Manager II, Mainframe Engineering

Overview

The Mainframe Systems Programming Manager II is a senior technical leadership role with strategic responsibility for shaping and sustaining NFCU's enterprise-class mainframe environment. This position leads a team of highly skilled mainframe systems programmers and serves as the architectural authority for IBM z/OS and related infrastructure technologies. This is a high-impact role requiring exceptional technical depth, architectural foresight, and leadership capability.

As a key leader in NFCU's technology organization, this role ensures stability, security, and ongoing modernization of the mainframe platform that supports the institution's core banking applications. The successful candidate will possess advanced Mainframe and z/OS architectural expertise, enabling them to define and enforce standards for process design, configuration management, and risk mitigation across the platform. Additionally, the candidate must demonstrate proven ability to manage and develop a team of technical engineers supporting mission-critical platforms with 24/7/365 service levels, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Talent Quest

This position is eligible for the TalentQuest employee referral program. If an employee referred you for this job, please apply using the system-generated link that was sent to you.

Navy Federal Credit Union currently does not provide sponsorship for this role. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.

Responsibilities

Management Responsibilities

• Collaborate with senior IT leaders, business strategists, specialized technicians, vendors, auditors, and risk consultants to align technology initiatives with organizational objectives.
• Influence technology vendors to prioritize NFCU's requirements for enhancements and fixes.
• Develop and manage the mainframe budget, including NFCU's annual budgeting process.
• Maintain vendor software support contracts and oversee renewal processes.
• Solve complex problems with significant impact on strategic IT priorities and measurable business outcomes.
• Serve as a credible expert advisor to peers and internal/external partners, act as a trusted advisor to leadership.
• Foster skills development through coaching and mentoring of both experienced and junior mainframe engineers.
• Partner with IBM and other vendors to evaluate emerging technologies and negotiate support agreements.
• Lead staff in defining project scope, plans, deliverables, cost projections, and implementation timelines.
• Contribute to strategic and tactical business initiatives in collaboration with technical managers and subject matter experts across network, security, and operations domains.
• Drives staffing decisions, including interviewing and evaluating candidates for mainframe engineering roles.
• Implements leadership development and succession planning, reskilling/upskilling team members for future growth.

Technical Leadership Responsibilities

• Lead the mainframe systems programming team, providing subject matter expertise and guidance in:
  • Configuration, maintenance, and lifecycle management of z/OS, subsystems, and mainframe hardware.
  • Design and implementation of replication solutions to ensure disaster recovery compliance with RTO/RPO objectives.
  • Installation, administration, and support of third-party mainframe software products.
• Diagnosis and resolution of complex hardware and software issues to maintain system stability and performance.
• Define and enforce architectural standards for the mainframe platform, ensuring alignment with NFCU security and enterprise architecture policies.
• Implement and maintain processes for configuration management and drift control.
• Oversee patching and vulnerability remediation to maintain a secure and compliant environment.
• Ensure robust privileged access management practices to safeguard sensitive system resources.
• Collaborate with operations and delivery teams to integrate new functionality without compromising performance or stability.
• Drive modernization initiatives to optimize performance, scalability, and supportability.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation of mainframe technical standards and procedures.
• Develop long-term strategies for mainframe infrastructure, including capacity planning and technology refresh cycles.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in mainframe engineering or related mission-critical technologies, including at least 5 years in technical/engineering management.
• In-depth knowledge of IBM mainframe industry trends, best practices, & 3 rd party z/OS middleware products.
• Advanced understanding of z/OS configuration and security standards.
• Proven experience leading and coaching technical managers and engineering staff, including managing distributed teams across multiple locations and time zones.
• Strong ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with all levels of staff, management, stakeholders, and vendors.
• Advanced relationship-building, influencing, negotiation, and facilitation skills.
• Expert-level knowledge of IBM Mainframe, z/OS, and associated hardware/software technologies, including:
  • z/OS, CICS, DB2, MQ, JES2, DFSMS & HSM, RACF
  • GDPS (Metro Mirror & Global Mirror), HyperSwap, HCD
  • Parallel Sysplex, SMP/E, HLASM, USS, OMVS, REXX, & ISPF
  • Capacity planning, WLM, SCRT analysis, & Flexible Capacity
  • SMF analysis and reporting, SMS/disk and tape management
  • Storage hardware & peripherals (DASD subsystems, VTS, HMCs)
• Experience developing and managing budgets, procurement processes, and vendor contract negotiations.
• Advanced verbal/written communication and strategic planning skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, including summarizing complex information and identifying key patterns and relationships.
• Effective presentation skills for conveying findings, conclusions, and recommendations clearly and concisely.

Desired Qualifications

• Extensive experience supporting financial services and/or core banking technology environments.
• Familiarity with cloud computing, network, middleware, firewall, and file transmission technologies
• Experience with ADO, Ansible, GitHub, and/or ServiceNow.
• Certifications: PMP, ITIL, Agile, and/or DevOps.
• Experience with encryption technologies (at-rest, TLS, GSKLM, & pervasive)
• Familiarity with NFCU operations, processes, and procedures.

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 4:30PM

Locations: 820 Follin Lane, Vienna, VA 22180 | 5510 Heritage Oaks Drive, Pensacola, FL 32526

About Us
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Our approach to careers is simple yet powerful: Make our mission your passion.

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Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity or any other basis protected by applicable law.

Disclaimers: Navy Federal reserves the right to fill this role at a higher/lower grade level based on business need. An assessment may be required to compete for this position. Job postings are subject to close early or extend out longer than the anticipated closing date at the hiring team's discretion based on qualified applicant volume. Navy Federal Credit Union assesses market data to establish salary ranges that enable us to remain competitive. You are paid within the salary range, based on your experience, location and market position. For additional details regarding compensation and benefits, review the Benefits page of the Navy Federal Career Site.

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