Hiring for Lead Application Support & Operations (Azure | AI & Automation) @ Montvale, NJ for a W2 contract position
Role Summary
We are seeking a senior resource to lead the Application Support and Operations function for enterprise-grade applications hosted on Microsoft Azure. This role will be responsible for ensuring high availability, operational excellence, and continuous improvement through automation and AI-driven practices. The candidate will lead a global support team and act as a key liaison between engineering, vendors (including Microsoft), and business stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
Lead day-to-day operations of the Application Support & Operations team, ensuring efficient ticket triage, troubleshooting, and resolution
Manage and mentor a global team (~8 analysts across onshore and offshore)
Own application uptime, SLA adherence, and operational stability
Incident & Problem Management
Act as the escalation point for critical incidents and perform hands-on troubleshooting
Conduct root cause analysis (RCA) and implement preventive measures
Enforce ITIL best practices across incident, problem, and change management
Azure & Technical Oversight
Collaborate with Microsoft and internal engineering teams on Azure performance and reliability
Monitor application health using logs, metrics, and observability tools
Ensure stable environments across releases, deployments, and system updates
Stakeholder & Vendor Management
Coordinate across business, technical teams, and external vendors
Drive clear communication during incidents, releases, and operational reviews
Continuous Improvement & Automation
Drive transformation initiatives including:
o Process automation
o Proactive monitoring
o AI/agentic automation for incident detection/resolution
Improve documentation, knowledge management, and self-service capabilities
Reporting & Governance
Define and report KPIs, trends, and operational insights
Provide regular updates to leadership on performance and risks
Qualifications
Experience
8+ years in Application Support / Production Operations / Service Management
3+ years in a team leadership or management role
Experience managing global/offshore teams
Technical Skills
Strong knowledge of Microsoft Azure architecture and operations
Hands-on experience with:
o .NET / C#
o SQL Server
o IIS / WCF / Windows-based applications
Ability to analyze logs, system metrics, and performance issues
Tools & Frameworks
ServiceNow (ITSM)
Application Insights / monitoring tools
ITIL processes (incident, problem, change)
Soft Skills
Strong communication and stakeholder management
Ability to operate in high-pressure, mission-critical environments
Preferred Experience
Supporting large-scale enterprise applications
Experience in regulated / audit-driven environments
Exposure to AI-driven operations (AIOps), automation, or agentic workflows
Key Differentiator
Proven ability to modernize support functions using AI, automation, and proactive operations
Never miss an opportunity! Create an alert based on the job you applied for.