Neil Balharrie Email & Phone Number

United Kingdom

As a hands-on technical leader, I spearheaded the development and subsequent management of a new product within the Dimensions CM suite delivering modern DevOps capabilities, including Git repository management, code review, pull requests, continuous integration, and agile planning.• 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Took the product from conception through 17 product releases.• 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Managed a remote team of 10 based in Ukraine.• 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Introduced a Docker-based integration test framework, enhancing automation coverage and test result visibility while reducing release times.• 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Implemented technologies such as Docker, TypeScript, and Angular.• 𝗦𝗮𝗮𝗦 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Architected the product for SaaS use on AWS.• 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀: Designed a message queuing and agent architecture for scalable continuous integration capabilities, including GitHub Actions emulation.• 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Guided the team through technology migrations: AngularJS to Angular, OpenText’s design system, and branding/SDLC updates.• 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: Conducted security analysis, triaged findings, and designed solutions for identified issues.• 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Built relationships with other product teams for seamless product integration.• 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀: Coordinated with external partners for penetration testing and localization of releases.• 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Engaged with customers to resolve issues and gather feedback through advisory boards.• 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: Assisted sales with product demos and communicating product benefits.• 𝗔𝗜 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Developed an LLM solution using generative AI for both local and cloud-based LLMs.• 𝗛𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: Won multiple “Hackathon” awards for across consecutive years.

United Kingdom

St Albans, United Kingdom

Micro Focus acquired Serena Software in May 2016.

St Albans, United Kingdom

Joined Serena to revitalize and enhance their Dimensions CM and Dimensions RM products, providing large-scale enterprises with a reliable and scalable software change and configuration management system.• 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: Led a new initiative within the Dimensions CM product, developing the proof of concept and collaborating with the VP of Development (ALM) to build the initial feature set. Played a key role in expanding the team as the product evolved from a prototype to a shipping solution.• 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀: Introduced Gulp, Less, TypeScript, and AngularJS for modern web UI features within Dimensions CM. Transitioned Dimensions RM from a CGI system to Tomcat, Java, and JavaScript.• 𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Improved UX within Dimensions CM, transforming it from a large corporate application to a modern interface through customer focus groups and prototyping.

Led the usability and architecture of Clearswift’s flagship Secure Email and Web Gateways, guiding them from inception to award-winning status. Collaborated closely with Product Management to ensure alignment with product requirements and the company's strategic vision.• 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗨𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Directed the development of Secure Email and Web Gateways, earning praise for ease of use in magazine and website reviews, and winning multiple industry awards.Innovative Policy Model: Developed a unique unified policy model allowing administrators to define and implement security policies across multiple protocols from a single interface.• 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺: Acted as a product champion and evangelist at all company levels, including the board.• 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: Led the team integrating a third-party encryption product into the Gateways, including technical liaison, project planning, and estimation.Prototyping and Feedback: Introduced low and high-fidelity mock-ups to communicate features to team members and customers, facilitating early feedback within the SCRUM process.• 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Overhauled the test environment by implementing a robust automated test framework for regression and system-level testing.• 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Developed the company's first iPhone companion app for the gateways, taking it from prototype to release on the Apple iTunes App Store.• 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Championed the adoption of Linux, JavaScript, Java, JSP, and AJAX within the product range and introduced Balsamiq for creating early low-fidelity mock-ups.

Initially joined to work on the calendaring features for the NET-TEL Windows email client, but quickly moved to become the lead developer for the MailGuard product range which formed the basis of a venture capital deal for NET-TEL.

Working within the X.400 and X.500 division of Firefox developing directory interface solutions including proof of concept systems on behalf of Novell.

Designed and developed test harnesses for flight hardware within small multi-discipline teams.

Software developer within the research programs for communication platforms. Developing test software and hardware to test the flight hardware for satellites.