I'll be available for a new role on 18th May 2025.
Get in touchAlexander
Foxleigh
Lead Frontend Engineer / Tech Lead
About Me
Im a senior front-end engineer and technical lead, with a focus on building scalable, high-performance web apps and helping the teams behind them to do their best work. I care just as much about the architecture and developer experience as I do about the final product.
React, Next.js, Node.js, and Storybook are my tools of choice, I love to create design systems and reusable component libraries that actually make life easier for the whole team. I like to get stuck in from start to finish, shaping the technical direction, mentoring devs, and making sure what we're building is fast, maintainable and enjoyable to use.
I'm big on accessibility, usability, and keeping things up to proper web standards — basically, building things that work well for everyone, while keeping an eye on both the tech needs and the bigger business goals.
Notable accomplishments
- Architected, designed and supported a suite of developer tools for a major UK Intelligence Agency. Allowing developers to build over 70 applications using the same codebase.
- Conceived and co-founded the Royal Navy Design System.
- Saved DEFRA hundreds of thousands of pounds by building the 'Greenhouse' automatic test generator.
- Convinced Unilever stakeholders to change their development approach, saving them countless staff-hours and potentially hundreds of thousands of pounds as well as increasing consumer appeal in the final product.
You'll be taken with my skills
I unfortunately, don't (yet) have a robot who will bring me pizza. but what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me an asset for people like you.
Soft skills
Languages
TypeScript
JavaScript
Node.js
Python
Bash
PHPFront end development
HTML5
CSS3
SASS
Next.js
React.js
Vue.js
Tailwind CSS
Material UI
Storybook
Prettier
Jest
Testing LibraryBackend / DB development
Node.jsPython
Node-RED
MongoDB
PostgreSQL
MySQL
Firebase
Gatsby
Sanity
GraphQLDevOps / Hosting
GitHub
GitLab
Bitbucket
AWS
Google Cloud
Vercel
Netlify
Heroku
NGINX
Apache
Ubuntu
Debian
NPM
Yarn
Docker
Kubernetes
Unraid
CircleCI
TravisCISmarthome / Automation
Home AssistantNode-RED
MQTT
Arduino
Raspberry PiDesign / Creative
Figma
Sketch
SketchUp
BlenderWho I've worked with
I've been incredibly lucky over the years to work with some truly excellent clients and have had some amazing opportunities to make a difference, from being the co-founder of the Navy's design system to being on the Cabinet Office team who helped to develop the COVID-19 dashboards for the daily briefing.
Here are just a few of my amazing former clients.
I seem to be liked
I've had some great feedback from clients over the years. Here is a small selection of some of my favourites, you can also see a more complete list on my LinkedIn page.
I had the pleasure of working as a Delivery Manager with Alex as my Lead Developer, and I was consistently impressed by his dedication to technical excellence. He delivered clean, efficient code and stayed up-to-date with front-end trends and best practices, ensuring our work was of the highest standard.
What really set Alex apart, though, was his ability to bridge the gap between the technical team and clients or stakeholders. He has a rare talent for explaining complex concepts in a way that's easy to understand, making him an invaluable asset during client meetings and presentations. His advocacy for accessibility was also particularly impressive; Alex ensured that every feature we developed was accessible to all users, often going above and beyond to champion its importance.
Beyond his technical abilities, Alex was a fantastic collaborator. He not only worked seamlessly with the team but also brought a sense of humor and lightness that improved team dynamics, even during tight deadlines.
Overall, Alex is a highly skilled front-end developer who adds great value both technically and personally. I highly recommend him for any team looking for a strong, communicative, and thoughtful developer. I sincerely look forward to having the opportunity to work with him again in the future.
An incredible Software Engineer with an immense background in Front End development and a mindset for architecture; his attitude towards development is positively infectious, radiating a passion for building solid foundations for scalable, damn near autonomous solutions that make for very happy customers, and teammates who have an easier job in their day to day because of his efforts. I count myself among those who have been mentored by Foxy, and I can honestly say I wouldn't be half the dev I am now without him.
It was a pleasure working with someone who was such an expert in his field. Alex was lead of the standards team and left a legacy that will be taken forward by the client to ensure new applications time to market are greatly reduced.
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