Mainframe Release Manager

Summary

Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) mission is to lead the Department of Defense (DoD) in finance and accounting by ensuring the delivery of efficient, exceptional quality pay and financial information. IF SELECTED, POSITION TITLE WILL READ IT CYBERSECURITY SPECIALIST (APPSW/INFOSEC)

Duties

• Plans, coordinates, and manages the intake, scheduling, integration, testing, approval, and implementation of software releases for complex mainframe financial and accounting applications.
• Coordinates release activities among application development, testing, infrastructure, database, cybersecurity, operations, functional stakeholders, and contractor personnel to ensure release readiness and minimize production risk.
• Reviews release content, dependencies, technical documentation, test evidence, implementation plans, back-out plans, and required approvals; identifies and resolves risks, conflicts, and sequencing issues before production deployment.
• Maintains the integrated release calendar and status reporting; establishes release milestones, tracks actions and defects, communicates impacts, and briefs technical and nontechnical stakeholders on release status and decisions.
• Facilitates test readiness and production readiness reviews; assesses whether proposed changes meet functional, technical, security, data-integrity, and operational requirements.
• Oversees implementation and post-implementation validation for mainframe releases; coordinates response to production issues, analyzes release-related failures, and ensures corrective and preventive actions are documented and tracked.
• Recommends and implements improvements to release-management processes, standards, tools, documentation, and controls based on lessons learned, production trends, and system modernization requirements.

Qualifications

Resumes for federal government positions need more detailed work descriptions and accomplishments than a typical private sector resume. Please be sure to clearly describe the full scope of your work experiences in your resume. Basic Requirement: Applicants must have IT-related experience demonstrating the following competencies appropriate to, or above, the level of this position. Your resume and work experience should clearly support your ability to meet these competencies and will be evaluated as part of the entire application process. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services. Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. In addition to the Basic Competency Requirements listed above, one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of the next lower grade GS-11 in the federal service, which demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position, is required. Specialized experience is defined as coordinating and implementing software releases for complex mainframe or enterprise applications. Experience includes managing release schedules, risks, approvals, testing, implementation and back-out plans; supporting COBOL, JCL, batch, or production-control processes; resolving production issues; and communicating release impacts to stakeholders. Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. You may qualify for consideration if meeting time-in grade, specialized experience, education requirement, 90 days after competitive appointment requirement, and all other qualification requirements within 30 calendar days after the closing date of the announcement, unless otherwise indicated on the announcement. We may use this announcement to fill additional vacancies within 90 days of the closing date.

Education

Education is not substitutable for specialized experience at this grade level. How You Will Be Evaluated

IMPORTANT NOTE - YOU MUST FOLLOW ALL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. ERRORS OR OMISSIONS MAY AFFECT YOUR RATING. You will be evaluated on how well your qualifications, as demonstrated in your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and your responses on the application, meet the requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. DFAS recognizes the value of competencies gained through formal education and professional certifications. To ensure that consistent credit is given for these credentials in the selection process DFAS has developed standard selection criteria to be used when filling positions in professional and administrative series. Selections for professional and administrative positions will be based on four categories of selection criteria: Experience, Other, Education, and Certifications. Benefits

Employment with DFAS means access to generous benefits such as: health, vision, and dental insurance, retirement benefits, paid time off, and educational benefits. Other Information

Moving expenses WILL be paid. Selections are subject to restrictions resulting from the DoD Program for Stability of Civilian Employment. As a condition of employment, you may be required to serve a 1 YEAR PROBATIONARY PERIOD during which we'll evaluate whether your continued employment advances the public interest. The evaluation will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment advances agency or governmental goals; and whether your continued employment advances the efficiency of the Federal service. At the end of the probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification that your continued employment advances the public interest. This position is EXEMPT from the Fair Labor Standards Act. Travel requirement is OCCASIONAL. This position is not covered by a bargaining unit. This position is being filled under the Direct Hire Authority for Certain Personnel of the Department of Defense via delegated authority by the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Positions may be filled as permanent or term with a full-time or part-time work schedule. Pay will vary by geographic location. We reserve the right to close this announcement early or to extend, as appropriate, based upon the needs of the Agency. Qualified application packages may be referred to management at various points in the selection process depending on the number and timing of applications received. Selections may be made at any point during the announcement open period. Veteran's Preference: Veteran's preference does not apply under this Direct Hire Authority (DHA). PPP Application Based Preference Eligibles (Military Reserve and National Guard technicians, Military Reserve and National Guard technicians receiving disability retirement, and Retained Grade employees) will receive priority consideration at the full performance level only. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or be exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov). Retired Civil Service Employee: Employment of retired Federal employees receiving an annuity is subject to the requirements of the Department of Defense (DoD) policy guidance. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300, here). The Security Designation will vary and dependent upon position and may require a secret clearance or higher. Employment in this position requires a background investigation which may delay starting date. If you are selected and cannot obtain a favorable security determination within a reasonable period of time due to disclosed/undisclosed background issues, the employment offer may be withdrawn. Individuals selected are required to obtain/maintain a favorable security determination to occupy a sensitive position within the agency as a condition of employment. Failure to maintain eligibility to occupy a sensitive position may result in termination. For more information see the security section of Understanding Vacancy Announcements. Criminal History Inquiries- For some positions, criminal history inquiries may not take place before you receive a conditional job offer. Please see Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019 (dfas.mil) for more information on The Fair Chance to Compete Act, exceptions, and DFAS contact information. All applicants are encouraged to apply electronically. If you are unable to apply on-line, you may contact 317-212-0454 for assistance.