Manager, Applications Development

Excellus BCBS; City of Albany (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 198,000; Full time

Job summary

Excellus BCBS in New York is seeking a Manager, Applications Development to lead IT staff in creating and updating production systems while aligning with business stakeholders’ needs. You will drive planning, architecture reviews, and governance of development lifecycles across the portfolio.

The role oversees 5–10 staff across multiple regional offices, coaching, performance reviews, and resource planning to ensure on-time delivery and quality outcomes.

Qualifications

• Five (5) years of related work experience, with preference for candidates with at least two years of staff management experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or relevant field. In lieu of degree, an additional six (6) years of related work experience is required.
• Ability to handle competing priorities and high customer expectations.
• Analytical, diagnostic, and problem-solving abilities.
• Experience in project planning and project management.
• Experience managing and motivating technical staff.
• Knowledge of structured systems analysis and design, data gathering techniques, and management information systems.
• Knowledge of relevant programming or job control languages.
• Knowledge of structured programming techniques.
• Knowledge of Agile and Waterfall SDLCs.

Responsibilities

• Overall accountability for IT-related aspects of a defined portfolio of applications.
• Governance and oversight of the Enterprise Software Development Lifecycle (eSDLC).
• Acts as IT Product Owner, driving platform currency, vulnerability remediation, and other departmental requirements.
• Supports the Team Product Owner and/or IT Business Analyst in backlog reviews with stakeholders to clarify intent and discuss solutions.
• Drives process efficiency improvements and output within their department.
• Oversees production support activities including change management, incident management, and on-call scheduling.
• Leads corporate strategic projects ensuring budget, schedule, quality and business objectives.
• Manages multiple competing priorities across project, maintenance, and production work.
• Serves as vendor relations point-of-contact for third-party software platforms.
• Fosters continuous improvement with metrics, standards, and governance controls.

Skills

Staff management

Project planning

SDLC knowledge

Agile methodologies

Waterfall methodologies

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science/IT or related field

Job description

Job Description

The Manager, Applications Development is responsible for overseeing and evaluating the work of IT staff in both the development of new applications as well as updates, fixes, and revisions to existing production systems. Key responsibilities include developing and maintaining relationships with business stakeholders to understand their operating processes, challenges, and strategic plans - in order to ensure the appropriate technologies are developed and implemented. Additional responsibilities include supporting the team in monitoring and maintaining system uptime and availability as well as driving appropriate response times for service requests - ensuring that production incidents remain in-line with defined service level agreements.

Summary

The Manager is also responsible for driving the planning, coordination, and execution of development and implementation of strategic technical solutions for their application portfolio. This includes the analysis of overall systems architecture, including hardware and software requirements, system extensibility, interoperability and security, costs, and other operational considerations. To achieve these goals, the Manager leads their technical staff (generally a team of between 5 and 10 employees, including employees working out of our regional offices across New York State) - recruiting, selecting, orientating, training, and coaching with the intent to empower them to produce their best possible work. Through coaching, mentoring, and establishment and maintenance of team and employee goals, the Manager supports their employees’ continual development. The Manager evaluates and appraises staff performance on a regular basis, making recommendations for merit increase, advancements, and performance management activities.

Essential Accountabilities

• Overall accountability for IT-related aspects of a defined portfolio of applications
• Overall responsibility for the governance and oversight of the Enterprise Software Development Lifecycle (eSDLC) within their team. Supports team members in applying best practices throughout the analysis, estimation, design, development, and deployment of new software and systems.
• Acts as IT Product Owner, driving platform currency, vulnerability remediation, and other departmental requirements.
• Supports the Team Product Owner and/or IT Business Analyst in the process of reviewing backlog items and consulting with executive sponsors, submitters, and or user representatives to clarify intent, discuss problem areas, and consider alternate solutions.
• In partnership with key stakeholders throughout the business, drives the improvement of process efficiency and work product output within their respective department.
• Responsible for the oversight of all production support activities including change management, incident management, and on‑call scheduling. Serves as escalation point‑of‑contact for issues and incidents within their portfolio.
• Responsible for leadership and/or sponsorship of corporate strategic projects to ensure execution, budget, schedule, quality, and other business objectives are met.
• Responsible for management of multiple competing priorities, covering project, maintenance, and production support work.
• Serves as vendor relations point‑of‑contact for any third‑party software platforms within their portfolio.
• Fosters an environment of continuous improvement, developing metrics, standards, and governance controls required to manage their development teams.
• Ensures proper, efficient, and cost‑effective utilization of company resources.
• Ensures that department practices comply with federal and state laws as well as corporate policies. Ensures effective utilization and availability of material resources by planning, budgeting, and maintaining operational costs within corporate guidelines.
• Consistently demonstrates high standards of integrity by supporting the Lifetime Healthcare Companies’ mission and values and adhering to the Corporate Code of Conduct and Leading to the Lifetime Way values and beliefs.
• Maintains high regard for member privacy in accordance with corporate privacy policies and procedures.
• Maintains knowledge of all relevant legislative and regulatory mandates and ensures that all activities are in compliance with these requirements.
• Conducts periodic staff meetings and individual 1:1s to facilitate timely distribution and education related to departmental and Ethics/Compliance information.
• Regular and reliable attendance is expected and required.
• Performs other functions as assigned by management.

Minimum Qualifications

• Five (5) years of related work experience, with preference for candidates with at least two years of staff management experience
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or relevant field. In lieu of degree, an additional six (6) years of related work experience is required.
• Demonstrated ability to handle competing priorities & initiatives, quickly changing priorities, and high customer expectations.
• Demonstrated analytical, diagnostic, and problem‑solving abilities.
• Demonstrated expertise in project planning and project management.
• Demonstrated experience managing and motivating technical staff.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in structured systems analysis and design, building user relationships, data gathering techniques, and management information systems.
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant programming or job control languages.
• Demonstrated knowledge of structured programming techniques.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Agile and Waterfall SDLCs.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work prolonged periods sitting and/or standing at a workstation and working on a computer.
• Ability to travel across the Health Plan service region for meetings and/or trainings as needed.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Compensation Range(s)

Min - 110,093 Max - 198,168

The salary range indicated in this posting represents the minimum and maximum of the salary range for this position. Actual salary will vary depending on factors including, but not limited to, budget available, prior experience, knowledge, skill and education as they relate to the position’s minimum qualifications, in addition to internal equity. The posted salary range reflects just one component of our total rewards package. Other components of the total rewards package may include participation in group health and/or dental insurance, retirement plan, wellness program, paid time away from work, and paid holidays.

Please note: There may be opportunity for remote work within all jobs posted by the Excellus Talent Acquisition team. This decision is made on a case‑by‑case basis.