Steven Wood
Summary
I am a Technical Manager and Software Engineering Leader with 14+ years of experience delivering complex, high-reliability software systems in regulated and scientific domains, including machine vision, forensic science, scientific imaging, and immigration platforms.
I have led multidisciplinary engineering teams and shaped technical strategy, successfully introducing Agile and DevOps practices to improve delivery performance, quality, and scalability. I have owned end-to-end product delivery across the full lifecycle, from concept and requirements through to deployment and long-term operational support.
I bring a combination of hands-on engineering expertise and leadership capability, with strong proficiency in C#, .NET, C++, Python, SQL, and modern distributed software architectures.
My domain expertise includes machine vision and image-processing systems such as forensic imaging, document authentication, spectroscopy, microscopy, and biometric analysis technologies.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Head of Software
Projectina AG
Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
05.2023 - Current
- Founded and scaled the company’s first dedicated software engineering function, building the team from the ground up to establish an internal engineering capability.
- Owned overall software strategy, architecture, and technology roadmap, ensuring alignment between technical direction and business objectives.
- Led a strategic transformation from an outsourced development model to a fully in-house engineering organization, improving product ownership, delivery speed, technical quality, and long-term maintainability.
- Designed and delivered a modular, scalable software platform supporting multiple products across the company’s portfolio, enabling improved reuse and faster feature delivery.
- Established and embedded modern software engineering practices, including Agile delivery, CI/CD, coding standards, code review processes, and quality assurance frameworks.
- Acted as the primary technical authority for software across the organization, providing architectural governance and decision-making on key technology choices.
- Partnered with senior leadership and the board to present technical strategy, investment proposals, and delivery roadmaps, translating technical decisions into business impact.
- Built a culture of engineering ownership and accountability while maintaining a hands-on leadership style, contributing directly to architecture, design, and critical implementation of work.
- Improved cross-functional collaboration between engineering, product stakeholders, and external customers through clearer technical direction and improved delivery processes.
Head of Software
Regency Hampers Ltd
Pershore, Worcestershire
08.2022 - 05.2023
- Led development and ongoing evolution of business-critical e-commerce platforms and back-office systems.
- Directed architecture and development of web applications, backend services, and database systems supporting core business operations.
- Managed external technology suppliers and development partners, ensuring delivery quality, cost control, and adherence to technical standards.
- Provided cross-domain technical leadership across software, infrastructure, and networking environments, ensuring secure, reliable, and scalable operations.
- Acted as the primary technical authority for software-related decisions, laying the foundation for later progression into full Head of Software Engineering responsibility.
Core Software Lead
Foster and Freeman Ltd
Evesham, Worcestershire
06.2014 - 07.2022
- Led a multidisciplinary software engineering department of up to 14 engineers, including graduate developers, senior software engineers, machine vision specialists, software test engineers, and embedded software engineers.
- Developed engineers at all career stages, from graduates through to senior technical specialists, fostering technical growth and leadership capability within the team.
- Introduced Scrum methodologies and modern software engineering practices, improving delivery consistency and cross-team collaboration.
- Implemented Azure DevOps, Git-based workflows, structured code reviews, and quality assurance processes to strengthen engineering standards and delivery reliability.
- Established a formal software development lifecycle, significantly improving predictability, product quality, and on-time delivery performance.
- Led delivery of multiple major forensic imaging and machine vision products, consistently meeting release schedules and receiving strong customer and market feedback.
- Delivered complex software solutions for document authentication, passport examination, latent fingerprint enhancement, microscopy, and spectral imaging applications.
- Collaborated closely with optical, electronics, firmware, and mechanical engineering teams to deliver tightly integrated hardware-software systems.
Software Engineer
Masco UK Window Group
Treorchy, Mid Glamorgan
12.2013 - 06.2014
- Developed internal manufacturing and order management software.
- Designed and maintained database-driven applications supporting business operations.
Software Tester
Allpay Ltd
Hereford, Herefordshire
11.2012 - 12.2013
- Executed functional, integration, and non-functional testing for high-security payment systems to ensure compliance and reliability.
- Developed and implemented test plans aligned with business requirements to validate software performance and security.
Education
Master of Science - Computing
The Open University
Remote01-2020
Bachelor of Science - Digital Forensics
University of Glamorgan
South Wales01-2012
A-Levels -
Hereford Sixth Form College
Hereford01-2009
Skills
- C#, C, Python, Java, Scripting
- Avalonia UI, WPF, Winforms
- SQL, MySQL, SQL Server, SQLite
- Dot Net Framework / Core
- HTML
- Project Management
- Agile Scrum
- Team Leadership
Additional Information
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-w-5384553a
Languages
English
First Language
German
Beginner
A1
Certification
- ILM Level 3, Leadership and Management
Interests
- Space / Astronomy
- Reading
- Modern and Classical History
- Guitar
- Pub Quizzes
Timeline
Head of Software
Projectina AG
05.2023 - Current
Head of Software
Regency Hampers Ltd
08.2022 - 05.2023
Core Software Lead
Foster and Freeman Ltd
06.2014 - 07.2022
Software Engineer
Masco UK Window Group
12.2013 - 06.2014
Software Tester
Allpay Ltd
11.2012 - 12.2013
Master of Science - Computing
The Open University
Bachelor of Science - Digital Forensics
University of Glamorgan
A-Levels -
Hereford Sixth Form College