Application Development Manager

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IMS is committed to building and maintaining a team that reflects the consumer base and communities we serve. When associates are empowered to bring their whole selves to work, they feel valued and appreciated, bringing better results for our clients. We build a culture that rewards people for their unique perspectives and contributions, and where our people are connected—to the work we do, to each other, and to IMS.

• You have at least 8 years of experience managing and architecting solutions in an ERP environment on an IBM i.
• You thrive in a fast‑paced, agile environment and want to lead in providing solutions.
• You embody IMS principles of Passion, Collaboration, Integrity, Inventiveness, and Proactivity.
• You are committed to providing excellent service and thought leadership to our clients.

We are seeking an experienced Application Development Manager to lead our IBM i (AS/400) environment and enterprise applications team. This role reports to the Director of IT and manages the IBM i platform, oversees a team of six RPG developers, and ensures the stability, scalability, and modernization of core ERP and business‑critical applications while modernizing our application management approach via AI tools.

• Leadership & Team Management
  • Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 6 RPG/JDE developers.
  • Establish and enforce best practices for coding, testing, and deployment.
  • Conduct performance reviews, skill development planning, and resource allocation.
• Application & Platform Ownership
  • Manage and administer the IBM i server, including OS upgrades, PTFs, security hardening, backups, and HA/DR (iCluster).
  • Oversee applications running on IBM i, including JD Edwards World, RF‑SMART, AR Traffic Consultants, and other ERP‑related systems.
  • Ensure system availability, performance tuning, and compliance with audit/SOX requirements.
• Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
  • Govern the full SDLC using Rocket Aldon for source control, change management, and deployment automation.
  • Define coding standards and manage version control for RPG III, RPG ILE, RPG Free, RPG SQL, and SQL.
  • Drive adoption of modern development practices including code reviews, automated testing, and CI/CD pipelines.
  • Mentor and lead your team spending 30‑40% of your time hands‑on.
• Integrations & Data Flow
  • Oversee API, EDI, and real‑time integrations using the IBM i HTTP Server and related middleware.
  • Design and manage integration strategies with partners, trading networks, and third‑party applications.
  • Ensure secure and reliable data interchange using REST, FTP/SFTP, and ODBC/JDBC connectivity.
• AI Enablement
  • Define and implement AI processes for code generation, debugging, system monitoring, and predictive analytics to improve developer efficiency and system reliability.
• Project & Portfolio Management
  • Partner with business leaders to translate requirements into development roadmaps.
  • Prioritize and manage projects, enhancements, and support tickets within defined SLAs.
  • Manage vendor relationships, licenses, and third‑party development partners.
• Security & Compliance
  • Implement role‑based access control, audit trails, and service account management.
  • Ensure encryption and data privacy across solutions.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 8+ years of experience on IBM i platforms, including system administration and application development.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing application development teams.
• Strong expertise in RPG III, RPG ILE, RPG Free, RPG SQL, and DB2 for i.
• Proven experience with JD Edwards World ERP and related applications (RF‑SMART, AR Traffic Consultants).
• Hands‑on experience managing APIs, EDI, and integrations via IBM i HTTP Server.
• Deep knowledge of Rocket Aldon for SDLC/change management.
• Strong project management and vendor management skills.
• Excellent communication skills with ability to interact across IT, business, and executive stakeholders.