Kevin Isom

Dynamic and seasoned Tech Lead and Principal Engineer with over 20 years of comprehensive experience in driving technological innovation and leading high-performing teams. Renowned for executing complex technical projects with precision, I bring a blend of deep technical expertise and a strong focus on impactful delivery. Passionate about mentoring and developing talent, I excel in fostering environments where technology solutions not only meet but exceed business objectives. With a proven track record in start-ups and scale-ups, I am adept at navigating fast-paced, evolving landscapes, delivering solutions that propel organizational growth and technological excellence.

Summary of My Expertise

Technical Proficiency.
Deep expertise in full-stack development, including JavaScript, Node.js, React, AWS, Docker, and DevOps practices. Proficient in building scalable, high-performance systems and continuous integration and deployment.
Leadership and Team Development.
Proven ability in leading and nurturing high-performing technical teams. Skilled in mentoring and fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation in tech environments.
Project Management.
Strong project management skills with a focus on Agile methodologies. Experienced in overseeing project lifecycles, from conception through to deployment and post-launch support.
Strategic Planning.
Adept at aligning technical strategies with business objectives, ensuring that tech solutions enhance organizational performance and growth.
Innovation and Problem Solving.
Demonstrated ability to innovate and think strategically in solving complex problems. Committed to staying at the forefront of technological advancements.
Communication and Collaboration.
Excellent communicator, able to translate complex technical concepts into understandable terms for non-technical stakeholders. Collaborative team player, adept at working across various departments to achieve common goals.
Community Engagement.
Active contributor and leader in tech communities, sharing knowledge through speaking engagements and mentorship.

Experience

Staff Engineer & Development Manager | CONQA
Mar 2022 – Mar 2024
  • Led the design and implementation of high-performance, scalable systems, and microservice APIs, enhancing system reliability and user experience.
  • Spearheaded front-end development projects, integrating applications with multiple microservices for streamlined operations.
  • Championed customer-centric design principles, creating user experience wireframes that significantly reduced the need for customer service intervention.
  • Fostered a culture of quality and efficiency in software development, implementing DevOps practices and advocating for robust testing methodologies.
  • Managed and mentored a multidisciplinary software team, encouraging collaboration, skill development, and ownership of software products.
  • Oversaw the prioritization and assignment of work tasks, ensuring timely delivery of new features and continuous improvement in application performance, quality, and analytics.
Technical Lead | Next Chapter Studio
Nov 2020 – Mar 2022
  • Led the recruitment and formation of a proficient remote engineering team, fostering a strong product development culture.
  • Played a pivotal role in mentoring and guiding developers, focusing on their professional development and skill enhancement.
  • Instrumental in shaping and modeling the culture of the team and company, ensuring alignment with organizational values and goals.
  • Designed and articulated technical systems and solutions, providing clear direction and support for implementation by developers.
  • Established robust monitoring protocols for production systems to ensure high performance and reliability.
  • Coordinated effectively with multiple third-party entities, ensuring seamless product launches and integration.
Technical Lead & Senior Engineer | Spark NZ – Spark Sport & Lightbox
Sep 2018 – Nov 2020
  • Spearheaded as the first in-house engineer at Spark Sport, leading the design and architecture of systems alongside a third-party platform. Simultaneously managed solutions development at Lightbox.
  • Engineered and implemented front-end applications integrated with third-party APIs, enhancing user interaction and service functionality across both platforms.
  • Led the adoption of continuous integration and deployment systems, significantly increasing deployment frequency and improving code quality.
  • Directed the development and integration of new features based on business requirements, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and user needs.
  • Mentored and guided development teams, establishing best practices and fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
  • Oversaw and enhanced application performance, quality, and stability, introducing advanced techniques like feature flags, A/B testing, and troubleshooting performance bottleneck.
Senior Technical Lead & Solution Architect | Centrality
Nov 2017 - Sep 2018
  • Led the design of scalable and high-performance systems and API solutions.
  • Improved application performance, quality, and analytics.
Lead Web & API Developer | Muzooka
Oct 2016 - Nov 2017
  • Managed Amazon Web Services infrastructure and developed API solutions.
  • Implemented Continuous Integration and Deployment pipelines.
Lead Web Platform Developer | InSpark Technologies Ltd.
Jul 2015 - Oct 2016
  • Architected and built custom web applications for healthcare data management.
  • Managed server setups and network infrastructure on AWS.
Senior Development Engineer | Pushpay
Apr 2014 - Jul 2015
  • Developed build tooling for front-end assets and oversaw production code management.
  • Guided front-end development best practices and architecture.
Development Manager | Terabyte Interactive
Nov 2013 - Apr 2014
  • Established development standards and evaluated staff for improvement programs.
  • Managed production code and provided architectural guidance.
Senior Web Developer | The Wynyard Group
Oct 2012 - Nov 2013
  • Developed common modules and libraries for product suite and provided architectural guidance.
  • Designed initial web applications to transition from Silverlight to HTML5.
Senior Developer & Systems Architect | Orion Health
Jun 2010 - Jun 2012
  • Developed common front-end library components and modularized CSS using SASS.
  • Designed Client Side Message Bus and developed tools to assist developers.
Senior Developer/Team Lead | Affinity Id (formally Proximity Id)
Oct 2008 - Jun 2010
  • Led architecture and development of targeted digital campaigns and managed developer teams.
  • Implemented scalable systems and automated deployment for web application.
Chief Software Architect & Technical Director | Clone NZ
Feb 2008 – Oct 2008
  • Architected custom CMS solutions and managed development teams.
  • Implemented Scrum methodology and developed client-side security protocols.
Web Developer | DMD Internet
Apr 2007 - Feb 2008
  • Designed and developed B2B e-commerce solutions and integrated them with client systems.
  • Enhanced applications with AJAX and jQuery for improved user experience.
Web Developer | WebSol/KoComm an Intuto subsidiary
Jun 2005 - Apr 2007
  • Led design and development of a Learning Management System and migrated legacy applications to ASP.Net.
  • Developed learning management solutions and reporting systems using SQL Server 2005.
Web Developer/Web Master | Diocesan School for Girls
Aug 2000 - Jun 2005
  • Developed and maintained intranet systems and n-tier business applications.
  • Migrated databases to SQL Server and developed custom Learning Management Systems.
Assistant Manager | iHug
Mar 1999 - Jul 2000
  • Managed a team of twelve, training staff and overseeing store operations.
  • Designed user manuals for POS systems and engaged in customer and supplier relations.

