Job Description

175-185k / Queens NY / Onsite to Start ---> Hybrid

This role is a unique opportunity to lead the evolution of a mission‑critical mainframe environment while shaping the organization’s broader modernization journey. As the Mainframe Modernization Manager, you will oversee mainframe programming and operations teams, drive operational excellence, and introduce modern engineering and distributed‑systems practices to improve reliability, automation, efficiency, and long‑term sustainability.

You will play a key role in bridging legacy and modern platforms, partnering with other IT leaders to design cross‑platform solutions that support the organization’s strategic and operational goals. This is a hands‑on leadership role for someone who enjoys owning complex systems, improving how work gets done, and guiding teams through meaningful transformation.

Key Responsibilities

Mainframe Leadership & Modernization

• Lead the development, operation, and modernization of mainframe software, hardware, and supporting technologies, including disaster recovery environments.
• Guide teams through the adoption of modern engineering practices, introducing automation, improved testing, and process optimization to legacy environments.
• Partner with IT leaders across platforms to design and deliver hybrid and cross‑platform solutions.

Operational Excellence & Reliability

• Oversee application development, testing, and production operations to ensure business‑critical processes (e.g., benefits, claims, contributions) run accurately, reliably, and efficiently.
• Proactively identify risks, bottlenecks, and single points of failure, and lead remediation efforts before issues impact the business.
• Ensure timely escalation, coordination, and resolution of high‑impact or high‑exposure incidents.

Automation, Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Propose, design, and deliver system enhancements and automation to improve performance, stability, security, and operational efficiency.
• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure service health and drive continuous improvement.
• Evaluate and introduce tools that improve monitoring, observability, and operational insight.

Process, Standards & Incident Management

• Establish and enforce engineering and operational standards aligned with industry best practices.
• Maintain and enhance run books, procedures, and documentation to support consistency, resiliency, and knowledge transfer.
• Lead incident response processes, ensuring effective root‑cause analysis, post‑incident learning, and process refinement.

People Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop mainframe programming and operations teams, fostering accountability, technical excellence, and continuous learning.
• Provide technical direction, coaching, and hands‑on support where needed.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, ownership, and modernization.

What We’re Looking For

• A strong blend of technical depth, operational discipline, and leadership capability.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in application development or systems operations, ideally in a mainframe environment (Linux or distributed systems experience considered in lieu of mainframe).
• 3+ years of people leadership experience, managing technical teams in mainframe or distributed environments.
• Proven experience assessing existing processes and implementing testing improvements, automation, and operational enhancements.
• Working knowledge of COBOL, CICS, RPG, and JCL (preferred).
• Strong project management, analytical, and problem‑solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work effectively across technical and business teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, including Excel.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred (or equivalent experience).

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