Senior Release Engineering Specialist

We are seeking a skilled professional to join our team in this role. This position entails handling of the DevOps team responsible for automated CI/CD deployments.Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee the entire Release Management lifecycle, including release planning, scheduling, coordination between teams, and deployment within specified timelines.
• Deploy builds to Dev/SIT/UAT/Testing environments, conduct thorough testing, and work closely with the application development team, testing team, and production team.
• Focus on planning, testing, tracking, release, deployment, communication, and risk management.
• Maintain documentation for procedures on build and release, notifications, and dependencies.
• Collaborate with relevant development teams to develop automation tools used in software development and deployment.
• Schedule release readiness reviews before deployment and milestone reviews after each release.
• Continuously improve methodologies for configuration management and software development to enhance configuration management.
• Coordinate release schedules and required resources based on third-party applications, defect backlogs, planned releases, and infrastructure updates.
• IDentify potential release delays and manage risks effectively, ensuring scope, quality, and scheduled timelines are met.
• Create release and deployment dashboards for CI/CD to measure deployment success and usage.
• Execute, control, and manage a schedule of planned releases to pre-production and production environments.
• Liaise with Operations to resource software installation onto pre-product and production environments, maintaining scale between pre-prod and prod.
• Work with QA, Development, and Operations to ensure development projects adhere to the release process and change procedure guidelines.

Required Skills:Technical Skills:

• Proficiency in version control systems (e.g., Git, SVN).
• Extensive knowledge of CI/CD tools and automation (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, Ansible).
• Familiarity with containerization and orchestration technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
• Strong scripting and automation skills (e.g., Python, Bash).

Certifications:

Relevant certifications in release management, DevOps, or related areas are an advantage (e.g., Certified Release Manager, AWS DevOps Engineer, Docker Certified Associate).

Communication and Collaboration:

Excellent communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

Problem-Solving:

Strong problem-solving abilities to address unexpected issues and challenges during the release process.

Attention to Detail:

Meticulous attention to detail to ensure precise tracking and documentation of releases.

Ability to adapt to evolving technologies, processes, and project requirements.

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field. A relevant master's degree is preferred.

Experience:

The ideal candidate should possess at least 5 years of experience in software development, release, and configuration management. They should have:

• A minimum of two years' experience as a Configuration and/or Release Engineer.
• Demonstrated expertise in implementing ITIL best practices, particularly in Release Management, Configuration Management, and Change Management.
• Proficiency in Configuration Management, including familiarity with Unix/Linux environments.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to solve problems effectively in an agile manner.
• Excellent coordination skills to manage diverse needs of internal and external stakeholders.
• Knowledge and experience with various vendors, enterprise applications, large relational databases, and distributed infrastructures (e.g., ERP applications).
• Familiarity with multiple Release Management software tools.
• Exceptional attention to detail, self-motivation, and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision, upholding high-quality standards throughout the release process.
• An ITIL Foundation certification would be a valuable asset.
• Familiarity with specific technologies such as IBM FileNet (or similar enterprise-scale Content Management applications), IBM AS400, IBM Tivoli, WebSphere, and highly distributed UNIX and JAVA platforms.
• Working knowledge of source control tools like Aldon, TFS, GitLab, Code Analytics tools, or similar platforms.
• Previous experience in either operations or development roles.
• Experience with modern source control, packaging, and software release tools and methodologies.

Job Context:

• Ensuring Testing Adherence: The primary focus is to make sure that testing activities align with the defined scope of the application, system, or related components. This involves closely following established testing processes and ensuring team members adhere to these processes.
• Production Reliability: Another crucial aspect is guaranteeing the reliability and consistency of systems when they are deployed to the production environment. This means that the candidate will play a role in ensuring that software or applications work smoothly and consistently in a live production setting, minimizing disruptions.
• Team Skill Enhancement: The role includes a commitment to improving the technical skills of team members. This involves mentoring, facilitating self-learning using learning and development resources, and participating in internal and external training opportunities. Sharing industry experiences is encouraged to enhance the team's overall expertise.

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