Jack Francis

Technical Consultant

07981 033 555

AT vertEX

I joined Vertex in June 2017 as a Junior Database Administrator alongside working for my degree in Computer Science. Initially my work consisted of customer support, coding, report development and maintaining ETL packages. However, as time has gone on, my role has morphed into being responsible for maintaining client relationships and performing heavier development work including Data Warehouses, ETL packages, SQL, complex reports and dashboards.

Day to day, my work consists of gathering requirements from clients, developing datasets according to these specifications and then producing dashboards with various visualisations according to client specifications. Most of this work is done in tools such as Microsoft SQL Server for the data side, Power BI and Mobile Dashboard for the visualisations and dashboards and Python for any further small tweaks that must be made.

Generally, I enjoy all aspects of the job, but the aspect I enjoy the most is the development side. I really enjoy taking the raw data and developing it into a format that the client can use to gain insights into their business and as such make better business decisions. This may involve simply manipulating the data into a useful dataset or creating a full-blown dashboard with visualisations and drilldowns.

AT HOME

I'm partial to a competitive video game on multiple platforms
When I need a screen break, I'm often found on my bike and love to explore new cycling routes

Project Highlights

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

May 2020 - July 2022

Northamptonshire Council

January 2018 - Current

Gateshead Council

September 2021

Whilst working at Dudley we overhauled their entire LiquidLogic -based reporting setup using SQL, SSMS, SSRS and Power BI. The new system created contains over 100 new critical reports which provide deeper insight and helps them to make better business decisions.

I take part in a long running maintenance contract with Northamptonshire Council which consists of maintaining a large reporting suite against Carefirst and Eclipse, which my colleagues built. This role also involves maintaining the large and high complex ETL load and ensuring that the data quality checks we implemented are working correctly and ensuring the accuracy of the data loaded.

I along with two colleagues were brought in on a short-term contract in order to assess report readiness of their new Mosaic system. In this role, I gained further experience of not only using the Mosaic system but also how to report effectively using it. In this role, we worked closely with the performance team in order to provide them with feedback and advise them on any potential issues that may arise. As part of this work, I produced a readiness report using Business Objects so that any issues could be seen quickly and informatively.