James Basoo - Front-end developer

I am a creative front‑end developer with 15 years of experience, specialising in e‑commerce and web performance, currently focused on accessibility.

Email: jamesbasoo@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-basoo/
Phone: Available on request
Website: https://jamesbasoo.com
Location: London, UK. 10 years experience working remotely.

Experience

GPMD (E‑commerce Agency) - Front End Developer (2013 - Present)

I have contributed to innumerable D2C and B2B e‑commerce websites across many sectors, working with clients new to e‑commerce, ones looking to re-platform, and those needing to refresh their online presence. Some of the brands I have worked with include Muji, Japan Centre, NIP+FAB, Aram, Soho Home and Fenwick.

I often take the lead in research and development to keep us competitive in the ever changing technical landscape, and to upskill the team. In recent years I have been focused on web performance and accessibility, advising our clients on how best to serve their users and comply with regulations, as well as providing long‑term, technical strategy.

Developing bespoke themes and plugins/apps tailored to each client's specific e‑commerce needs
Developing in‑house starter themes and component libraries with common features to increase client theme development velocity
Creating and configuring automated developer tooling such as task runners, bundlers, and CI/CD
Auditing client websites to advise on how to improve user experience, reduce technical issues, and increase conversion rates
Collaborating with UI/UX designers, reviewing their designs to ensure technical and accessibility standards are met
Evaluating third-party plugins/apps to determine if they meet performance and accessibility requirements
Writing technical documentation for smoother team collaboration and user guides to help site editors create content
Mentoring and onboarding junior developers to help them improve through shadowing and pair-programming
Exploring the potential of apps/plugins as a secondary revenue stream, researching gaps in the market and developing proofs of concept

EstatesIT (Software/IT/Web Development) - Support Agent + Web Designer (2010 - 2013)

Initially my role included phone and online support for software for estate agents, as well as the hardware for local branches. This evolved into a design/development position where I was responsible for creating automated print media such as brochures and adverts for properties. This was where I re-discovered web design and joined the web team designing and developing websites driven by the in‑house software.

Responding to phone calls and emails, assisting customers with software bugs and knowledge gaps
Installing hardware including computers and networking gear, attending on-site call-outs to diagnose and address problems
Designing and building custom websites for estate agents to display available properties using legacy tools such as ASP and jQuery mobile