Senior Mainframe z/OS Storage System Programmer

Software International; Toronto; Remote; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Senior Mainframe z/OS Storage System Programmer to join their team. This role offers the opportunity to work on a long-term project for one of Canada's largest banks, providing technical direction and expertise in a dynamic, collaborative environment. The ideal candidate will leverage their extensive experience in Mainframe technology to ensure system stability and compliance while managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders. With a focus on effective communication and problem-solving, you'll help drive innovative solutions that align with business objectives. This position offers the potential for a permanent role or a long-term contract, making it an exciting opportunity for skilled professionals looking to make a significant impact.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in Mainframe technology or system programming.
• Fluency with Mainframe tools and automation of build processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical direction and expertise for stable environments.
• Collaborate with management and teams to analyze and protect environments.

Skills

Mainframe technology

Problem-solving skills

Effective communication

Relationship management

Automation of build and deployment processes

Tools

z/OS

JCL

REXX

TSO/ISPF

IBM Endeavor

Job description

Software International (SI) supplies technical talent to a variety of clients ranging from Fortune 100/500/1000 companies to small and mid-sized organizations in Canada/US.

We have a Permanent or 12 month renewable contract as a Senior Mainframe z/OS Storage System Programmer with our large consulting client, working on a long term project for one of Canada's largest banks. This could be an indefinite contract or a permanent role.

Role: Senior Mainframe z/OS Storage System Programmer

Type: Permanent or Long Term Contract

Duration: 12 months to start + possible multiple extensions or a permanent role

Salary or Rate: approximately $180,000 - $230,000 + bonus as permanent employee or $100 - $130/hr + C2C - depending on overall experience

Location: Remote, Toronto, ON, Canada

As a Sr. Mainframe z/OS Storage System Programmer, you are responsible for providing technical direction and subject matter expertise to ensure stable, reliable environments for complex sharing initiatives in compliance with established controls, standards, policies, and procedures. You will collaborate with and advise senior management, utilizing your solid understanding of business dynamics to analyze and protect test environment integrity and mitigate risks, present alternative solutions, and recommend solutions using available resources for complex initiatives with key dependencies. You will provide technical leadership, interpret complex information, and coordinate client, provider, and vendor relationships to meet and manage service expectations, aligned to best practices. In addition, you will help to develop the team to maximize individual contributions and professional growth, while functioning effectively with your colleagues.

How you'll succeed

• Technical Expertise you will leverage your solid technology expertise to review and analyze current client software and requirements to determine the most effective solution to include in business proposals; install, upgrade and customize ISV software tools in a multi-system z/OS mainframe environment, and help to ensure software and hardware remains current to avoid End of Support costs.
• Effective Communication you will work to accomplish organizational goals that are consistent in supporting both IT and Business objectives, communicate effectively and patiently across technology teams to influence teams to adopt solutions to keep critical systems secure and operationally resilient. You will provide and document problem analysis, resolution, and prevention, designing procedures and best practice techniques, using IBM and ISV online tools for opening and managing problem report tracking and resolution. You will actively participate in periodic disaster recovery exercises, maintaining disaster recovery readiness of systems, and monitoring status of systems to proactively prevent issues from occurring.
• Relationship Management You will collaborate with internal business partners in Application Development, Infrastructure, IT Operations, and IT Production Support to accomplish organizational goals that are consistent in supporting both IT and Business objectives. You will work directly with Hardware and Software vendors on solutions, build your network, and deepen existing relationships. You will leverage your verbal, written, and presentation communication skills to build strong partnerships, while influencing participants to mutually beneficial outcomes.

Who you are

• You can demonstrate a minimum of 10-years' experience in Mainframe technology operating systems or system programming experience. You also have:
  • Fluency with Mainframe tools including Endevor's architecture, SCL (System Control Language), processor groups, and packages.
  • Experience in automating build and deployment processes using scripts and tools.
  • Proficiency in z/OS, JCL, REXX, and TSO/ISPF.
  • Problem-solving skills for resolving issues related to software builds, version control, and system stability.
  • Install, configure, and maintain IBM Endeavor software.
  • Experience ensuring regular updates, patches, and version upgrades are applied efficiently and customizing Endeavor to suit organizational needs and streamline development processes.
  • Experience configuring process flows to automate code promotions through development, testing, and production stages.
  • Experience managing the build process to ensure code is compiled, packaged, and tested in different environments (development, QA, production), automating deployment processes for consistent and error-free delivery, maintaining proper version control of source code, ensuring tracking of code modifications, releases, and versions.
  • Collaborated with development teams to establish code promotion paths, and manage code changes through Endeavor.
  • Ensured adherence to security protocols in the Endeavor environment, controlling access to code and deployment stages.
  • Worked with compliance teams to ensure the SCM process meets audit and regulatory requirements.