I have published my CV below to give prospective clients and employers a better idea of my skill set. I am currently available for both full-time and part-time work.
A bit about me
After attaining my MSc in Marine Biology with distinction at UCT, I entered the workplace where I gained experience in graphic design, DTP, web administration, e-marketing design and online strategy. In 2010, I decided to improve skills by studying software development, specialising in web application development, incorporating scripting languages and advanced HTML and CSS. At UCT, I won the university-wide Keswick Prize for lucidity in technical writing and am highly proficient in written English.
I am a dedicated and reliable employee who is deadline-driven and happy to put in extra time to ensure a successful outcome. I have worked in diverse environments, am flexible, have many skills and am always looking to acquire more. I love a challenge, am highly motivated and work best under pressure. I am resourceful, intelligent, creative and very quick to learn. I believe these qualities make me an asset to my employers. I very much enjoy working as part of a team, but am equally at home running my own projects.
Contact me
Phone: +27 (0)72 141 7007
Email: niki@neuromedia.co.za
Facebook: Niki McQueen
Twitter: @wikidnix
Summary of skills
WEB: design, web development (both front and back end), web administration, content generation, information architecture and beginning to end project management.
GRAPHIC AND DIGITAL DESIGN: including logo and CI design as well as Flash and web graphics
PRINT: design and layout, mainly posters, pamphlets and booklets
PHOTOGRAPHY and photo retouching
PEOPLE: hiring, managing & training staff.
ADMIN: office administration and general logistics and planning
WORDS: copywriting and editing for web and print
E-MARKETING: Strategy, campaign management, use of bulk mail, SMS, MMS infrastructure
ANALYSIS: data and database management, analysis and reporting
Technical proficiencies
Software
MS Office - expert
Dreamweaver CS5.5 – expert
Photoshop CS5.5 – expert
Indesign CS5.5 – expert
Flash CS5.5 – skilled
Fireworks CS5.5 – novice
Illustrator CS5.5 - novice
Web Languages
CSS & HTML – expert
CSS3, HTML5 – skilled
PHP & MySQL – intermediate
JQuery – intermediate
Javascript – novice
Ajax – novice
Web technologies
phpMyAdmin – advanced
WordPress – intermediate
Education
2011: City Varsity – Web Application Development
2010: CTI – Software Engineering and UML, Programme Design, Processing and Logic Concepts
2011: Ambutek - Basic Ambulance Assistant (I am registered as BLS (basic life support) with the HPCSA)
2006: City Varsity – Comprehensive Desktop Publishing
2006: The Creative Train – Adobe Indesign
2005: CTI – Dreamweaver Basics
2002: University of Cape Town - MSc with distinction. (Marine biology)
1999: University of Cape Town – BSc. Hons. (Zoology)
1997: University of Cape Town – BSc. (Zoology and Botany)
1993: Herschel Senior School – Senior Certificate – Aggregate: A (Higher Grade)
Previous work experience
Period: March 2010 – present: Owner and head designer of Neuromedia
Period: Jan 2012 – present: Sales and marketing Administrator (on retainer)
Client: St James Software
Responsibilities: Tasked with re-branding, both corporate and digital. Producing a new Corporate Identity for St James, including logo, stationary and all other relevant material. Redesigning the company’s 2 websites (works in progress), including rewriting all the content and redesigning all technical diagrams on both sites. Producing corporate brochures and advertising material.
Period: June 2011 – March 2012: Digital media
Client: Herdbuoys éKapa
Responsibilities: Tasked with setting up a digital division within the agency, general web development and digital design including Flash advertising, microsites, HTML newsletters, mobile websites and advertorials.
Period: Jan 2006 – 2010: Online Marketing and Design Manager
Employer: Democratic Alliance – Relationship management; By-elections, Campaigns & Procurement
Responsibilities: Website administration and design; graphic design and DTP; social media marketing
Period: Oct 2005 –March 2006: Head of Polling Research
Employer: BW market surveys (on behalf of and run by the DA)
Responsibilities: Designed, headed up and analysed polling research over the campaign period of the 2006 municipal elections. Set up polling enterprise from ground up including hiring, training and managing staff
Period: Jan 2004 – Jan 2006: Internal Communications Officer
Employer: Democratic Alliance – Internal Communications
Responsibilities: Website administrator, writing and editing and sending a weekly html newsletter (>100 000 readers), maintaining and expanding mailing lists; answering all correspondence from the website.
Period: Oct 2003 – Dec 2003: Data Capturer and Analyst
Employer: Democratic Alliance
Responsibilities: Data Capturer and Analyst
Period: Sept 2002 – Oct 2003: Office Administrator
Employer: PIAB (Pty) Ltd
Responsibilities: Executive secretary, receptionist, general office administrator
References
Johan van der Berg
Director of polling, canvassing and innovation, Democratic Alliance
Last contact – Present
082 903 7233
johanv@da.org.za
Paul Boughey
Head of Educaton Ministry, Western Cape
Last contact – Jan 2010
082 903 7233
paulboughey@gmail.com
Michaela Anderson
Senior Interactive Designer & UI Design Lecturer.
Last contact -present
www.michaelarose.co.za
083 775 5810
michaelaa@gmail.com
Duncan Wares
Executive director
Herdbuoys ékapa
Last contact -present
021 700 7620
duncanw@herdbuoys.com
Tesitmonials
Regan Jules-Macquet
Project Manager at NICRO
“I have worked with Niki both at the Democratic Alliance and in the capacity of her web design business.
I have found Niki to be a very capable and professional person who takes her work very seriously. She has good interpersonal skills and manages her projects well. She delivers work at a high standard.
I am very pleased with the website she developed for my employer. The new website is clean, interactive, light and easy to navigate. She costed the work at a very reasonable rate and the result was a professional and effective website.
I can strongly recommend Niki for the development of websites.” (2011)
Anthony Hazell
Head of Housing Ministry in the Western Cape
“Niki shows great commitment in being very willing to work long hours to meet high pressure deadlines. Her greatest strength in our department is in her design work. She has an excellent
eye for colour combinations and use of space, and shows great skill in translating a brand and corporate identity into final marketing materials – be they print or electronic.” (2010)
Paul Boughey
Head of Education Ministry in the Western Cape
“In the time that I have worked with Niki, I came to know her as a caring person, who is passionate, creative and imaginative in her work. Her aptitude for design in particular is very impressive.” (2010)