Manager of Application Management Services

Department: IT Admn Sys Ofc Portfolio Mgmt
Salary/Grade: ITS/84

Job Summary:

The Manager of Application Management Services leads the Administrative Systems team serving as the entry point for enterprise systems planning, architecture and application security operations. Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Administrative Systems of Northwestern Information Technology, this position also: 1) manages Administrative Systems' portfolio management, enterprise architecture, application security operations; 2) oversees activities to ensure annual, quarterly and monthly planning meet business objectives, are of high quality, and are delivered on time within scope and budget; 3) governs the architecture activities of Administrative systems through the definition of standards and patterns, management of the enterprise application management repository, and leadership of the Architecture Review Board; 4) works with Administrative Systems teams, business partners and leaders in the Northwestern IT departments to understand their needs and translate them into effective solutions that support organizational strategies and objectives; 5) collaborates with the Administrative Systems management team and other technology leaders to define and maintain strategic roadmaps and deliver effective IT services; 6) performs management functions, including annual portfolio planning, budgeting, procurement, contract negotiations, and talent management activities; and 7) leads monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting efforts to measure resource allocation across Administrative Systems.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Leadership. Leads the Application Management Services in serving as the University's entry point for enterprise systems projects of Nortwestern University, and in delivering successful application services in support of University priorities.
• Leads the development, implementation, and maintenance of portfolio management policies, standards, procedures, and best practices.
• Participates the Administrative Systems efforts in looking for opportunities to work together, using or adapting new technologies and approaches to proactively support users of information technology. Coordinates activities across the architecture team including the domain architects.
• Collaborates with the Administrative Systems leadership team, other Northwestern IT teams and staff members to plan and deliver effective services.
• Provides leadership to drive strategy and continuous improvements in portfolio management, enterprise architecture, and application security operations and management.
• Defines project scope, goals, and resource requirements that are complete, persuasive, and justified, and presents recommendations on application management services.
• Has technical contact with vendors, suppliers, and other service providers regarding system evaluations, purchases, system integration and implementation.
• Management. Manages and motivates the staff of the Application Management Services in providing portfolio management, enterprise architecture, application security, and security consulting services to Northwestern University faculty, staff, and students.
• Plans, directs, coordinates, and provides oversight to staff of internal and contract staff related to the application management services.
• Responsible for portfolio planning, portfolio administration, reporting and management.
• Oversees the development, implementation, and monitoring of enterprise architecture, business architecture and solution architecture programs and practices.
• Oversees the development, implementation, and monitoring of application security programs and practices.
• Fosters team growth through targeted individual assignments and establishing of complimentary mentor/mentee relationships.
• Oversees supervisors in recruiting, onboarding, training, evaluating, and managing, and developing assigned staff and student employees.
• When necessary, advises subordinate supervisors on appropriate procedures for managing within University policies.
• Collaboration. Works in partnership with Administrative Systems managers and directors, other Northwestern IT leaders, and technology leaders in departments to coordinate service delivery.
• Collaborates with Administrative Systems colleagues to provide IT services that advance the strategic goals of the University.
• Coordinates security activities in partnership with other NUIT security efforts through a dotted line reporting relationship with the ISO organization.
• Consults with Administrative Systems departments on appropriate new services that will further the University's strategic goals and initiatives, and recommends achievable goals and resource requirements.
• Identifies, analyzes, and supports shared service initiatives with other Northwestern IT leaders.
• Has advisory contact with Administrative Systems technical staff to refine joint visions of how services may be delivered.
• Customer Service. Provides excellent customer service, including proactively offering services to enable members of the University community to more effectively manage their projects.
• Effectively measures user satisfaction with IT services, and works within the Administrative Systems team to improve services and satisfaction over time.
• Advises and consults with Administrative Systems teams about application management services.
• Represents the Application Management Services at customer meetings, internal IT meetings, and meetings with other Northwestern IT teams.
• Miscellaneous. Performs various management functions related to the Application Management Services, including annual portfolio planning, budgeting, procurement, contract negotiations, and personnel evaluations and actions.
• Provides input to the budget, and manages in a fiscally responsible manner.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent education, training, and experience from which comparable skills, abilities, and knowledge was acquired.
• Minimum 10 years experience in IT with a track record of high performance and increasing responsibility.
• At least 5+ years of relevant experience in Portfolio Management Leadership, Enterprise Architecture Leadership, or Application Security operations at portfolio level.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Excellent staff management skills, including:
• Experience in selection and hiring of customer-focused staff members;
• Clear programs of staff development through training and mentoring;
• Clear expression of expectations, goals, and timelines, with appropriate delegation, monitoring of progress.
• Evidence of Enterprise Architecture skills and application security operations and management skills.
• Demonstrated familiarity with project portfolio management methods, (e.g. project intake, prioritization, resource demand planning, communication).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and the ability to clearly present technology solutions and services to non-technical staff and administrators.
• Excellent organizational skills, management of own time, and respect for the time of others.
• Proven ability to think both strategically (e.g., long-term needs) as well as tactically (e.g., current needs/schedule trade-offs).
• Demonstrated ability to envision campus-wide approaches to IT services and to develop and implement effective plans for service delivery.
• Excellent planning and scheduling skills, with the ability to be flexible in the face of sometimes uncontrollable changes.
• Proven ability to effectively control and/or participate in multiple projects of varying priorities in a fast-paced environment in a consistently professional manner.
• Proven ability to manage, motivate, and evaluate professional IT staff.
• Ability to establish and maintain respectful and effective relationships with management, co-workers, and customers.
• Ability to work effectively with a range of responsible parties throughout the University, either as a project leader or as a team member, to advance projects to timely and successful completion.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze problems from multiple points of view, to lead consensus building within groups with differing views, and to translate consensus into planned action.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience implementing new Enterprise Architecture organizations or re-establishing achitecture programs.
• Experience understanding and implementing standard enterprise security practices, including implementing/maintaining NIST 800-171 compliance.
• Demonstrated experience using Project and Portfolio Management tools.
• Experience with portfolio planning processes.
• Past experience in a university or a highly-decentralized corporate environment, with career emphasis on planning and implementation of large, multi-divisional product launches and subsequent support.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Certification as a project management, application security or enterprise architecture professional.
• Experience with ITSM principles and methodologies.
• Experience delivering enterprise applications in an Agile framework.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $140,246 to 162,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

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We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
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