Matthew Dufty

Career lineage · 1997 → present

Professional Development
with skills and achievements.

A pragmatic, solution-focused data engineer and analyst with over twenty years turning data into decisions. I cover the full spectrum: understanding what the business needs, leveraging the change process to get things done, modelling data with the latest tooling in Databricks, Fabric, and AI to lift productivity, then using years of experience to analyse it and tell the story visually. I communicate with stakeholders at every level, from store operators to senior leadership, and I deliver the full package, end to end.

Each achievement is numbered to its role. Skills show years of experience counted to today, and dim when I stopped using them. Personal projects ran alongside the work and carry a copper marker.

17Data EngineeratAldi Stores LtdNowDec 2023 → present · National Data & Analytics

I build production-ready data solutions across SQL Server, Azure Data Factory, Databricks and Power BI, and design the scalable models behind them, keeping data quality, validation, and lineage tight across complex datasets. On top of the engineering and analytics, I design and deliver the change management that moves the supply chain and analytics function forward.

Data Engineering
17.1Co-designed and built the SQL Server database that powers all Aldi GB and Ireland supply chain reporting. The ETL handles over twenty million new rows every day, kept fast with a robust indexing strategy.
17.2Built modular PySpark components used across the platform, including an Event Logger, SCD Type 2 processing, and automated anomaly detection.
17.3Built the migration pipelines from SQL Server to Databricks under Unity Catalog governance, with medallion layers deployed through CI/CD.
17.4Automated SQL extraction from SAP Data Sphere in Python, feeding the star schema models behind reporting.
17.5Brought the agentic workflow from my own projects into the department, using GitHub Copilot and Databricks Genie to accelerate delivery for me and the wider team.
17.6Worked with Genie to write context md files for business processes, so Unity Catalog metadata can read tables and fields and infer accurate actions. Rolled the approach out across the department, where it was adopted universally and sped the whole team up.
17.7Used GitHub Copilot in VS Code against SQL Server to develop solutions fast and produce documentation that conforms to our standardised guidelines.
Data Analysis
17.8Delivered supply chain insight across loss, forecast accuracy, and warehouse capacity. Used from senior leadership to store operators to shape purchasing and planning.
17.9During the AHEAD system migration, built critical reporting to close information gaps when the department had nothing else to rely on.
17.10Built our country's Power BI proof of concept to replace Tableau, working through a set of acceptance criteria across semantic models and front-end designs at varying DAX complexity to test whether Power BI would meet the business's future performance needs.
Change Management
17.11Designed and carried a demand-to-solution agile framework across a 300+ person supply chain department, winning buy-in face to face.
17.12Carried the team through a move from National Supply Chain to National Finance and Administration, and a shift from Agile to Waterfall.
Leadership & Stakeholders
17.13Challenged the core design of the supply chain database, met resistance, gathered the evidence, and won the change. The conflict resolved with every relationship intact.
17.14Presented a complex rota-planning report to senior leaders across distribution centres under hard questioning, and kept composure. Managers now use it daily.
17.15Delivered Databricks and SQL execution-plan training, and coached a colleague into forecasting analysis the team had never attempted.
17.16Led the small team behind the Power BI proof of concept and presented our findings to the other countries taking part. The approach won recognition across the international community.
17.17Led stakeholder workshops that translated reporting requirements into technical specifications, keeping it face to face to build engaged relationships.
17.18Delivered training to departments with hundreds of attendees, and produced training videos so end users could draw their own insight and lean less on the team.
17.19Built architecture and solution documentation in Confluence that serves both engineers needing technical guidance and business users needing operational reference.
Skills gained here
Databricks3yPySpark3yUnity Catalog3yDelta Live Tables and medallion3yAzure Data Factory3yGitLab CI/CD3ySAP Data Sphere and S/4HANA3yPython3yStar schema modelling3yAgile and Scrum leadership3yAI-assisted development and prompt engineering3y
P3wolfman.appatPersonal projectPersonal2026 → present · Next.js journalling website

A full-stack mindful journalling website I designed and built this year with an agentic workflow. Live in public beta.

Data Engineering
P3.1Built a full-stack journalling website in Next.js and TypeScript, on a Neon Postgres database with Drizzle ORM.
P3.2Wired in Stripe payments, Auth.js, Vercel Blob storage, and the Anthropic API for an AI journalling assistant.
P3.3Built it with an agentic workflow, matching the model to the task so routine work runs on lighter models and only the hard problems pull the heavy ones, keeping token cost down.
P3.4Tuned a layered set of CLAUDE.md and task-specific instruction files so the coding agent starts every session knowing the codebase, the conventions, and the job.
P3.5Wired the site's own feedback feature into GitHub so a bug raised on the live site becomes an issue, then gets resolved in conversation with the agent, all running on a release plan mapped to GitHub milestones.
Skills gained here
Next.js and TypeScriptFull-stack and cloud (Postgres, Vercel, Stripe)Agentic engineering with Claude CodeContext engineering (CLAUDE.md and instruction files)Model selection and token optimisationGitHub (repos, issues, Actions)
16Data AnalystatERIKS Industrial SupplyJan 2023 → Dec 2023 · IT

Data analyst in IT, spanning finance and warehouse analytics, ERP data modelling, and an agile process audit across the department.

