Senior Manager of Enterprise Applications & Data

Position: The Senior Manager of Enterprise Applications & Data supports SURS’ vision by providing leadership and technical expertise in planning, selecting, implementing, upgrading, and maintaining key custom developed and Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) applications. They will guide a team of incredible individuals responsible for the development & maintenance of SURS’ enterprise applications. This position will report directly to the Chief Strategy & Technology Officer.

Position: Senior Manager of Enterprise Applications & Data

Position Type: Full-time | Based in Champaign, IL

Civil Service Classification: Information Technology Manager/Administrative Coordinator

Main Duties:

• Leadership & Strategy:
• Lead a team throughout all phases of design, implementation, and support of critical business applications, including Pension Administration System (PAS), web, and low-code applications.
• Develop and manage the applications roadmap in alignment with organizational needs and best practices.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to understand business processes and identify opportunities for system improvements and automation.
• Provide strategic direction for integrations & data usage.
• Team Leadership & Development:
• Lead and mentor a team of application & data managers, ensuring continuous improvement and knowledge sharing within the team.
• Provide performance feedback, training, and professional development opportunities for team members.
• Project Management:
• Plan, coordinate, and execute application development projects, including upgrades, enhancements, and new implementations in conjunction with product owners and PMO.
• Manage cross-functional teams, including internal staff and external vendors, to deliver projects on time and within scope.
• Compliance, Data Management, and Reporting:
• Act as control owner and coordinate with business process owners and other control owners to execute on applicable compliance requirements.
• Evaluate control deficiencies and track remediation to completion.
• Consult, advise, and participate in the design of various IT processes and controls to support compliance with policies, standard, & regulatory requirements.
• Oversee data management practices, ensuring accurate reporting and analytics capabilities across platforms.
• Develop custom reports and dashboards to provide actionable insights for business leaders.
• Business Process Improvement:
• Identify and implement process improvements through better utilization of applications and data.
• Conduct regular system reviews, data analysis, and user feedback sessions to identify opportunities for optimization.
• Vendor & Stakeholder Management:
• Act as the primary point of contact for germane vendors and external consultants.
• Negotiate contracts, licenses, and service agreements with vendors to optimize costs and service quality.
• Maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including department heads, to ensure business needs are met.
• Documentation and Training:
• Maintain documentation of configurations, processes, and technical solutions.

Required Qualifications

1. Any one or any combination totaling 5 years (60 months) from the following categories:
2. College coursework which includes Information Technology (IT), IT Management, Programming, IT Systems, or a closely related discipline, as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:

• 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
• Associate’s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
• 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)
• Bachelor’s Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months)

1. Work experience in IT-related functions such as hardware/software support, programming, network design, network engineering, IT systems integration, or closely related field, which includes supervisory or lead worker capacity.

   2. Based on position requirements, additional education, training, and/or work experience in the area of specialization inherent to the position may be required.

1. 7 years of experience managing enterprise applications, particularly PAS, ERP or other enterprise-scale software system environments.
2. 3 Supervisory/Management experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)

•  Ability to communicate orally and in writing
• Ability to interact with all levels of the organization
• Strong knowledge of data governance and compliance standards.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with configuration, administration, and customization of large-scale enterprise platforms. PAS-specific experience is a big plus!
• Strong understanding of enterprise architecture, ERP/CRM systems, and cloud-based technologies.
• Excellent project management skills with a proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results on time.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate across departments and teams.
• Experience with integration tools like Azure Logic Apps or Power Automate a plus.
• Experience working in an Agile development environment.
• Experience in managing vendor relationships and negotiating contracts.
• Proven experience leading large-scale system implementations, migrations, and integrations.

Position Information

This is a full-time position is based in Champaign, IL. During the initial 12-month training period, fully in-office workdays may be required. After successful completion of the initial training period. this position may transition to a hybrid role. The starting salary range for this position is $150,000 to $165,000. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the full range for a position. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. 

Benefits

• Insurance benefits, including medical, vision and dental
• Participation in SURS retirement plan
• Paid vacation, sick leave and 11 paid holidays
• Paid Parental Leave after six months of employment
• Casual/business casual attire (dependent on job duties)
• Flexible work environment
• Free parking
• 37.5-hour standard work week
• Find more details regarding the benefits SURS offers at: SURS Employee Benefits - SURS