Senior Director, Head of Mainframe

Job Description Are you ready to write your next chapter?

Make your mark at one of the biggest names in payments. We're looking for a Sr. Director, Head of Mainframe to join our ever-evolving Infrastructure team and help us unleash the potential of every business.

This technical leader is responsible for the architecture, engineering, resilience, and operational excellence of the enterprise IBM mainframe and HPE Non-Stop ecosystem that power our authorizations platforms in North America and Europe.

This role oversees high-availability IBM Z and HPE Non-Stop platforms supporting mission-critical workloads. The role is responsible for driving modernisation across z/OS, middleware, storage, automation, and integration layers. The senior leader provides technical subject matter expertise while guiding a team of senior system programmers, engineers, and reliability specialists that deliver critical payment services to Worldpay.

• Own the technical architecture for z/OS infrastructure, Sysplex design, WLM policies, and enterprise capacity strategies.
• Lead engineering initiatives across subsystems (CICS, Db2, IMS, MQ, VTAM/Enterprise Extender, JES2/3).
• Drive modernisation efforts: API enablement (z/OS Connect EE), Dev Ops integration, Ansible automation, container extensions, and hybrid cloud connectivity.
• Architect scalable, multi-site disaster recovery and continuous availability environments (GDPS, XRC, PPRC).

• Serve as the highest-level escalation for performance anomalies, IPL issues, contention, Sysplex coupling facility (CF) tuning, and system dumps.
• Oversee RMF/SMF analysis and implement performance improvements for CPU, I/O, memory, and CF structures.
• Ensure optimal configuration of z/OS 3.x-level features including security, resiliency, and AI-assisted workload optimisation.
• Lead root-cause analysis for SEV1 incidents and direct long-term remediation to enhance platform stability.

• Lead capacity planning across CPU, CF, DASD, tape virtualization, and network layers.
• Optimise MLC/MSU usage through WLM tuning, workload shaping, and vendor negotiation strategies.
• Manage tooling including OMEGAMON, RMF, SMF, zSecure, BMC Main View, CA OPS/MVS, and automation engines.

• Guide transformation initiatives to expose mainframe assets through REST APIs, message queues, and event-driven architectures.
• Drive Git, CI/CD, and automated deployment integration for mainframe code pipelines.
• Evaluate and adopt new IBM Z technologies, such as AI-driven workload optimisation or Z hardware accelerators.

• Lead and mentor senior systems programmers, automation engineers, and platform architects.
• Partner with enterprise architecture, cyber security, application development, and cloud teams on cross-platform solutions.
• Present architecture roadmaps, risk assessments, and investment recommendations to executives.

• 15+ years hands-on mainframe infrastructure experience, with 10+ years in leadership roles.
• Mastery of z/OS internals (storage management, dispatching, catalog structure, UNIX System Services).
• Deep experience with sysplex configuration, CF structure tuning, XCF, WLM, HCD/IODF, and I/O subsystem design.
• Expert-level knowledge of at least two major subsystems: CICS TS, Db2, IMS, MQ, JES2/3.
• Strong background in RACF administration, ICFS, cryptographic hardware, and enterprise security frameworks.
• Demonstrated success leading modernisation initiatives (APIs, Dev Ops for Z, hybrid cloud integration).

• Experience with multi-site GDPS architectures or similar HA/DR frameworks.
• Hands-on experience with z/OSMF, Ansible for Z, and automated provisioning frameworks.
• Background in capacity planning and MLC optimisation.
• Familiarity with container frameworks (zCX, Linux on Z) or virtualization (z/VM).
• Industry certifications (IBM Z Specialist, ITIL, CISSP, or equivalent).
• Experience delivering programmes in highly regulated industries, such as financial services or payments.
• Hands-on involvement in…