Assistant Head of School – Engineering & Sustainable Technologies,
Carnegie College
· Developed new and innovative methods of delivery, resulting in the provision of high quality
relevant flexible training within an ever changing educational environment;
· Highly experienced in using a variety of planning software tools to accurately timetable employees,
rooms/equipment and learner groups, resulting in increased efficiency in resource deployment and
utilisation across a range of disciplines within a number of departments;
· Initiated an internal audit reviewing current estate, employee and equipment needs, identifying
weaknesses developing project proposals and evaluations to senior management. This led to
funding being secured to create a national centre of excellence in-line with current and future
strategic aims;
· Chair for all Health & Safety matters within the department. Reporting to senior managers on issues
arising within a variety of areas. Auditing all work carried out by sub-contractors, ensuring they
have the relevant training tickets/qualifications, and are competent in all matters relating to
health and safety while on site;
· Centre co-ordinator for the Quality Assurance systems, ensuring all regulatory awarding body
requirements are met and all documentation and record keeping meets the required standards.
Recently reviewed, developed and implemented a number of new processes that has resulted in
a 5% annual increase per year against set Key Performance Indicators ( KPI’s);
· Nationally recognised as sector specialist in the management and delivery of the City & Guilds Wind
Turbine Maintenance Course 2339-44 within the energy sector. Core member of Energy Skills
Partnership, National Skills Academy reviewing the development needs of engineers and
technicians for the sector. Seconded to the Scottish Government to review the skills shortage within
the energy sector and developed the ELRAH workforce paper (2012), identifying the workforce
needs for the energy sector over the next 5-10 years resulting in a new qualification for the industry.
2. Dec 2006 – June 2009: Head of School – Engineering & Technology, Lauder College
· Managed the development of the School of Engineering & Technology providing a strong vision
and direction for the School. Prepared and delivered the academic plan for the School and
communicated this effectively both internally and externally with all stakeholders;
· Contribute to strategic and operational objectives including provision and review of statistical
information, KPI’s, to senior management, developing SMART action plans and implementing
benchmarking against national standards, promoting and leading the quality improvement
throughout the department;
· Through consultation introduced programme departmental meetings, allowing employees to
understand internal & external factors influencing them and the business. This approach has
allowed the teams to develop into a successful, growing and positive environment to work in with all
stakeholders being able to contribute to the development of the department while achieving the
strategic and business aims of the department;
· Responsible for setting and meeting individual and team targets, through the Staff Development &
Career Review (SDCR) developing effective communication and working co-operatively with
employees to achieve organisational objectives;
· Provided leadership and direction for a number cross disciplined staff implementing strategies to
ensure their continued professional development. Where possible delegated authority to increase
performance of nominated employees to develop their skills in-line with College policy and
procedures, enabling succession planning and business continuity to be effective.
Nov 2003 – Dec 2006: Department Manager: Engineering & Apprentice Training, Institute of Applied
Technology
· Continuously reviewed the portfolio ensuring it incorporates up-to-date curricular initiatives and best
practice methodology. Maintaining the college wide quality standards;
· Liaised with local engineering employers and analysed local Labour Market Intelligence, resulting in
a rationalisation of curriculum delivery and ensured appropriate articulation pathways and delivery
from SCQF level 4 to 10, across all areas allowing efficient delivery in-line with key sector needs;
· Department lead on University education articulation. Responsible for developing key agreements
with a number of University providers allowing clear pathways for learners to achieve their goal;
· Identified staff training needs and develop to ensure that the department is kept abreast of new and
varied developments within mechanical engineering;
· Department co-ordinator for new and innovative approaches to learning within the engineering
environment. Instrumental in developing appropriate training packages allowing workforce
development within a number of sectors in Fife and UK wide;
· Using national industry standards continuously implement a benchmarking exercise with
appropriate smart action plans implemented to ensure quality and my vision can be achieved in all
areas within engineering.
