Head IT

At Maurice Group, I serve as the sole IT professional, overseeing most technological aspects of the business. My primary responsibilities are developing the company's internal system, the e-commerce apps and websites, and under the KES Digital brand, offering mobile app, website development for our external clients.

At Maurice Group, I serve as the sole IT professional, overseeing all technological aspects of the business. My primary responsibility has been the development and maintenance internal business systems and under the KES Digital branch customer-facing digital platforms. A key achievement in this role was leading the strategic migration of our core internal system from a usage-based Firebase platform to a more cost-effective, self-hosted Virtual Private Server (VPS) solution. This transition not only significantly reduced our IT operational costs but also provided greater flexibility and control over our development roadmap, fostering innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Developing the Internal System: Designing, building, and maintaining a robust internal management system that handles critical business functions such as order processing, financial tracking, event management, baking school management, and other operational aspects. This system is built on a modern stack including PostgreSQL for the database, Express.js for the backend API, and React Native for the mobile apps.

• Developing the Customer facing e-commerce apps and websites: Developing and maintaining the customer-facing e-commerce website and mobile application using React and React Native. These platforms are vital for online sales, customer engagement, and brand presence.

• Developing digital solutions for external clients: Under the KES Digital brand, I developed digital solutions like mobile apps and websites for external clients.

Key Contributions & Impact

My work encompassed the entire software development lifecycle, from architecture design to deployment and ongoing maintenance. I was responsible for:

• Internal System Development: Designing, building, and maintaining a robust internal management system that handles critical business functions such as order processing, financial tracking, event management, and other operational aspects. This system is built on a modern stack including PostgreSQL for the database, Express.js for the backend API, and React Native for the mobile app

• E-commerce Platforms: Developing and maintaining the customer-facing e-commerce website and mobile application using React and React Native. These platforms are vital for online sales, customer engagement, and brand presence.

• Cost Optimization & Innovation: Achieved an approximate 90% reduction in annual IT expenditure by migrating from usage-based Firebase/Vercel to a self-hosted VPS, freeing up significant operational budget.

• Developing digital solutions for our external clients: Under the KES Digital brand, I developed mobile apps for notable clients like SCZ Cakes (A bakery based in Nansana), Divine Bakery Supplies (A retail store supplying bakery products)

Impact & Achievements

A significant highlight of my tenure has been the strategic optimization of IT expenditure and the enhancement of our technological capabilities:

• Cost Reduction: By migrating our internal system and public-facing website and mobile app from Firebase and Vercel to a self-hosted custom backend on a VPS, I achieved an approximate 90% reduction in annual IT expenditure.
• Enhanced Innovativeness: The transition liberated our development process from usage-based billing constraints, allowing for greater freedom in releasing new features and pursuing innovative solutions without direct cost penalties. This significantly boosted our capacity for continuous improvement and strategic technological growth.
• Improved Control & Scalability: The move to a custom, self-hosted solution provided Maurice Cakes & Events with complete control over our technology stack, enabling tailored scalability and better long-term adaptability to business needs.

This role has allowed me to combine my full-stack development skills with strategic IT management, delivering tangible value through efficient, scalable, and cost-effective technological solutions.