Enterprise and Client Applications Services Manager

Job description / Role

At the direction of MEA IT Operations Manager maintains & manages companywide business and professional systems.

Manages, provides direction, and works in coordination with a work unit (4 - 10 employees and one or more work groups) that defines, selects, develops, implements, customizes, supports, maintains, upgrades, trouble shoots, and monitors Client,Enterprise and Commercial of the shelf (COTS) External third Party Applications and assets, maintaining product consistency throughout the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) to support Parsons current and future business direction, goals, and objectives by achieving superior quality and reliability levels.

Manages and guides the work group, providing formal and informal performance feedback, evaluations and development. Manages the budget and ensures the available IT resources in the MEA Application Services Organization align with the set Overhead (OH) ratios.

In Conjunction with the MEA IT Operations Manager develops budget, scope and schedule for new Client and Enterprise Applications and systems as well as for the operation, maintenance and enhancement of existing applications and systems.

Leads the implementation, setup, and support of applications developed by third party external vendors. Interfaces with the external vendor for issues and enhancements, change management, and all client demos of the product. Manages the day-to-day functions of Parsons IT MEA Applications projects and services.

May work with internal and external clients to identify, recommend and implement major systems and applications that support Parsons business operations, design and engineering initiatives.

Monitors all matters relating to technical excellence of the work produced by the various work groups, assures the technical quality of the delivered product(s) and ensures that users questions, issues are resolved in a timely and cost-effective manner. Upon the direction of the MEA IT Operations Manager for the International region manages and guides the subordinate teams in application development and support to third party applications to realize the company current and future business direction, goals and objectives by achieving superior quality and reliability levels.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Works with MEA IT Operations Manager, to identify, plan and define IT MEA Applications goals and objectives.
- Determines the internal or external (third party) resources required to achieve them; In coordination with senior managers creates budgets, resource plans and implementation plans; under the guidance of senior managers guides the effort to acquire, retain and manage those financial, technical and staff resources.
- Communicates periodically with Parsons Senior Managers.
- Manages the team to realize the implementation of internal and external (third party) applications with the goal of achieving the same within the setup budget and time schedules. Maintains regular communication with senior managers presenting Project Status Reports as well as budget and schedule reports.
- Determines the internal or external (third party) resources required to achieve goals and objectives; under guidance and supervision from senior managers creates budgets, resource plans and implementation plans; directs the effort to acquire, retain and manage those financial, technical and staff resources as required to complete specific projects and other activities, within time and budget constraints.
- Provides guidance to staff and one or more work groups that determine requirements, design, select, develop, implement, support and monitor enterprise-wide applications that support the Parsons infrastructure as well as the use of third-party products and services.
- Work with senior managers to provide oversight as needed with negotiation and approval of statement of work for new contracts with clients, vendors and contractors and for renewing contracts with existing clients, vendors and for upgrades or modifications to existing client application and vendor-provided products and services.
- Provide oversight for the installation, testing, implementation and ongoing maintenance of Parsons business applications for internal and external clients.
- In coordination with the vendor responsible for acquiring in depth knowledge of all COTS systems that the company decides to acquire and implement across MEA. Responsibilities would include to gain sufficient knowledge and understanding of the application to be able to present to all internal clients, customize the design of the same according to internal business needs, implement, setup, train end users in the use and administration of the said system. These COTS systems could be standalone or Software as a Service (SaaS) based products.
- Under guidance and supervision establish priorities and meet regularly with team members to review and assess the status of projects, schedules, and staffing requirements.
- Reviews and approve proposed application development solutions, assignments and related timetables in conjunction with senior managers to ensure that they meet or exceed technical and quality standards, as well as users requirements.
- Monitors productivity and technical proficiency of assigned staff members. Recommends training and development and performance improvement plans for assigned staff members. Assist senior managers in performance evaluation and feedback of the assigned work group.
- Under guidance and direction from senior managers monitor all financial and budgetary aspects of the MEA Applications organization, including regular review and reconciliation of budgets and forecasts along with senior managers. This includes finding areas of information technology to cut costs or improve services, and researching emerging technologies to improve systems in a cost-effective manner.
- Works with the work group to assure conformance to standards, priorities, policies and procedures for the overall IT MEA Application organization, including finance, project controls, data warehousing and other support applications and services.
- Works closely with senior managers to identify and promote technologies and services new or existing that can best support Parsons in achieving its short- and long-term business goals and objectives cost effectively.
- In cooperation with Parsons IT Infrastructure Leadership, identifies, recommends and implements operational improvements to Parsons existing Client and Enterprise Applications and determines new systems that will meet or exceed Parsons current and future business and professional requirements.
- Works with and supervises team members who work with Parsons internal and external clients to assess their current and projected needs and requirements. Based on an analysis of those needs and requirements, identifies the short- and long-term solutions and services to best meet those needs in conjunction with senior managers.
- Works with senior managers and under guidance and direction oversees team members who design system architecture for new and existing Parsons-developed or third-party Client and Enterprise Applications.
- Monitors the requirements gathering, analysis, design, development, installation, testing and implementation of new applications or modifications to existing applications, assuring technical quality as well as end user satisfaction and engaging senior managers to seek direction in any of the phases of the development life cycle.
- Assures the successful development and installation of new applications and services.
- Performs resource planning, organizes, and modifies staff assignments as required to coordinate and support the installation, testing, implementation and maintenance of new applications and services.
- Monitors progress and verifies that final delivered product or service meets contract terms and customer expectations, and verifies that IT Operations is able to support the new service.
- Solicits, monitors, and reviews user evaluations and feedback. May meet with users along with senior managers regarding questions, issues and problems as well as schedule delays or other events that could affect accessibility to individual applications and systems, project scope or delivery of an upgrade or new system.
- Maintains and improves product quality by completing product, company, system, compliance, and surveillance audits; investigating customer complaints; collaborating with other members of management to develop new product and engineering designs, and training methods.
- In coordination and upon the discretion of senior managers sets policies, standards and procedures for third-party vendors and suppliers.
- Monitors and assesses the products, services and applications provided by third-parties and may work with staff members to identify and resolve questions, issues and problems with individual vendors and suppliers.
- Assures that internal clients have training and appropriate documentation for all client applications supported by the group.
- Updates job knowledge by studying trends and developments in applications management; participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.

