Luke Palmer

As a Cloud Pre-Sales Engineer, it was my role to help partners whether that be, they are taking their first steps into Azure or having great technical knowledge. My role was to help work on both existing and new customers to help the partner win new deals, ensuring the opportunity was completed. Some of the key tasks I deliver as part of my role are:

• Azure sales training (current trends, best ways to market, conversation openers)
• Technical training/ workshops
• Pricing, scoping & recommending solutions, based on conversations with the partner and there customer
• On-site & virtual meetings
• Arranging & co-hosting events
• Troubleshooting Azure problems
• Helping partners optimise environments to save costs
• Supporting account managers in any Azure deals
• Working with partners to achieve Solution Designations

• I was the project lead, for migrating the whole of the Council's server estate to Azure, key elements of this role were: Project Management, Management, Have calls with software vendors to gain an understanding of the business application, Understand the future plans from the service area for the business system i.e
• Is this going externally hosted, was there plans to decommission the software, Create a migration plan and speak with stakeholders within the relevant service areas to make the migration happen, Running a POC with a select few users prior to full migration, Facilitate bi-weekly calls for 6 weeks after the migration to ensure no issues are occurring and the business application is running as it should, Enforcing tagging in Azure, for specific service areas, to enable a more accurate costing on spend per service area

• Leading of 2 of the Council's key ICT Projects
• These were the WorkSmart Project, which was to enable Remote workers to work more effectively, by replacing desktop PC's with Laptops
• This would enable more effective working patterns and stop the unnecessary trips into the office to complete paperwork
• The 2nd Project was to replace every Council device from Windows 7 to Windows 10
• In doing this, I managed a team of 12
• Key tasks in these roles were: Managing staff, Managing staffing & hardware budgets, Managing stock levels, Putting tenders out for hardware, Putting together a work schedule for deployment, Ensuring corporate images were installed on all devices including relevant software required, Overseeing handover of devices on-site
• Ensuring colleagues were set up correctly and they are happy with the handover.

• My role was a Business Application owner, the key responsibilities of this role where: Key contact within ICT for specific service areas, Owning all business applications relevant to the service areas I supported, Planning upgrades or maintenance windows with the service areas for the applications, Implementing an Asset Management process, issuing training to relevant colleagues along with maintaining the process and ensuring colleagues were following it.

• The key responsibilities of this role where: Asset Management for all hardware (excluding servers), Undertaking spot dip-checks to ensure the Asset register is up to date, Replacing MDT Imaging server with SCCM, Technical Lead for a MDM project, upgrading to smart phones & tablets, Supervising junior staff & apprentices

• The key responsibilities of this role where: Technical Lead on a Windows Phone rollout project, Lead person for imaging iPads and tablets, General 2nd line support queries, Service Desk queries

• The key responsibilities of this role where: Assisting PA's and Corporate Directors at the Council, Responding to emails, minuting meetings, Covering PA's when they are on leave

• The key responsibilities of this role where: Arranging meetings, travel and accommodation, Ensuring all post is correct opened and logged, Ensuring stock was actively checked and ordered when running low

• The key responsibilities of this role where: Arranging meetings, travel and accommodation, Ensuring all post is correct opened and logged, Ensuring stock was actively checked and ordered when running low