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James Knowles
Web Developer

Mid-level developer specialising in WordPress and Shopify, with a focus on custom WooCommerce builds, performance optimisation, and scalable ecommerce solutions. Based in Manchester, working agency-side.

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Toolbox
Core Skills

Languages

HTML5 SCSS JavaScript jQuery PHP

Platforms

WordPress WooCommerce Shopify

Infrastructure

MySQL Linux Performance Maintenance
Certified
Certifications
Shopify Development Fundamentals Certificate

Shopify Development Fundamentals

Verified skill covering Shopify theme architecture, Liquid templating, and storefront development best practices.

Shopify Academy · academy.shopify.com
Career
Experience
July 2024 – Present
Mid-Level Web Developer
Pixelkicks / PushON
  • Development on custom WordPress and Shopify builds
  • Bespoke WooCommerce functionality for complex ecommerce requirements
  • Shopify theme development using Liquid and JavaScript
  • Performance, accessibility, and Core Web Vitals optimisation
  • Staging/production workflow management and deployments
  • Built sites using ACF blocks in a custom theme architecture
  • Championed code reviews, modern standards, and best practices
Aug 2022 – June 2024
Junior Web Developer
Factory Pattern
  • Built and maintained multiple WordPress websites to a consistent, high standard
  • Developed custom WooCommerce functionality including variable products, checkout flows, and order logic
  • Deepened working knowledge of the WordPress ecosystem: theme hierarchy, hooks, custom post types, and taxonomies
  • Wrote clean, maintainable PHP and SCSS across a growing portfolio of client projects
  • Worked with ACF to create flexible, editor-friendly content structures
  • Managed multiple client projects simultaneously, improving estimation and time-management skills
  • Collaborated with designers and project managers to translate briefs into reliable, tested builds
Aug 2021 – May 2022
Apprentice Web Developer
Toolkit Websites
  • Created custom websites on a proprietary CMS using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
  • Front-line support desk handling inbound calls, emails, and tickets from a large client base
  • Diagnosed and resolved website, email, and DNS issues under time-sensitive SLAs
  • Built strong client communication skills, translating technical problems into clear, reassuring updates
  • Developed a methodical troubleshooting approach across hosting, domains, and CMS platforms
  • Balanced support workload with ongoing development tasks, sharpening prioritisation and multitasking
September 2017
Work Experience
Overt Software Solutions
  • Set up a full LAMP (Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP) web server stack
  • Configured Proxmox hypervisor on physical hardware
  • Provisioned virtualised server environments
Work
Selected Projects
Three Counties Showground

A WordPress Multisite network with a shared parent theme and per-event child themes styled to each brand's guidelines. The project was heavily UX-driven, with the design phase focused on maximising ticket enquiry conversions across all sites.

WordPress Multisite UX Conversion Optimisation
Gazeboshop

One of the largest WooCommerce projects I've delivered, featuring complex product variations and bespoke functionality. The product detail pages required careful UX consideration to present dense specification data in a clear, conversion-friendly layout.

WooCommerce Complex Variations
Phoenix Health

A custom WordPress build powered by ACF for flexible content management. The design-heavy nature of the project pushed me to refine my SCSS architecture and deepen my approach to responsive, mobile-first layouts.

WordPress ACF
Spirit of Yorkshire

My first WordPress build in a professional setting. I developed the variable product pages and contributed blocks across the site, collaborating closely with a senior developer to deliver a polished ecommerce experience.

WooCommerce Product Pages
Squashed Robot

A WordPress brochure site built with ACF for structured content management. The creative-led design called for precise attention to detail in the front-end build, with a strong emphasis on layout fidelity and responsive behaviour.

WordPress Brochure
© 2026 James Knowles · Manchester, UK