Manager of Application Development (Agile) 5510

Tier4 Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Tier4 Group in Chicago, IL is seeking a Manager of Application Development to lead Agile delivery capabilities across a broad portfolio of applications. This leadership role requires delivering predictable software releases, mentoring Scrum Masters and Analysts, and partnering with product and business stakeholders to align technology with strategic goals.

The successful candidate will drive Agile maturity, establish metrics, govern planning in Azure DevOps, and foster collaboration across

Qualifications

• 10+ years in software delivery or technology leadership with Agile delivery experience.
• Experience leading Scrum Masters and Business Systems Analysts across multiple teams.
• Strong understanding of SDLC, release management, and governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Scrum Masters and Business Systems Analysts across multiple Agile delivery teams.
• Drive consistent Agile practices, backlog management, estimation, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with product owners and business leaders to align delivery with strategic objectives.
• Establish and track metrics, improve forecasting and capacity planning.
• Govern Agile planning and delivery through Azure DevOps and reporting dashboards.

Skills

Agile leadership

Delivery governance

Stakeholder management

Team mentoring

Data-driven decisions

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field

Tools

Azure DevOps

Job description

Manager of Application Development (Agile Transformation)

Chicago, IL

Our client is seeking a Manager, Application Development to lead Agile delivery capabilities across a large and diverse application portfolio. This is a highly visible leadership role responsible for driving delivery excellence, Agile maturity, business analysis practices, and collaboration across technology and business teams.

The successful candidate will lead a team of Scrum Masters and Business Systems Analysts supporting multiple software delivery teams and a broad portfolio of business-critical applications. This individual will play a key role in improving delivery predictability, strengthening stakeholder alignment, enhancing Agile practices, and ensuring technology solutions effectively support business objectives.

This position requires a leader who combines strong software delivery expertise with outstanding relationship-building skills, enabling them to partner effectively with business stakeholders, product owners, engineering teams, architecture, cybersecurity, infrastructure, compliance, and executive leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Agile Delivery Leadership

• Lead and develop Scrum Masters and Business Systems Analysts supporting multiple Agile delivery teams.
• Drive consistent Agile practices across teams, including Scrum, Kanban, backlog management, planning, estimation, and continuous improvement.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, transparency, and delivery excellence.
• Remove impediments, manage dependencies, and help teams deliver business value predictably and efficiently.
• Partner with technology and business leaders to improve planning, prioritization, and stakeholder alignment.

Delivery Excellence & Agile Maturity

• Own and evolve the organization's Agile delivery framework, standards, and best practices.
• Establish and track key delivery metrics, team health indicators, and performance measures.
• Use delivery insights and data to improve forecasting, capacity planning, prioritization, and execution.
• Advance Agile maturity and evaluate opportunities to scale Agile practices across the organization.
• Serve as the leader responsible for Agile planning and delivery governance through Azure DevOps.
• Establish standards for backlog management, reporting, dashboards, work item structure, and delivery tracking.
• Improve visibility into delivery progress, team performance, risks, dependencies, and business outcomes.
• Enable data-driven decision-making through meaningful Agile metrics and reporting.

Business Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build trusted relationships with business leaders and stakeholders.
• Partner with Product Owners and technology teams to align delivery priorities with strategic objectives.
• Facilitate discussions around trade-offs, capacity, scope, timing, dependencies, and business value.
• Communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences, including senior leadership.

Talent Development

• Hire, mentor, and develop high-performing Agile delivery professionals.
• Establish clear expectations and career development opportunities for Scrum Masters and Business Systems Analysts.
• Foster a culture focused on continuous learning, collaboration, and leadership development.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business, Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in software delivery, application development, Agile delivery, business analysis, or related technology leadership roles.
• 3+ years of experience leading teams or delivery functions.
• Demonstrated success leading Agile delivery across multiple software development teams.
• Experience managing or coaching Scrum Masters, Business Systems Analysts, Product Owners, or related Agile roles.
• Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle, including requirements, development, testing, release management, and production support.
• Experience building delivery metrics, Agile reporting, and continuous improvement programs.
• Strong stakeholder management and business partnership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with enterprise Agile transformation or scaled Agile environments.
• Hands‑on experience with Microsoft Azure DevOps.
• Agile certifications such as CSM, PSM, PMI-ACP, SAFe, or PMP.
• Experience within highly regulated industries, including financial services, insurance, healthcare, or similar environments.

What Success Looks Like

• Improved delivery predictability, transparency, and stakeholder confidence.
• Strong Agile practices consistently applied across teams.
• Enhanced collaboration between business and technology stakeholders.
• Well-developed Scrum Master and Business Systems Analyst capabilities.
• Clear visibility into delivery performance, risks, priorities, and business outcomes.
• A culture of continuous improvement and delivery excellence.