Curriculum Vitae

Matthew P Slater

image of my email address freelance caucasian male 36yrs single Geneva informatics
online image Swiss Mobile:
+41 792 501353
Current Situation: Freelance web site expert in Geneva, working mostly with non-profits and restrictive budgets. Drupal expert specialising in information architecture, module development and community currencies

Skills

  • Requirements analysis & information architecture Understanding from users and managers what is required of a system, and communicating this in technical or non-technical terms.
  • Building web sites Web 2.0 sites built quickly. Emphasis on clear requirements, and enabling the client to take control of the functioning web site.
  • Building relationships Inspiring trust in long-term formal and informal relationships, face to face and online. Listening and understanding.
  • Information Technology Web site programming, content management, Drupal, php, html, mysql, MS Office, hardware & software support, systems administration.
  • Training & Presenting Various subjects especially computing. Noted for patience in one-to-one training and confident public speaking.
  • Teamwork Communicating closely with colleagues to maximise efficiency and promote holistic understanding of the project. Making contributions with humility, verifying understanding, and valuing the contributions of others.

Work History

Consulting, current or recent
COHRED, DCAF, IFRC, Navigator Communications, Provention Consortium, SDC-HA, Shelter Centre. Helping with requirements, specification and implementation of content management systems.
October 2006 - September 2007, IFRC
Assistant at Shelter Centre Geneva. Project managing Content Management System implementation, drafting Request for Proposal which won the attention of a high profile Drupal Developer, information management, web site management, user support, sysadmin.
Feb 2006 - September 2006, Shelter Centre
Full time assistant at Shelter Centre providing sysadmin, prototyping, vision, and document drafting.
August 2004 - Feb 2006, Shelter Centre
Near full-time volunteer at Shelter Centre: systems administration and software design and development; leading a volunteer software team.
Various work to support volunteering. Software tutorials for students with learning disabilities, building and maintaining various web sites. Office management for WW Glass Resource. Interned with London thinktank the Fabian Society
April 2003 - July 2003, ATD Fourth World
Volunteer in 3 month introductory program; drafted response to government white paper on antisocial behaviour; organised policy forums to involve the poorest in politics; befriending and assisting family members; + system administration and other computer support.
Response to government white paper.
Simplification of Antisocial Behaviour White paper into questions for clients. Interviewing, write-up and publication of final response.
Network administration
included looking after user accounts, troubleshooting and upgrading hardware and software.
Policy Forums
Preparation, participation, transcription, summarisation of discussions on issues relevant to people living in poverty.
Befriending
e.g. Listening, driving people to and from meetings, drinking coffee.
Computer Tutorials
including home visits to disabled person to introduce her to voice recognition and basic PC management. Introductions of other volunteers to voice recognition and word processing.
Manual work
Supervising group work, and participating alongside clients and volunteers in tasks like gardening and painting.
Aug 1999 - Dec 2002
Freelance Shockwave programming. Making arcade games for websites such as Ben & Jerry's UK and Aberlour Whisky. Working closely with graphic designer and project co-ordinator, but online communication
May 2000 - July, Radio B2-92
Sub-Editing news items and reading them on air from a secret studio in Belgrade
1997-2000
Learning, employment in multimedia production, and eventually freelance Shockwave games programming.
Mar 99 - July
Crashplane Studios. Programmer of promotional CD-ROMs for design business. Part of a team creating video, 3D work and screensavers for local business.
Feb 98 - Aug
Cloudscan Services. Multimedia production for BBC, Mars, Swiss Re, and other corporate clients. Many routine tasks, graphics processing, powerpoint mock-ups, editing sound files etc.
Jan - April 1996
Tabor High School, Braintree. Part of a PGCE, teaching 2/3 timetable with full teacher status. Responsible for lesson preparation, and delivery, taking feedback from observing tutor.
Aug 1996 - July 1997
Production manager in family manufacturing business. running and maintaining injection moulding machines. Responsible for quality control.

Education

2006
Three day course to use Plone Content Management System
1997
Plymouth College of Art & Design, Certificate in Multimedia
1995-96
Homerton College, Cambridge. PGCE Religious Studies (withdrew)
1994
Edinburgh Language Foundation CTEFLA Grade C
1990-93
Cardiff University, BD Theology (Hons), 2/2
1988-90
'A' Levels (two years three subjects) - English B, Maths C, Business D

Other activities

Alternative Currency Trading
Built Drupal module to support LETS schemes; currently implementing it for Geneva.
Travel
India: 15 months beaching, programming, biking, meditating;
Serbia: For Around a year in total. Had lots of time for experimentation in coding.
US, South Africa, Israel, Hungary, Thailand, Morocco: hanging out, scraping by, little tourism (1-3 months each).
This is the formal cv. For examples of work and other tidbits, click here.