Data Engineering
16.1Developed SQL Server data models sourced from ERP systems.
Data Analysis
16.2Delivered dashboards tracking finance and warehouse operations.
16.3Built a financial general ledger audit report in Power BI, on a heavy semantic model that processed all of ERIKS's general ledger data and served as a second line of reconciliation checks.
16.4Built a live warehouse report shown on screens across the floor, displaying volume moving through the warehouse in real time. Tuned the direct live connection carefully so it never slowed the source system.
Change Management
16.5Ran a full audit of the agile process across the IT department to find training gaps and align everyone on a common way of working.
Leadership & Stakeholders
16.6Promoted the value agile brought to the IT function and to business communication, building shared understanding across the department toward a common goal.
Skills gained here
SQL Server data modelling3ySQL (T-SQL, SSMS)3yMicrosoft Fabric3y
15Data AnalystatSelco Builders WarehouseJan 2022 → Jan 2023 · Marketing

Led the move from spreadsheet reporting to a proper Power BI practice.

Data Engineering
15.1Built Power BI semantic models, creating shared datasets that fed multiple reports across the team.
Data Analysis
15.2Led the complete Power BI migration from legacy Excel reporting.
15.3Delivered multiple Power BI reports across the marketing team, from marketing effectiveness through to sales analysis, cut by region, store, and time period across thousands of products.
Leadership & Stakeholders
15.4Set the design principles and development standards the whole team adopted.
15.5Trained colleagues to bring them up to speed on Power BI best practice.
Skills gained here
Power BI strategy and standards4yPower BI semantic modelling4yTraining and enablement4y
14Performance AnalystatDWPNov 2021 → Jan 2022 · Civil Service

Performance reporting for leadership, where the priorities moved weekly.

Data Analysis
14.1Built a report that earned Group Director recognition and a rare financial reward. The visual style became the department standard.
14.2Built a quick read on the end-to-end customer journey and how process levers move the KPIs leadership cared about.
Operations
14.3Kept pace with reporting demands that shifted weekly with government mandates.
Skills gained here
Power Query5yDAX5yPower BI5yData storytelling and presentation5y
13Work CoachatDWPFeb 2021 → Nov 2021 · Civil Service

Coaching young people on Universal Credit through their job search.

Leadership & Stakeholders
13.1Coached 18 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit through their job search, keeping them motivated and focused while they looked for work.
Skills gained here
Coaching and mentoring5y
12Freelance MarketeratWolfman Digital MediaJan 2020 → Feb 2021 · Self-employed

A social media management service for small businesses.

Operations
12.1Ran a social media management service for small business clients end to end.
12.2Created branding templates for small business customers using Lightroom, Photoshop, and InDesign.
12.3Scheduled and managed client social posts using tools like Later.com.
Leadership & Stakeholders
12.4Built my own marketing strategy and promoted every service through social media.
P2Website photographyatPersonal projectPersonal2020 → 2023 · Paid commissions

Paid photography to enhance small business websites.

Operations
P2.1Shot and delivered paid photography that small businesses used to lift their websites.
P1Drop-shipping storeatPersonal projectPersonal2020 → 2021 · Covid-era e-commerce

An e-commerce store I built and ran during Covid.

Operations
P1.1Built and ran a drop-shipping store during Covid on HTML, PHP, WordPress, and Elementor.
Skills gained here
Web development (HTML, PHP, WordPress, Elementor)1y→2021
P4YouTube and blogatPersonal projectPersonal2020 → present · Content

An active YouTube channel and blog sharing data, AI, and personal projects.

Leadership & Stakeholders
P4.1Run a YouTube channel and blog where I teach and share data, AI, and personal project work.
11Digital Content ProduceratTeam UAVAug 2019 → Dec 2019 · Commercial drone services

Digital content for a drone services business.

Operations
11.1Produced print and social marketing aimed at prospective drone clients.
Skills gained here
Adobe Premiere2y→2021Photography (DSLR)4y→2023
10eBay Business OwneratBig Dog MotorsNov 2015 → Jul 2019 · Self-employed · automotive parts

A classic car spares business I ran solo on eBay, handling everything from buying stock to shipping, design, and the numbers.

