Chris Johnson
Hey, CCJ!
I stand on the sweet spot where great code, design & strategy intersect. I’m currently a development team leader and advocate for stellar higher education websites at Carnegie Higher Ed. I work remotely and am based near Philadelphia, PA.
Creative vision, technical execution. Higher ed specialist.
I'm a versatile web developer with 9+ years of delivering innovative solutions across large-scale web development projects. My front-end skills and design expertise help me bridge the gap between creative vision and technical execution.
I specialize in higher education marketing and communications, with a focus on conversion-driven websites for prospective students. My experience includes enterprise-level CMS implementations, the nuances of higher ed team dynamics, Slate, iModules, enterprise-level event calendaring, faculty directory considerations, news and blog importance, and more.
What I Do
Front-end Development
Clean, efficient HTML/CSS/JS with focus on accessibility, cross-browser compatibility, and SEO optimization.
Content Management Systems
Higher ed platforms (Modern Campus, Terminalfour, Cascade) and commercial platforms (WordPress, Drupal, Sitecore, Craft, HubSpot).
Team Leadership & Development Operations
Leading teams, managing repos/AWS buckets, deployment pipelines, and comprehensive code documentation.
UX Design & Back-end Collaboration
Creating Figma mockups, conducting UX reviews, and collaborating with back-end developers on CMS integrations.
From Project to Process
In an agency setting, I bring client websites to life through planning, communication, execution, and client education. I focus on emphasizing the importance of web processes rather than one-and-done web projects.
Enrollment-Focused Development
My experience working in-house has centered on developing marquee website experiences that drive meaningful connections between the school and its audience, keeping institutional marketing and enrollment efforts at the forefront .
Documentation & Organization
My technical writing degree gives me a rare advantage in web development—the ability to create clear, organized documentation that development teams actually want to use. While most developers treat documentation as an afterthought, I approach it like front-end code: focused on clean syntax, beautiful formatting, and getting to the point quickly.
This skill shines in client-facing deliverables like specification documents and CMS build notes, where clear communication can make or break a project.
Web Insights
How do you build websites that last beyond the next redesign? I dig into front-end development strategies that improve accessibility, maintain brand consistency, and save future developers (including yourself) from technical debt headaches.
March 2024 - Present
Asst. Director, Front-End Development
Carnegie Higher Ed
- Lead front-end development efforts totaling approximately $1mil of development work per year.
- Ensure projects align with internal revenue goals and client expectations. Oversee project budgets, scopes, QA testing, and final delivery.
- Manage front-end developers, providing direction, feedback, and skill development/innovation opportunities. Plan team resourcing and workloads to optimize productivity and delivery timelines.
- Implement and oversee developer subcontracting agreements totaling approximately $100k annually.
- Coordinate handoffs to CMS vendors, including Modern Campus, Terminalfour, and Hannon Hill. Serve as a primary client contact for technical guidance and issue resolution.
July 2023 - March 2024
Web Implementations Manager
- Led the creation of functional specifications for front-end development, including design templates, motion guidelines, and technical requirements. Coordinated closely with design and technical teams to ensure project specifications matched design intentions.
- Acted as a liaison between internal teams and clients, assisting in CMS training, content migration, and technical support. Played a key role in responding to support requests and contributing to new feature development.
- Coordinated handoffs between front-end and back-end teams, ensuring seamless integration and understanding of project specifications.
- Conducted comprehensive QA testing across design concepts, HTML, and CMS implementations to ensure high standards of functionality and user experience.
March 2022 - July 2023
Product Manager
Carnegie Higher Ed
- Managed internal and client expectations for website features and functionalities, including intaking design concepts to ensure scope, UX best practices, CMS compatibility, and development feasibility.
- Developed functional specifications and design documentation, while facilitating collaboration and liaising with strategists, designers, developers, and commercial CMS vendors, including Wordpress and Drupal.
- Captured and communicated non-functional specifications to designers and developers, including browser, device, language, accessibility, and UX considerations.
2019 - March 2022
Senior Front-End Web Developer
Drexel University
- Developed and designed all marquee, high-profile websites for the University, including three award-winning annual reports, a new Provost website, and a brand campaign microsite.
- Managed two Web Support Specialists to provide web development support to administrative and academic units.
- Migrated over 500 program pages to a new Sitecore environment. Collaborated with project and product managers to ensure functionality and accessibility.
2019 - 2021
UX Designer & Developer
Pennsylvania Department of Education
- Conceived and designed site features for the Pennsylvania Education Resource Center Website.
- Developed HTML/CSS/JS/Typescript to reflect pixel-perfect designs and frameworks. Improved user experience by implementing transitions and custom micro-interactions.
- Managed relationships and budgets with ADA-accessibility vendors and hosting platforms.
2016 - 2019
Front-End Web Developer
Drexel University
- Wrote HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create visually intriguing, responsive, interactive, and WCAG 2.0 Level AA-compliant websites, including the University’s 125th Anniversary website and a new Athletics website.
- Worked with the University’s 17 colleges to maintain existing web presences and to design and build new digital infrastructures within Sitecore CMS.
- Enforced, modified, and created University editorial style guides, branding guidelines, and web standards.
2016
Technical Writing, BA
University of Delaware
3.75 GPA, Cum Laude
Internship Experiences
- Technical Communications Intern
University of Delaware, IT Communication Group (2014–2016) - Social Media Content Manager
University of Delaware, Office of Communication and Marketing (2014) - Graphic and Web Design Intern
University of Delaware, Residence Life & Housing (2013)
2014
Study Abroad
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
University of Otago, New Zealand