Sr Group Operations Manager
Canada
Job Description
Sr Group Operations Manager
Others, Ontario
Job Summary
Job Summary : The Mainframe Strategic System Architect owns the multi-year technology direction of the customer\'s mainframe environment. The role is the focal point for the customer on organization-level initiatives such as modernization, optimization and software rationalization, and presents initiatives to customer IT leadership for review and acceptance.
Job Responsibilities : Strategy and roadmap • Build the multi-year roadmap of software and hardware upgrades, covering IBM and ISV software, and inform leadership for approval. • Review and approve the latest solutions for the mainframe environment. • Present initiatives to customer IT leadership for review and acceptance to proceed. • Provide an annual technology briefing to customer leadership on initiatives and the multi-year technology roadmap from the mainframe infrastructure perspective (CPC, storage, OS and other software). Capacity, performance and forecasting • Own mainframe capacity planning. • Review capacity usage (MIPS/MSU Growth) periodically and recommend additions or reductions in CPU (GP/zIIP) capacity. • Review storage usage (DASD & Tape utilization) & workload growth (SMF/RMF) and forecast on expected storage runway available and capacity requirements. • Own environment forecasting. • Perform hardware sizing based on capacity requirements and usage trends. Hardware and software lifecycle • Plan hardware refresh one year in advance & perform pre-requisite checks for any upgrade activity and prepare a plan to close the gaps before the actual product upgrade. • Prepare the storage microcode and firmware upgrade plan with the distributed storage team. • Assess the need for HIPERs and other security patches. • Assess new software product requirements and perform the due-diligence of shortlisted products. • Track license renewal requirements for expiring software and apply for renewal in advance. • Maintain an understanding of IBM and ISV product suite usage within the organization. Vendors, risk and compliance • Collaborate with vendors. • Drive architectural changes arising from risk and compliance requirements. • Assess the complexity and change requirements to the mainframe system architecture arising from regulatory requirements. • Coordinate enterprise-level network, storage and security infrastructure change preparation and testing requirements from the mainframe side. • Perform RCA assessment, review and acceptance. Modernization and transformation • Act as the customer\'s focal point for organization-level initiatives: modernization, optimization, software rationalization and other business requirements. • Lead environment modernization and optimization. • Assess the impact and effort of transformation initiatives such as AI infusion, MIPS optimization, software decommissioning and software replacement. • Collaborate with Application Support and Maintenance on modernization initiatives and on infrastructure requirements from the application side. Plan these with leadership approval. Commercial and cost • Act as the point of contact for mainframe usage chargeback. • Continuously evaluate alternative products that can replace expensive incumbent software without losing capability, and build the business case for each switch. Market and technology watch • Maintain a view of vendor roadmaps, licensing models and pricing trends across ISV, IBM and emerging vendors. • Assess vendor claims on GenAI, Agentic AI and AIOps critically, and separate what works in production from what is marketing. • Track developments in mainframe infrastructure, modernization, AIOps, GenAI and Agentic AI, and share relevant findings with leadership and practice teams.
Key Responsibilities
NA
Skill Requirements
Skill Requirement : • 15+ years of total experience in Mainframe Infrastructure services. • Proven track record in at least one of the following Mainframe System Programming or System Administration areas in the past: z/OS, Db2, CICS, IMS, Mainframe Storage, Mainframe Network, Mainframe Hardware, Mainframe Automation, Mainframe Batch tools. • Good knowledge of Mainframe Sysplex, GDPS, Storage Grid Replication, Safeguarded copies/Immutable backup, CPC capacity update (up/down) • Good knowledge of Modern mainframe products : zOSMF, ZOAU, zowe, Ansible, Linux on z, zCX, zOCP, zOS Connect and AIOps observability • Good knowledge of Performance & capacity tools: Intellimagic, IZPCA, MXG etc. • Experienced in the Hardware (CPC – z16/17 & Storage – DS8K & TS7K) upgrade and migration between data centers. • Experienced in Software upgrade and migration from one vendor product to another. • Experienced in driving Mainframe Transformations to modernize/ consolidate/ optimize the mainframe infrastructure with Cloud integration. • Fluent and confident in conversations with customer leadership at CxO level. • Strong in vendor communication in assessing their product capabilities and negotiation on license renewals
Other Requirements
NA
Information at a Glance