The Enterprise Release Manager’s (ERM) primary responsibility is to manage and control code and configuration releases across the integrated development, test, staging, and production environments. The ERM will help increase communication and coordination across the Development, Testing, Vendor, and Project Management Teams to increase quality, reduce risk and ensure that code and configuration is deployed efficiently and effectively.
The ERM will own the Release Management Process including the scheduling, coordination and the management of releases across the AMCN enterprise for multiple applications. The releases can be inclusive of new capability deployments, application updates, operating system patches, security improvements, hardware upgrades, etc. Where necessary the ERM will inform the necessity and use of tools and services to help product management and project teams manage and deploy releases into production.
RELEASE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES include but are not limited to:
· Develop and implement a common release management and governance process across multiple business applications and environments, i.e., development, test, staging, and production
· Work collaboratively with all participants in software development projects, i.e., internal development and external vendor development teams
· Work with IT management to improve the software engineering processes, practices and tools associated with continuously building, deploying, and updating software and environments
· Facilitate cross-project and cross-department coordination for all release management functions
· Responsible for certification of environment and “code complete” readiness which includes both SW and application configurations.
· Assist in supporting projects and identifying and addressing interdependencies for Development and Test teams
· Work with developers and project managers to ensure all updates are transparently tracked
· Work with developers to understand impacts of branches and code merges
· Manage risks and resolve issues that affect release scope, schedule and quality
· Create and manage an enterprise-wide release calendar
· Create a framework for monitoring and measuring release management performance metrics
· Create standards and templates, i.e., playbooks, for working with IT Infrastructure to manage and control the release management process
· Forecast and manage demand for release management activities across both project and operational teams
· Coordinate release content and effort based on the service request backlog, pending service requests, third party applications, or operating system updates
· Contribute to deployment, implementation plans, and IT Operations “run books”
· Communicate release details and status to the business as required
· Maintain the release schedule for all core services and ensure alignment across key partners and vendors and communicate to the business as required
· Develop scripts and automation tools used to build, integrate, and deploy software releases to various platforms
· Research new software development and configuration management methodologies and technologies and analyze their application to current configuration management needs
QUALIFICATIONS
· Experience working with Service Now, IT Automation for application deployment and configuration management
· Experience in Agile, i.e., Scrum of Scrums, SAFe, continuous delivery, etc., where there will be multiple code/config releases across multiple systems and environments - Dev, Test, Stage, and Production - that require coordination.
· Experience working with release cycles of 3rd party business systems (i.e. Xytech MediaPulse, WideOrbit Program, Evertz Mediator, IBM Enterprise Service Bus)
· Knowledge of the full build cycle of web and application development, including project planning and application releases
· Strong ability to systemize and document durable release management practices, processes, tools and techniques
· Experience with Linux system administration (intermediate level), Apache (intermediate level), MySQL (server preferred), and with the Amazon AWS platform and services. Must be comfortable working with Unix/Linux command line