Lead, Mainframe Modernization Program

Techstra Solutions; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Techstra Solutions is seeking an experienced Senior Program Manager to lead a complex mainframe modernization and rewrite initiative through planning, testing, migration, and production go-live. You will manage a large cross-functional program spanning development, data migration, testing, security, operations.

The ideal candidate has a proven track record delivering major mainframe modernization programs from inception to production deployment, with strong capabilities in cutover planning,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field (Master's degree preferred).
• 10+ years of experience inprogram/project management within large-scale technology environments.
• Demonstrated experience leadingmainframe modernization, mainframe rewrite, migration, or transformation programs.
• Proven experience taking a major technology program throughtesting, cutover, production deployment, and go-live.
• Strong understanding of mainframe environments and technologies such asCOBOL, JCL, DB2, CICS, VSAM, and batch processing.
• Experience coordinating application rewrites, platform migrations, data conversion, and system integrations.
• Strong understanding of SDLC, testing methodologies, release management, and production implementation processes.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing detailedcutover/go-live plans and production readiness assessments.
• Excellent risk, issue, dependency, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working with senior executives and steering committees.
• Strong communication, leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams and competing priorities within a highly complex environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end program delivery for a major mainframe rewrite/modernization initiative, including planning, execution, migration, cutover, and production go-live.
• Develop and maintain an integrated program plan covering technology, application development, data migration, testing, infrastructure, security, operations, and business readiness.
• Drive the program toward key milestones, ensuring scope, schedule, budget, risks, dependencies, and resources are effectively managed.
• Lead cross-functional teams consisting of application developers, mainframe engineers, architects, infrastructure teams, QA, data teams, business stakeholders, vendors, and production support.
• Establish and manage the go-live and cutover strategy, including runbooks, sequencing, dependencies, rollback plans, and command-center procedures.
• Coordinate multiple testing phases, including system integration testing, regression testing, performance testing, user acceptance testing, and production validation.
• Oversee data conversion and migration activities and ensure reconciliation and validation requirements are met prior to go-live.
• Manage production readiness assessments and ensure all technical, operational, business, and support requirements are completed before deployment.
• Lead go/no-go decision meetings and provide executive leadership with clear status, risks, recommendations, and readiness assessments.
• Coordinate the go-live command center, managing issues, escalations, decision-making, and communications throughout the deployment.
• Ensure post-go-live stabilization, defect resolution, production monitoring, and transition to business-as-usual support.
• Proactively identify and manage critical program risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies, and interdependencies.
• Manage third-party vendors and technology partners supporting the modernization effort.
• Prepare executive-level status reporting, dashboards, steering committee materials, and program communications.
• Drive accountability across workstreams and ensure teams meet committed deliverables and milestones.
• Ensure appropriate governance, change management, documentation, and operational handoff processes are in place.

Skills

Program management

Mainframe modernization

Cross-functional leadership

Risk & stakeholder management

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IS/Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

COBOL

JCL

DB2

CICS

VSAM

Job description

Techstra Solutions is seeking an experienced Senior Program Manager to lead a complex mainframe modernization and rewrite initiative through planning, testing, migration, and production go-live. You will manage a large cross-functional program spanning development, data migration, testing, security, operations.

The ideal candidate has a proven track record delivering major mainframe modernization programs from inception to production deployment, with strong capabilities in cutover planning,