- Company Name
- FGH (Freemans Grattan Holdings)
- Job Title
- IT Application Development Manager
- Job Description
-
**Job Title:** IT Application Development Manager
**Role Summary:**
Lead and oversee the application development and support function for core business systems, encompassing legacy mainframe applications and a portfolio of commercial off‑the‑shelf (COTS) and SaaS solutions. Ensure reliable delivery, operational support, and alignment of IT services with business needs while contributing to the broader IT/Transformation leadership team.
**Expectations:**
- Provide strategic direction and day‑to‑day leadership for a multidisciplinary development team.
- Maintain high availability and performance of core applications within agreed SLAs.
- Deliver projects on time, on budget, and to quality standards.
- Foster collaboration with architecture, business SMEs, and external suppliers.
- Drive continuous improvement in coding practices, release management, and incident/problem handling.
**Key Responsibilities:**
- Lead, coach, and line‑manage a team responsible for COBOL/CICS, Datacom, Adabas, Teradata, PowerBuilder, Oracle, and integrations with SaaS platforms (e.g., MS Dynamics, Welcom Financier, TransUnion).
- Coordinate multi‑technology project deliveries while preserving a stable code base.
- Own application portfolio management: planning, development, support, governance, and lifecycle management.
- Ensure software quality through secure, maintainable coding standards and robust testing.
- Support Project Managers and Scrum Masters with task oversight and delivery tracking.
- Oversee service performance, incident resolution, and proactive problem management; implement structured release management processes.
- Produce accurate effort, cost, and duration estimates; manage resource planning and capacity for BAU, projects, and support.
- Serve as primary liaison for application‑related issues and initiatives across business functions.
- Manage third‑party support providers and technology suppliers, ensuring cost‑effective, high‑quality service.
- Collaborate with architecture teams to validate technical solutions before go‑live.
**Required Skills:**
- Strong leadership and people‑management abilities (coaching, performance management).
- Extensive experience with legacy mainframe technologies (COBOL, CICS, Datacom, Adabas) and modern platforms (Oracle, Teradata, PowerBuilder, SaaS integrations).
- Proven project delivery and portfolio management in a complex, multi‑technology environment.
- Deep understanding of software development lifecycle, release management, and ITIL‑based service delivery.
- Excellent stakeholder, supplier, and contract management skills.
- Ability to translate business requirements into technically sound solutions with minimal risk.
- Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and communication skills.
**Required Education & Certifications:**
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
- Relevant certifications preferred (e.g., ITIL Foundation, PMP or PRINCE2, Scrum Master, COBOL/Mainframe certifications).