Technical Skills

Programming Languages & Frameworks:
  • Advanced proficiency in JavaScript and TypeScript.
  • Experienced in C#, Java, Python, PHP, Ruby, and .Net.
  • Front-end development with ReactJS, React-Native, Angular and Vanilla JS.
  • Backend development expertise with Node.js and Ruby on Rails.
Web Technologies:
  • Expert in web development technologies including HTML5, CSS3, SASS, SCSS, LESS.
  • Skilled in creating responsive and accessible web designs.
Cloud Computing & Services:
  • In-depth knowledge of Amazon Web Services (AWS) for scalable cloud solutions.
  • Experience with serverless architectures and cloud-native development.
Database Management:
  • Proficient in both SQL and NoSQL databases including MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and DynamoDB.
  • Expertise in database design, optimization, and management.
DevOps & Continuous Integration/Deployment:
  • Proficient in Docker for containerization and Kubernetes for orchestration.
  • Skilled in setting up and maintaining CI/CD pipelines using tools like Jenkins, CircleCI, and GitLab CI.
API Development & Integration:
  • Extensive experience in designing RESTful APIs.
  • Integration of third-party APIs and microservices architecture.
Software Architecture:
  • Solid background in software architecture planning, including microservices and monolithic architectures.
  • Experience in architectural patterns, design principles, and creating scalable applications.
Testing & Quality Assurance:
  • Skilled in automated testing frameworks like Jest, Mocha, Cypress, and Selenium.
  • Commitment to TDD and BDD methodologies for high-quality software development.
Agile & Project Management:
  • Proficient in Agile methodologies, Scrum, and Kanban for effective project management.
  • Experienced in leading Agile teams and facilitating sprint planning, retrospectives, and daily stand-ups.
Security & Performance Optimization:
  • Knowledgeable in web and software security best practices.
  • Proficient in performance tuning and optimization for high-traffic applications.

Community Engagement