Stephen Close

Cpto - Leading Product and Tech @Pags

GB

Driving PAGS from MVP to an Award-Winning, Market-Leading SEND PlatformStrategic leader behind PAGS’ transformation from an MVP into an industry-recognised, BETT Award-winning platform, redefining SEND provision for schools and MATs.I was responsible for leading the company through the compliance audit and acheiving Cyber Security plus certification.Built the entire product strategy from scratch, defining a clear value proposition for multiple stakeholders—headteachers, SENCOs, finance officers, and MAT leaders—to drive adoption and retention.Solely led UX/UI design, creating an intuitive platform experience without an internal design team, while enhancing engagement and usability.Drove PAGS into the finance space, recognising the critical gap in SEND budget management, and developing cost-tracking & provision-mapping tools now core to the platform’s offering.Created cross-trust collaboration features, enabling MATs to standardise SEND provision by sharing targets, strategies, and best practices across schools.Orchestrated partnerships & sales strategy, securing key deals including a reseller agreement with IRIS Education, legitimising PAGS in the market and accelerating trust adoption.Directed go-to-market & marketing strategy, leading roadshows, webinars, and website development to establish PAGS as the go-to solution for SEND management.Embedded in all board-level discussions, working as a de facto co-founder—shaping product, sales, and strategy while ensuring alignment with commercial growth objectives.From product strategy and UX to partnerships, sales enablement, and market positioning—I\'ve done it all to drive PAGS\' success and loved every minute

Sunderland College

AVCE, As Levels, ICT

University of Sunderland

Master's degree, Media Production

The Manchester Metropolitan University

BA (Hons), Film and Media studies (with practice)

Newcastle College

PGCE, Education