Requirements

- 4-year degree in Computer Science (or related curriculum) and at least 5 to 7 years of progressive experience in systems analysis or programming utilizing specialized languages with 2+ years in a leadership role on a project (or an equivalent combination of work experience and education).

Certifications:
- ITIL all middle management recommended.

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES:
- A thorough understanding of current and evolving software applications and technology for business operations and other professional activities.
- Ability to create, monitor and manage budgets for multiple applications.
- Strong leadership ability and demonstrated successful performance in a management role.
- Ability to work effectively with Senior and Executive level management.
- Ability to manage and track deliverables across several work groups.
- Understanding of application life cycle management and SDLC processes
- Demonstrates a basic understanding of SharePoint 2010
- Excellent problem solving , interpersonal communication, and project management skills
- Desire for achieving excellence in customer satisfaction, process and product quality and reliability.
- Extensive knowledge of software licensing policies and practices and experience negotiating service level agreements.
- Written and oral communication skills appropriate for the position, including the ability to speak with authority on technical issues in various professional settings and to persuade listeners regarding best approach to resolving user's problem (may include communication via telephone, in person, presenting to large groups, community events).
- Ability to write complex documents (may include policies and procedures and presentations).
- Communicates with a wide variety of individuals (employees and all levels of management) throughout the organization and outside of the organization (i.e. clients, vendors).

Required Languages: Native Arabic written and Oral. Fluent in English

About the Company

Parsons is a leader in many diverse markets such as infrastructure, transportation, water, telecommunications, aviation, commercial, environmental, planning, industrial manufacturing, education, healthcare, life sciences and homeland security.

Parsons provides technical and management solutions to federal, regional and local government agencies as well as private industries worldwide.