At JLT Development, I worked as a Senior C# Developer on BenPal, a pensions and benefits administration portal used by major UK employers. This role was a defining moment in my career, not just for the technical challenges, but because it embodied what I now consider to be a gold standard of professionalism in software engineering. The environment was grounded in a true implementation of Scrum, with a well-structured cross-functional team that included a dedicated Product Owner, Scrum Master, QA, and a strong engineering group. We weren’t just going through the motions—there was real respect for the process, and that made the difference.

I was deeply involved in evolving the platform’s architecture to support white-labelling at scale. This meant enabling different branding, user experiences, document content, and feature toggles per client—without introducing brittleness or complexity in the codebase. It required forethought in system design and robust configuration strategies, all while ensuring performance and maintainability. We leveraged BDD throughout development using SpecFlow, allowing us to write executable specifications in natural language that served both as documentation and regression safety nets. These tests enhanced communication between QA, developers, and product owners, ensuring that requirements were clearly understood and faithfully implemented.

My responsibilities also extended to integrating StreamServe for dynamic document generation using BizTalk, as well as collaborating with an offshore Romanian team to deliver a data warehousing solution that utilised Change Data Capture (CDC) for real-time reporting and analytics. These projects demanded a deep understanding of enterprise-scale data and integration patterns, as well as a focus on cross-team collaboration and delivery quality.

Beyond the technical work, I was involved in mentoring junior developers, supporting hiring and onboarding efforts, and contributing to the team’s overall professional development. The culture at JLT promoted continuous improvement, and I took pride in fostering that mindset across the team.

This engagement had a lasting impact on how I approach software delivery. It gave me a clear reference point for what professional engineering looks like—disciplined, collaborative, and intentional. I continue to carry that standard into every role that’s followed.