Data Analysis
10.1Built performance reporting in Excel from PayPal, banking, and eBay feeds.
10.2Used Excel to track what was selling and what was going stale, steering buying and pricing decisions.
Operations
10.3Sold roughly 6,700 units over 44 months at 31% net profit.
10.4Sourced, bought, and collected all stock myself, running purchasing end to end.
10.5Optimised the shipping workflow and chased more competitive carrier quotes to protect margin.
10.6Built an automated image-overlay workflow and used InDesign and Photoshop to make product images outclass the competition, listing hundreds of new items on eBay every week.
Leadership & Stakeholders
10.7Handled every customer query, refund, and complaint myself, holding eBay Top Rated Seller status at 99.8% positive feedback throughout.
Skills gained here
E-commerce and margin management6y→2021Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom8y→2023Adobe InDesign6y→2021Social media and digital marketing6y→2021
09Data ManageratD2C Direct LtdOct 2014 → Aug 2015 · Energy sector sales agency

Built the data spine for a sales agency.

Data Engineering
09.1Designed and built the MS Access database holding all prospect and customer sales data.
Data Analysis
09.2Built management reports that highlighted sales performance for the team.
Operations
09.3Designed and ran a commission-based incentive scheme for the sales team.
08Operational Manager & Co-owneratmyppe Recycling LtdApr 2013 → Sep 2014 · Environmental services

Co-owned and ran an environmental services business, from setting up the unit and winning contracts to reporting the impact.

Data Analysis
08.1Built an environmental reporting service in MS Access that clients used for ISO 14001 audits and Environment Agency submissions.
Operations
08.2Secured funding and set the business up from an empty unit, hiring and managing the staff, and optimising the operational workflow to cut waste and overhead.
08.3Held the service level agreements with the large organisations we supplied.
Leadership & Stakeholders
08.4Built an extensive marketing campaign around the environmental benefits we delivered, aligned to the ISO 14001 directives our clients answered to.
08.5Developed the sales campaigns and won contracts with large organisations including Selco through face-to-face meetings.
Skills gained here
Business development and client management8y→2021Staff management1y→2014
07Business Project ManageratRWE npowerApr 2007 → Mar 2013 · Operational Strategy & Retail Change

PRINCE2 project manager delivering business change across the retail business.

Change Management
07.1Delivered 18 projects as a certified PRINCE2 practitioner across the period.
07.2Took projects through investment appraisal and approval with development costs up to £850k.
07.3Delivered the £840k Vulnerable Customer Identifier, a mandatory OFGEM change ranked a top five deliverable for 2008/9.
07.4Delivered the £300k Bulk Change of Agent project, including a historic data cleanse.
07.5Ran three major projects across three retail programmes in parallel, one with six work streams.
07.6Held budget governance and financial control, reporting forecast against actual to programme boards.
Leadership & Stakeholders
07.7Used influencing and negotiation to carry local, middle, and senior management through transformational change.
Skills gained here
Project and delivery management19ySenior and executive stakeholder communication19yInfluencing and negotiation19yRequirements gathering and workshops19yInvestment appraisal and business case7y→2014Budget, P&L and financial control14y→2021Risk management19yMS Project6y→2013MS Visio7y→2014PRINCE2 Practitioner2008APMP Practitioner2013
06Technical ManageratRWE npowerSep 2004 → Apr 2007 · Customer Take On

Business expert owning operational process and large-scale change.

Change Management
06.1Managed the relocation of over 200 staff, systems, and processes in the Residential Gains Project.
06.2Ran a business process integration project across npower sites end to end.
Skills gained here
Stakeholder management22yOperational and process change22yMicrosoft Excel Expert2005
05Technical CoordinatoratRWE npowerNov 2002 → Sep 2004 · Customer Take On

Where the reporting and data thread really starts.

Data Analysis
05.1Designed reporting templates and statistics that let the operation be run on the numbers.
Operations
05.2Managed service providers against SLAs, including renewal renegotiations.
Skills gained here
MS Access13y→2015VBA13y→2015Service provider and SLA management12y→2014Microsoft Access Expert2004
04Systems OperatoratRWE npowerDec 2001 → Nov 2002 · Customer Take On

Contract capture and the first operational reporting.

Data Analysis
04.1Designed and produced operational reports for managers and sales departments to manage KPIs.
Operations
04.2Ensured accurate, timely contract capture and consistently hit targets.
Skills gained here
Excel25yOperational and KPI reporting25y
03Clerical AssistantatRWE npowerDec 1999 → Dec 2001 · Customer Take On

The first rung at npower, data entry to start, then validating contract information across the customer journey.

Operations
03.1Validated contract information to keep data integrity across the customer journey, starting on data entry.
Skills gained here
Data integrity and validation27y
02LogisticsatJames Paget GroupJun 1998 → Dec 1999 · Sales & distribution

Sales and logistics, delivering hydraulics to customers.

Operations
02.1Worked within a sales team delivering hydraulics to customers.
Skills gained here
Sales and customer service1y→1999
01Control Panel WiringatAmptronic LtdJun 1997 → Jun 1998 · Manufacturing

Where it started. Wiring control panels to schematics.

Operations
01.1Wired control panels to schematics and installed them on site at customer locations.
Skills gained here
Technical assembly and schematics1y→1998