Technical Release Manager

Job content

At M&G our vision is: to become the best loved and most successful savings and investment businessand we’re looking for people who are excited about joining us on our journey. We’re digitally transforming and investing heavily in technology and innovation to develop new and improved customer propositions that really raise the bar for our customers. To help us achieve our vision we’re looking for exceptional people who live our values and behaviours and who can inspire others; embrace change; deliver results and keep it simple.

We know that an inclusive environment makes us more accessible and ensures we attract, engage, promote and retain exceptional people. We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of age, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity/nationality, disability, or military service and welcome those who have taken career breaks. We will consider flexible working arrangements or home working arrangements for any of our roles and also offer work place accommodations to ensure you have what you need to effectively deliver in your role.

What You Can Expect From Us

We are committed to creating an environment where you can be exceptional at all you do. To help us deliver this, we promise to:

• Challenge Your Limits by creating a stimulating working environment and providing opportunities for you to be involved in meaningful and challenging work
• Support Your Aspirations with a commitment to learning and development that helps you achieve and build your experience with people who want you to succeed
• Value Your Input whereby leaders and managers will involve you in key decisions, listen to your thoughts and recognise the important contribution you make
• Balance Your Life through a work life partnership that focuses on making this an inclusive, diverse and friendly place to work and offers the flexibility and support that enables everyone to be at their best
  

How Do We Support Our Employees

All M&G plc employees will be supported in the workplace through our M&G Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). If you need counselling, confidential financial or legal advice. The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and offers access to qualified professionals who can provide specialist information, advice and support on many issues. It offers a broad range of services, including help with family issues, maintaining work/life balance and mental health support.

Job Description

The Role

• To be aligned with Customer Technology to shape and manage the pipeline of technology changes, i.e. releases, within that portfolio
• Help manage and guide the transition of the Release Process from manual Run Books to JIRA Releases.
• To engage proactively with portfolios from a release management perspective at all stages of their lifecycle
• To organise and co-ordinate the implementation of releases including overseeing a virtual team across multiple departments
• To drive continuous improvement to increase efficiency and effectiveness of release delivery as M&G grows
• To be fully engaged with the portfolio leads, product owners, project managers, development teams and business and their representatives in order to encourage earlier and continuous release planning
• Where necessary perform detailed implementation planning taking into account: risks; internal and external dependencies; resources; adherence to controls
• Be available to work out of office hours as required in implementation plans and for BAU
• Administration / Development of the logistic suite based on the Atlassian toolset (Jira, Confluence, Stash, etc.)
• Be an Agile practitioner and adopt the role of Scrum master for development teams, virtually managing their requirements and dealing with impediments.
• Deliver regular, high quality releases into Production following the Agile development process, ensuring releases comply with Group IS policies and best practices
  

Skills & Experience

• 5+ years of proven Release, Development or Technical Project Management experience
• Agile practices (Certified Scrum master, Scrum Practitioner)
• Strong technical background and fluent in technical communications
• Knowledge of end-to-end software development lifecycle
• Demonstrable track record in a delivery-focused role
• Handling diverse and conflicting pressures in a calm and robust manner
• Use of standard release management tools, particularly the Atlassian suite
• Team Leading of both physical and virtual teams
• Able to work in a highly regulated / controlled environment
  

Specific Skills

• Able to contribute to a release strategy for a Product based on business drivers and technical constraints
• Able to define and manage the release scope per implementation (micro-level) for a continuous pipeline of releases
• Able to produce effective release plans and rapidly respond to changing requirements
• Detailed, logical and diligent approach to delivery of releases
• Confident, collaborative and persuasive approach with stakeholders
  

Desirable Skills

• Asset management sector experience and knowledge
  

We live by four behaviours at M&G and we ask all our employees to:

• Inspire Others - Support and encourage each other, creating an environment where everyone can contribute and succeed
• Embrace Change - Be open to change, willing to be challenged and able to adapt quickly and imaginatively to new ideas
• Deliver Results - Focus on outcomes, set high standards and deliver with energy and determination
• Keep it Simple - Cut through complexity and bureaucracy, be clear and decisive and never overcomplicate things