Director, Application Development - platform Engineer

Application Development Manager

Job Summary

Oversees day to day application development projects and engineering while leading continuous improvement on process definition and compliance. Directly manages software engineers and project managers. Delivers on commitments to discipline partners and collaborates with architects on major organizational initiatives across multiple channels & platform. Functions as the technical decision-maker and problem solver to deliver projects on time and on budget. Promotes project quality and manages the application development team to promote satisfaction with all technology teams and business partners by following standard application development tools and processes. Manages continuous improvement program to improve quality, consistency, and client satisfaction.

Candidate Profile

Education and Experience

Required:

10+ years of application development leadership experience that includes:

• 7+ years of technical experience within architecture development, integration of backend systems and development
• Experience in designing, managing and maintaining API gateway (Akana or other industry leading) and developer portal in Production environment.
• In-depth knowledge of integration approaches and architectures
• Deep understanding of the pros and cons with cloud-native solution, microservices-architecture and API orchestration architecture
• Experience with technologies – Java, NoSQL, Spring boot, Kafka, Docker, K8s, Cloud
• Experience & understanding of DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, logging, metrics, monitoring, tracing, service mesh, LTM, GTM, SEO etc.
• Strong understanding of API platforms, back-end services, database and networking components of full stack infrastructure
• Direct management of cross functional, sourced, or matrixed teams

Undergraduate/graduate degree or equivalent education + experience

Preferred:

• Experience with defining API gateway roadmap and with automated API provisioning.
• Demonstrated success leading medium- to large-scale initiatives/transformations
• Proven management experience in strategic planning and budgeting within one or more business groups
• Experience with and knowledge of IT outsourcing activities in a managed services environment
• Proven management experience in application development across waterfall and agile environments.
• Digital Customer Experience platforms (Adobe AEM and Marketing Cloud, Analytics, DTM, Target, Search & Promote)
• Proven knowledge of SDLC; good understanding of ITIL v3 Framework
• Proven knowledge of Agile methodology; preferably SAFe Agile
• Experience with Play / Akka frameworks, GraphQL
• Active contributions to OSS projects
• Relevant technology certifications
• Experience in full stack development
• Experience with Content Management Systems
• Good process management, negotiating, influencing and problem resolution skills
• Proven ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment
• Knowledge of business environment, service requirements and hospitality culture
• Demonstrated ability to assess customer/client needs, creatively approach solutions, decide and influence appropriate courses of action

Ability to understand and communicate the lifecycle of technologies and applications and to translate into business strategies for the client organizations.

Solid understanding of IT financial structures and ability to manage to corporate financial processes and standards - including drivers of process costs

Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to articulate complex technical ideas in easy to understand business terms

Ability to accomplish results through others, particularly by establishing relationships, effective controls and leading in a managed service environment

Ability to bridge the gap between technology and business

Self-driven, curious and a fast-learner, and able to work in a fast-paced environment launching new consumer products to market

Possess strong problem-solving skills and ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks

Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills with the ability to coordinate between technical and business teams

Relevant experience in systems integration and development, package analysis and implementation

Excellent collaborator, working in fully agile product or software delivery teams regionally

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as presentation skills

Working in a Product-based model and building strong partnerships with Product owners by providing innovative technology solutions to complex business problems

Ability to communicate complex technology solutions to both Product owners in a business-friendly manner and to Enterprise Architects in most technical detail

Excellent knowledge of working with dynamic data using services (e.g., JSON, XML, REST APIs etc)

Experience & expertise with microservices architectures, Service Mesh (e.g. Istio), Service discovery, rate limiting, config management etc.

Experience/ understanding of GraphQL

Strong experience and knowledge of what it takes to operate a production platform

Experience with public cloud platforms and designing cloud native solutions (e.g. AWS, Azure)

Influencing technology strategy by providing strategic advice, be a trusted advisor to discipline partners for leveraging/customizing software to meet their digital marketing requirements

Management of multiple Omni-Channel development efforts integrating with multiple back-end systems

Experience with Automation testing, Performance Engineering, CI/CD, Release Management processes and Application Deployments.

Core Work Activities

Managing Application Development Standards, Processes, and Tools

Works with direct reports to facilitate consistency of service delivery across client groups

Facilitates compliance with the standard set of application development tools and processes that will drive consistency and predictability throughout the SDLC for all client groups including:

• SDLC standard tools and processes for both waterfall and agile development
• Estimating standard tools and processes, incorporating flexibility for small and large projects
• Deployment standard tools and processes

Monitors projects for adherence to defined application development processes

Communicates to Application Development leaders opportunities to create broader IT related and corporate standards and policies where necessary

Communicates important application development policy changes that affect service provider and/or Marriott operations

Managing Day-To-Day Relationships with Teams

Manages application development projects in partnership with IT teams, business partners and providers

Provides project management of business projects

Oversees effective reporting within application development team

Leads project reviews with team on application development projects

Manages day-to day relationships with all IT teams to promote the delivery of services that meet or exceed the client expectations

Monitors projects for alignment with defined business case process

Drives timely resolution of escalated service delivery problems and minimizes the impact of any client service delivery issues

Manages, and improves service level reporting for application development

Provides early warning to the appropriate Business Partnership & Planning leaders and team regarding degraded or missed service levels

Assists with application, development and maintenance of service provider project management standards and tools

Participates in client portfolio and demand management processes, and engages service providers to ensure client satisfaction

Works with application development service providers

Validates the service provider(s) performs the services agreed to by the master services agreement in a manner that is consistent with both the spirit and the letter of the agreement

Works with team to progress the service providers services to match client needs

Facilitates team and service provider compliance with the agreement

Validates service levels meet business needs

Facilitates the definition and enforcement of good service provider contracts

Supports the IT organization

Provides input to IT's business strategy and planning as needed

Supports and follows defined IT Governance decision rights, standards and practices

Emphasizes accuracy and effectiveness of estimating and planning management with team

Provides input to business/discipline and continent IT budgets

Implementing and Managing Continuous Improvement Program

Drives adoption of CMMi or similar metrics to demonstrate continuous improvement and alignment with the industry

Demonstrates continuous improvement through metrics of quality consistency and client satisfaction

Works with application development service providers, IT teams