Release Manager

We are looking for a capable resource to coordinate ranging from simple activities to more complex plans. This role will provide onsite/ on-call assistance to end-users within the organization’s desktop computing environment in a timely and accurate fashion to ensure optimal service delivery.

**Job Description**:
**Experience**: Minimum 5 years of relevant experience**

**Business Context**
This role is part of Service Operations and Infrastructure (SOI) within the wider Woolworths IT team. It is responsible for the definition, design, and ongoing support of the Release Management process.

Aligning to major Programmes of change, The Release Manager is responsible for ensuring the integrity and reliability of Releases into the Production Environment across all Service Providers, including assuring the following:

- Uplift Release capability in formalizing system changes and enhancements in a more controlled manner;
- Clearly define roles and responsibilities for the domain delivery team;
- Set up domain forward release schedule that feeds into the overall enterprise release schedule;
- Create a handover schedule for transitioning release management to the domain team;
- Provide ongoing coaching and guidance for continual improvement;
- Provide leadership and guidelines for managing risks and resolving issues that affect release scope, schedule, and quality.

**Position Summary**
Reports to: Release Process Manager
Other key relationships: Project Manages, Product/Service Owners, Architects, BAs, Operations, and Change Managers.

**Areas of accountability include**:

- Contributing to the definition, design, and continual improvement of the Release Management process;
- Cooperate with other IT teams in planning and managing service changes and releases into the production environment successfully;
- Oversee the transfer of key information necessary for the support, operation, and acceptance of solutions deployed into production. This includes operational readiness, support documentation, and acceptance checklists;
- Liaise with business and IT partners on release scheduling and communication of progress;
- Work with Product/Service Owners and Project Managers to establish end to end release plan and approach;
- Define success criteria to support successful release activities.

**Key deliverables include**:

- Artefacts to support the Release Process;
- Report on release compliance Performance measures include:

- Ensuring targets associated with the Key Index (KPI and KRA) are met.
- Identifying and implementing continuous improvement opportunities.

**Key Selection Criteria**
**Work Experience**
- A strong track record in Release Management, ITIL practices principles, methodologies, and implementation strategies;
A strong working knowledge of various ITSM tools such as ServiceNow;
- Leadership experience in influencing teams to achieve the desired outcomes;
- Demonstrated experience in influencing, coaching, and mentoring IT professionals Commercial Skills & Qualifications;
- Tertiary qualifications in Information Technology, Business, or a related discipline;
- Highly developed skills in communication, presentation delivery, and facilitation;
- Inspire change and guide others to be active and visible sponsors of change;
- Application of logic and thinking processes to analyze situations and problems to design effective solutions;
- Demonstrated success at engaging and influencing stakeholders at all levels, especially success at negotiating successful outcomes between stakeholders with conflicting priorities;
- Ability to coach others in release management skills and the building of organizational capability for the future;
- Ability to understand organizational issues and challenges;
- Flexible and able to work in ambiguous and autonomous situations;
- Be courageous and drive innovation.

**Certification Requirements**
- ITIL Certification -V3 foundation certification (mandatory)

**What next?