Job Title: Applications Development Manager
Location: Coventry, UK
Industry: Retail Distribution and Logistics

Initial: 6 month FTC

Job Summary:
The Applications Development Manager will oversee the internal software development team, ensuring the delivery of high-quality software solutions that align with business goals in the retail distribution and logistics sector. This role involves team leadership, vendor management, and the responsibility for application support and continuous improvement across the development lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor, and support a small internal application development team.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture and drive team success.
• Manage and collaborate with third-party vendors to align project goals and timelines.
• Evaluate and optimize vendor performance throughout the development process.
• Oversee the development and deployment of both new and existing software applications, ensuring all projects meet business requirements and quality standards.
• Collaborate closely with business analysts and architects to translate requirements into technical deliverables.
• Take responsibility for third-line application support, including out-of-hours management when required.
• Manage support escalations and collaborate with external vendors to resolve issues efficiently.
• Plan and execute software releases, ensuring minimal disruption to the business.
• Coordinate version control and prioritize releases in line with business needs.
• Ensure all software applications are thoroughly tested and meet necessary quality assurance standards before going live.
• Oversee the creation and execution of testing plans, including system and user acceptance testing.

Experience

• Strong experience leading application development teams and managing vendor relationships.
• Deep understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and agile methodologies.