Excelsior University's Information Technology Services is seeking a highly organized and experienced IT Release Program Manager, reporting to the Sr. Director of Application Management & Business Intelligence. The ideal candidate will be responsible for managing and coordinating software releases, ensuring that applications are deployed successfully and on time. This role requires a deep understanding of the software development lifecycle, excellent project management skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams. This is a full-time hybrid role with a minimum of two days each week worked at the Albany, NY campus with the remainder of the week worked from home. Roles and Responsibilities:
- Plan, schedule, and manage software releases, ensuring alignment with project timelines and business objectives.
- Coordinate release activities across various teams including development, quality assurance, and operations.
- Establish and maintain release management processes, ensuring compliance with industry standards and best practices.
- Identify and mitigate risks related to release processes, ensuring minimal impact on business operations.
- Communicate release plans, schedules, and changes to stakeholders effectively.
- Ensure that all documentation related to releases is accurate and up-to-date.
- Monitor and report on release performance, using metrics to drive continuous improvement.
- Manage release-related issues and escalate as necessary to ensure timely resolution.
- Collaborate with DevOps teams to enhance automation and streamline release processes.
- Conduct post-release reviews to identify areas for improvement and implement necessary changes.
Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Education:
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.
Experience:
- Proven experience (3+ years) in IT Release Management.
- Proven track record of managing complex software releases in an enterprise environment.
Skills:
- Strong understanding of ITIL framework and best practices.
- Strong understanding of software development lifecycle (SDLC) and agile methodologies.
- Proficiency in project management with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Proficiency using release management tools (BMC Helix, Jenkins, Git, Jira, etc.)
- Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities.
- Ability to work outside regular business hours as needed to support releases.
Required Certifications:
- ITIL Foundation (Foundation or higher) is required.
Preferred Certifications:
- Certified Release Manager (e.g., Release Management Professional (RMP) certification) is preferred.
- Agile or Scrum certifications (e.g., Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), PMI-ACP) are a plus.
- DevOps certifications (e.g., AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert) are a plus.
The hiring salary range for this position is $80,000.00 - $90,000.00. The hiring salary range above represents the University's good faith estimate at the time of posting.