Simon Budden
Creative, practical, experienced.
Simon is a junior software engineer with 10 years experience of interpreting the European Union and analysing maritime security. He has a track record of managing innovative projects and collaborating with diverse stakeholders. He is well placed to communicate complex concepts and has a technical mind. Coding brings together the different strands of his career and passions.
After completing an intensive 16-week bootcamp he is looking to join an innovative development team where he can use his software training and experience while adding depth and breadth to his engineering skills.

| Project | Description | Tech/tools |
| ---------------------------- | ----------------- | ----------------- |
| TutorMatch | A web app to connect volunteer tutors and students. |
|
| Job scraper | A web scraper to tell me when companies advertise jobs on their vancancies pages. |
|
| Acebook Mobile | An iOS frontend for a social media app. |
|
Career & skills
Cyber security policy advisor
Dept. for Science, Innovation and Technology, London (April to Oct. 2023)
- Developed new UK internet of things cyber security legislation and collaborated on implementation of enforcement regime.
Maritime security policy advisor
Dept. for Transport, London (Sept. 2020 to April 2023)
- Documentation • security: Drafted and researched security instructions to ports, including updated cyber security policy.
- Stakeholder management: Established network of European counterparts.
- Industry engagement • analysis • compliance: Delivered review of maritime security legislation, including GDPR-compliant industry survey with 93% response increase on previous survey.
- Problem solving: Interpreted novel legislation and designed workflow for enforcement that generated national headlines.
- Time management • attention to detail: Drafted and shepherded frequent submissions to ministers on sensitive issues, ensuring accuracy of advice.
- Calls to tender: Evaluated public sector tenders, identifying value for money.
Communications officer
European Parliament, Brussels (June 2015 to Sept. 2020)
- Website development: Collaborated on the re-development of visitor website, defining requirements to showcase facilities.
- Customer focus • communication: Developed engaging B2C and B2B comms materials for website and newsletters, print materials, and visitor facilities; providing modern, compelling and clear information to audiences, and ensuring consistent voice across platforms.
- Public speaking: Presented to visitor groups, explaining and interpreting the parliament’s history, processes and impact.
- Leadership: Organised team-building day for 120 colleagues, empowering a six-person team to develop ideas and deliver meaningful activities for the launch of our new division.
- Project management • stakeholder management: Implemented and managed high-visibility initiatives to improve parliament campus.
Education
Makers Academy (Oct. 2023 to Feb. 2024)
- Coding foundations module covering basics of coding and programmes' structure and cloud deployment

- Software development module focusing on JavaScript and web applications, including RESTful APIs and agile group projects Acebook; Acebook Mobile; and TutorMatch;

- The course underscored the importance of modern software development practices such as using
and
, pair programming, test-driven development, object oriented programming, debugging processes/ problem solving, and agile methodologies.
M.A. European Political & Governance Studies, College of Europe, Belgium
B.A. Modern Languages & European Studies, University of Bath, UK