Jan 2001 - Nov 2003: Lecturer in Mechatronics, Lauder College
· Produced and delivered the course materials at NC and HN level to mechanical, electrical &
electronic learners. Involved in the production of on-line learning materials;
· Industrial liaison officer for local engineering firms – identifying new needs within industry and
applying/modifying courses to suit demand;
· Department link in the development of the school/college partnership model, enabling young
learners to access engineering at a variety of stages;
· Through a variety of partnerships successfully ran Skills for Work programmes with a number of
local schools developing young learner’s skillsets for a range of employment opportunities.
July 1998 – Dec 2000: Technical Shift Leader, NEC Livingston
· Supervised 24 skilled and semi-skilled maintenance personnel, responsible to the Technical
Production Manager producing daily briefings to senior staff in the UK and Japan on issues relating
to production downtime. System specialist responsible for regularly monitoring and reporting on
the progress of work carried out, produced monthly reports identifying solutions to issues impacting
production;
· Experienced electrical/mechanical technical on-shift maintenance planner. Effectively planned all
on-shift activities and maintenance tasks of shift personnel under my control for a variety for a
3. variety of engineering systems providing fault diagnosis and defect rectification solutions where
necessary, ensuring all systems and plant is operated and maintained safely and effectively;
· Team leader taking the lead in the “Total Preventative Maintenance” team approach within NEC.
Identified projects, delegated tasks, set timescales for completion and updated senior management
on the cost, impact and benefit of a variety of projects. A number of projects resulted in a cost
saving in time and parts usage, resulting in a £40000 saving per month for the department. This
was highlighted as good practice and adopted across NEC;
· Directly liaised with internal and external bodies to affect the repair and maintenance of equipment
under my control to agreed timescales. Accountable for all aspects of Health & Safety of on shift
technical personnel and on-site contractors.
May 1984 – June 1998: Chief Petty Officer Marine Engineering Artificer, Royal Navy
· Senior Engineer advising staff on a range of engineering issues. Controlled the permit to work
system ensuring all integrity standards and procedures were followed carrying out audits ensuring
compliance. Liaised with internal and external bodies to affect the repair and maintenance of
equipment under my control. Advised on all technical matters to ships staff, contractors and
dockyard personnel;
· Extensive experience in planning de-commission, test and re-commissioning high integrity, high-energy
systems, liaising with third parties and client representatives to effect system readiness of
plant and systems. Carried out calibration of level one test equipment ensured that all Quality &
Assurance paperwork were completed correctly, records updated with the relevant design
department being informed when changes were completed;
· Senior technical specialist responsible for: Submarine Console Operations – responsible for high
integrity, high energy systems e.g. hydraulics, air and the control & instrumentation systems.
Reactor Panel Operations– controlled, operated and maintained electrical components and
instrumentation of a marine nuclear steam plant. Electrical Panel Operations – operated the
electrical distribution systems throughout a submarine. Main Machinery Space Operations -
operated steam turbines and auxiliary systems, such as distillation, air conditioning plants and
lubricating oil systems. Control Operator – responsible for the safe control of primary and secondary
reactor shut-down systems.
Qualfications
June 2000 Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) - Mechanical & Electronic Systems, Glasgow
Caledonian University
April 1998 Diploma in Engineering Management - University of Greenwich
June 1996 HNC Electronics & Electrical Engineering
December 1987 BTEC, City & Guilds Diploma in Engineering
Training
Oct 2014 IOSH Managing Safely Certificate
May 2014 Renewable UK Working at Heights qualification
January 2012 Elected Fellow - Institute of Mechanical Engineers
June 2009 Institute of Management Level 5 Qualification
June 2006 Elected Chartered Member - Engineering Council
May 2005 Senior External Verifier with SQA for Mechanical Engineering
June 2003 Awarded Teacher Qualification in Further Education
Sept 2001 D32 & D33 Awards Gained
September 1998 Elected Member - Institute of Incorporate Executive Engineers