
Matthew James
Team Leader
Profile
Software engineering leader with a strong background in delivering scalable applications, websites, and games. I specialise in building and leading high-performing teams, driving strategic initiatives, and aligning engineering outcomes with business goals - particularly within the Microsoft Web stack. I'm quietly confident, love a challenge, and always striving to grow. Also, I never say no to a good chicken parma.
Technical Skills
- C#
- HTML
- CSS
- SQL
- JavaScript
- TypeScript
- NodeJS
- PHP
- Java
- Bash / Shell
Applications
- Visual Studio
- MS SQL Studio
- AWS
- Azure
Experience
Freelance Full Stack Developer
2015 - Current
Providing end-to-end service for website, app and game development, I manage a variety of projects for clients across a range of industries.
- Collaborate directly with clients to identify where commercial value can be most effectively delivered - generating over $3M in revenue for clients.
- Guide clients through design and delivery phases, using iterative processes to drive business outcomes with 100% client satisfaction.
- Manage projects of varying lengths - from short-term (2 weeks) to long-term (4 years) engagements, never missing a delivery deadline.
- Actively volunteer, mentor, and support career development through organisations such as Griffith University, BrisJS, and Girls Can Code.
Squad Lead,
Reapit
2023 - Current
Leading the people management operations of the MMI Squad, I focus on strategic project delivery, team leadership, and maintaining a high standard of technical excellence.
- Established structured formal check-in processes to support team performance and engagement.
- I proactively developed a Technical Skills Matrix, which in addition to retaining a high-value, high flight-risk staff member also resulted in 100% positive team feedback.
- Mentor and teach team members - directly impacting the professional development of over 45 cross-functional staff.
- Efficiently allocate resources - ensuring the right people are assigned to the right job increasing the weekly release rate to 98% success.
- Real-time business reporting on developer time and efficiency per sprint.
- I successfully designed a developer allocation reporting template that improved transparency, resource planning, and deadline adherence.
- Manage incidents, including operational fixes and stakeholder communication - reducing stakeholder complaints by 35% YoY.
- Work closely with Product and other stakeholders, ensuring strategic initiatives are technically feasible and resourced by developers accordingly.
- Complex code development across .NET, Blazor, React, SQL and cloud platforms, code reviews, high-priority bug fixing, and ad hoc challenges.
Senior Developer,
PlaySide Studios
2022 - 2023
Managing two teams of programmers, I led the development of a cutting-edge Triple A multiplatform strategy game.
- Led front-end and back-end React UI team, overseeing technical delivery, team coordination, and process improvements, including coding standards, review strategies, and transparent reporting.
- Assisted in the creation of a Technical Skills Matrix and supported cultural initiatives to enhance team growth and career progression.
- Managed stakeholder relationships with major partner companies.
- Wrote, reviewed, and maintained TypeScript React code for Coherent Labs’ proprietary GameFace renderer.
- Collaborated with Product, Design, Graphics, Art, and UI teams to meet every delivery milestone.
Senior Web Developer,
InspectRealEstate
2022 - 2022
As the Senior Programmer in my team, I focused on managing the most technically complex projects.
- Led a greenfield .NET6 project, including the management of stakeholder relationships.
- Created the technical skeleton with industry-standard practices, such as CI/CD and automated testing.
- Delivered multiple presentations on various topics, including ElasticSearch, JavaScript and CSS.
- Collaborated with the Architecture, QA and Products teams to resolve issues and deliver business outcomes.
- Architected and implemented ElasticSearch auto-complete and suggestions for property search, including ETL processes with daily regression checks across two data stores.
- Worked daily with C# in both .NET Framework and .NET Core projects, and regularly used T-SQL on large monolithic relational databases.
Senior Full Stack Developer,
Real Serious Games
2021 - 2022
Acting in a leadership role reporting directly to the CTO, I contributed to the strategic direction, technical decision-making and development of a large scale React application.
- Established processes and tooling to improve web development practices, code quality, and onboarding.
- Modernised a large-scale React application, reducing technical debt and improving performance.
- Implemented CI pipelines for Unity and .NET Core projects using GitLab runners with an auto-scaling Docker+Machine setup, leveraging AWS spot instances to minimise costs.
- Built a server-client integrity system using Azure to enhance platform security and reliability.
- Worked full-stack utilising Postgres, .NET Core, React, TypeScript, ADB, AAPT, Bash, and PowerShell.
Senior Application Developer,
Urban Global
2018 - 2021
Operating in a leadership role reporting directly to the C-suite, I managed all development projects, including revenue generators, support tickets, compliance, resource allocation and ad hoc requests.
- Acted as the principal escalation point for key external accounts, managing high-level stakeholder relationships.
- Developed and implemented security policies covering data governance, breach response, and secure coding standards.
- Modernised a large .NET web application, reducing technical debt and significantly improving performance.
- Implemented Always Encrypted SQL across elastically scaled AWS EC2 instances to enhance data security.
- Maintained and extended AWS infrastructure, including Elastic Beanstalk environments, Lambda microservices, and DNS routing via Route 53.
- Delivered full-stack features using C#, .NET, MSSQL, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and Razor.
- Served as Database Administrator, designing schemas, writing stored procedures and triggers, and monitoring system performance.
Senior Web Developer,
Expose Media
2017 – 2018
Managing a small team, I developed custom websites for clients that successfully achieved their business targets.
- Managed direct client relationships with weekly meetings to drive resolution and alignment.
- Managed team performance, hiring and onboarding.
- Collaborated with Design, UX, and Product teams to shape website functionality and user experience.
- Delivered responsive web solutions using HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, C#, PHP, and database design.
- Worked across various hosting platforms, including Azure, Plesk, and Vultr.
IT Programmer,
SEMA Group
2016 – 2017
- Utilised Linux, Bash, SSH, Windows, Java, C# and various in-house languages.
- Operated under strict confidentiality for clients requiring work with legal or financial interests.
IT Programmer,
Forgotten Empires
2014 - 2016
- Worked at a multi-lingual games studio, communicating with businesses such as Microsoft and Steam.
- Worked on a large C, C# and .NET project from conception through to deployment.