SAP Release and Quality Manager

Position Overview

The Business Applications group at the Davey Tree Expert Company works as a team to focus on improving internal processes, making it easier to do business with Davey, and supports internal and external clients with technology and expertise in managing various projects.  While we work primarily with SAP, we also develop mobile applications, integrate best-of-breed applications with SAP, provide insight through analytics, and support client-facing transactional systems.The Release and QA Manager position is part of the Business Applications Leadership Team and ensures that Davey maintains the exceptional quality of our corporate software, primarily SAP.  This position is accountable for all application change, release, and testing across Business Applications.  This position works with the rest of the IT organization to organize releases and ensures test coverage and testing is thorough.  This position also works with the DevOps

Engineer as a project manager to continually automate our SDLC toolchain which includes JIRA, RevTrac, and Panaya.  This role includes a high degree of leadership, communication and coordination of Change, Testing and Release Management activities with the IT, Digital, Cyber Security and Business users.

Job Duties

The Release and QA Manager oversees and engages in the following activities around the application change and test management:

• Plan, coordinate and execute SAP change, testing and release activities
• Provide leadership and direction to the SAP change, testing and release organization to ensure it will contribute to the Company achieving its goals
• Direct on-time, quality delivery of work products; manage engagement risk
• Define and develop standard methodologies for the Company and assist in developing structured change, testing and release frameworks and playbooks to ensure consistency and repeatability of the process
• Facilitate change, drive operational excellence, and strive for continuous improvements for current SDLC
• Develop Business Applications capabilities to meet the needs of the organization around change, release, and test management
• Manage relationships with major application vendors and service providers to ensure they cost-effectively meet the needs of the organization
• Work with and organize a team of cross functional resources to deliver the releases and testing efficiently and effectively for the Company
• Ability to support standard Waterfall and Agile releases of infrastructure, integrations, and new application implementations, working with development, project management, testing, and IT service management to ensure every aspect of successful completion and launch is accomplished
• Build release schedule, identify release gates, and manage all resources and deliverables
• Validate requirements are complete and testing issues are resolved
• Work with IT Support to ensure Hypercare readiness
• Lead the Go-Live activities to deploy the software successfully
• Team up with relevant development teams responsible for building the automation tools used to develop and deploy the software
• Schedule the ad hoc CAB (Change Advisory Board) meetings to discuss the release schedules with the team and find roadblocks, if any
• Product Owner of the SDLC Toolchain

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or related discipline required

• 10 years of professional experience in SAP system integration preferred

• Minimum of 5 years of experience with SAP Change Management and/or demonstrate proficiency/experience designing/working with any Application Change Management processes required

• Minimum of 2 years of experience coordinating Application Release Management activities required

• Strong “service provider” and “business partner” orientation.  A visible, collaborative, and accessible leader to both the IT organization and the rest of the Company required

• Drives for continuous improvement, cost reduction and productivity of current and future systems and releases

• Drives change and accountability.  Experience leading transformational change within technology organizations and between IT and our business partners, desired

• Has the ability to communicate effectively and understand the needs of non-technical internal clients as well as different global cultures

• Has a balance of project management, conflict resolution and people management skills

• Enjoys problem solving and working in a team environment

• Has the interpersonal skills necessary to get buy-in for standards from users & management

• Attention to detail, process driven and highly organized

• Positive attitude and team player with the ability to self-motivate

• High level of integrity and strict adherence to protecting confidential information

• Good organizational and planning skills, with a proven ability to manage time well in a fast-paced, ever-changing, team-oriented environment

Additional Information

What We Offer: * 

• Paid time off and paid holidays 
• Opportunities for advancement 
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with a company match 
• Employee-owned company and discounted stock purchase options 
• Group health plan 
• Employee referral bonus program 
• Locations throughout US in major cities and desirable areas 
• Scholarship program for children of employees 
• Charitable matching gift program 

*all listed benefits available to eligible employees  

Company Overview

Invest in your future. Join one of the largest employee owned companies in the nation!  Davey has a unique culture that focuses on the open exchange of ideas, community partnerships, a commitment to safety, and delivering unrivaled client service while acting as industry leaders in horticultural and environmental services.  

Divisional Overview