Head of Application Management - 71,835-81,090 p.a. + benefits

We are currently looking for a Head of Application Management to join our Technology & Service Operations Function within the Digital & Technology group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a fixed term contract basis until 31st March 2027. The role will be based in 7/8 Wellington Place, Leeds, LS1 4AP.

Government departments and agencies are working towards implementing a minimum 60% attendance in office sites.

We are currently implementing a flexible, hybrid way of working, with a minimum of 8 days per month working on site to enable the collaboration and contact with partners and stakeholders needed to deliver MHRA business. Attendance on site is driven by business needs so depending on the nature of the role, this can flex up to 12 days a month, with the remainder of time worked either remotely or in the office. Some roles will need to be on site more regularly. Please discuss this with the recruiting manager before accepting an appointment.

Who are we?

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.

The Digital and Technology Group (DTG) lies at the heart of the Agency and is responsible for delivering an optimised IT infrastructure and maximising the secure use of data to enable our scientists, inspectors, and the rest of the organisation to deliver world class services which can improve outcomes for patients and the general public. The Group was essential in the race to approve COVID-19 vaccines in 2020 and in supporting the UK to set up its own medicines and devices approvals systems following our exit from the EU. The work we do matters!

Whats the role?

The Head of Applications Management is accountable for managing all of the Agency Applications in live operation. This role aligns to the Government Digital Service DDaT Principal Applications Operations Engineer role, who owns the Agency wide application strategy and leads on the resourcing and learning and development for their team. The postholder will play a leadership role in the software engineering and management DDaT practice. At this level, you will have expert technical understanding and will be accountable for vendor and supplier management of applications management performance.

Key responsibilities:

• Drive strategic system and process improvements, interventions and upgrades where relevant
• Support DevOps-focused engineers in improving the overall quality of product build, deployments, monitoring and alerting
• Lead problem solving initiatives, prioritise technical debt and value delivery keeping both tactical and strategic challenges in mind
• Lead the Applications Maintenance Programme taking accountability for backlogs, outcomes and reporting on progress
• Lead the Applications Management practice with staff and suppliers
• Develop strategic plans with regard to the technical development of sites/software in use across the Agency
• Management and accountability for Operational Budgets

Method of assessment: A=Application, T=Test, I=Interview, P=Presentation

Behaviour Criteria:

• Changing and Improving (A, I)
• Making Effective Decisions (A, I)
• Communicating and Influencing (A, I)
• Delivering at Pace (A, I)

Experience Criteria:

• Communicating between the technical and the non-technical (A, I)
• Data analysis and synthesis (A, I)
• Leading Applications Management practice (A, I, P)
• Leading Applications Maintenance Programme (A, I, P)
• Management and accountability for Operational Budgets (A, I, P)
• Strategic plans with regard to the technical development of sites/software (A, I, P)
• Drive strategic system and process improvements, interventions and upgrades where relevant (A, I, P)

Technical Criteria:

• Experience using automated tests to continuously validate your work (I)
• Experience of modern development and deployment techniques, including continuous integration and continuous delivery (I)
• Experience working in agile environments (I)
• Enthusiasm for sharing knowledge and working in a multi-disciplinary team (I)
• Experience of managing applications in a controlled scientific and laboratory environment (A)

If you would like to find out more about this fantastic opportunity, please read our Job Description and Person Specification!

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