Platform Manager

Department Overview

The role of Enterprise Release Management (ERM) Team Lead is situated in Test Enablement as part of the wider Digital Assurance and Productivity (DAP) Domain which sits within Technology Department’s Application & Product Engineering Division. The primary function of DAP provides assurance that IT Change delivered under projects or key releases is checked, tested and delivered to ensure the minimum degree of risk and failure.

Job Description

This role provides an opportunity to lead a team that ensures the key principles of release governance are adhered to for Bank projects/releases. The team are often involved in larger and more significant IT releases as part of projects or other workstreams. Release Management take a holistic look at change and are engaged to mitigate any risk of a release to existing services. This is done through governance with all stakeholders throughout the release cycle. They ensure change is implemented effectively and efficiently with minimal impact. The role itself provides a real chance to make a big difference! Alongside the managerial part of the role typical activities will include:

• Creating and maintaining a release acceptance criteria document (detailed checklist) used to govern and handle a release through its lifecycle (Plan, Design, Build and Test, Prepare for Implementation, Live Deployment and Post Implementation)
• Gathering, analysing acquiring a significant amount of information from various colleagues around the release and its intended delivery and following up as appropriate to guarantee that good practice is in place focusing on automation and repeatablility.
• For a significant number of these releases ERM act as the delivery manager for any dress rehearsals and live implementations and this involves chairing planning sessions (Technology & Business), putting together detailed run books and co-ordinating the release implementation (often over weekends)
• Overseeing that detailed release notes are created and recorded for each release of a project/change. These are approved/scheduled/tracked and monitored as they move through the various environments/lifecycle
• Chairing meetings to monitor progress/discuss issues/ conflict /implement Continual Service Improvement
• Ensuring that where necessary dress rehearsals/launch activities parent Change Requests are raised to forward plan
• Continuous service improvement to refine any ERM process and procedures align with central initiatives
• Resource management and forward planning.

Role Requirements

• The ability to provide leadership, support and aid the personal development of three highly capable and experienced staff
• ERM’s checklist provides a framework for the job holder to follow, but as no release is ever quite the same, the individual must have the awareness to use their discretion to make practical and sensible decisions when completing this
• The confidence and ability to deal with various colleagues potentially with different perspectives in relation to the delivery of a release
• To confidently represent the team at meetings together with the capacity to chair meetings effectively and resolve conflict
• The aptitude to understand and follow Bank process whether this is for Release Management or for other related processes such as Change Management etc.(see below)

Essential Criteria

• ITIL Foundation qualification would be a pre-requisite.
• Good grounding in general IT knowledge is desirable e.g. Not necessarily the technical details but at a higher/broader level e.g. knowing what the Data Network/Storage/DMZ/Firewalls etc. contribute to the capability of the Bank to achieve its mission
• Excellent written skills
• First rate interpersonal skills combined with a capability to influence others where required
• Good time management and organisational skills.
• Ability to work effectively and inclusively within a team of multiple colleagues from different areas
• Pragmatic approach to problem solving with a positive can-do attitude
• The self-assurance and capability to ask the right questions at the correct time?
• Attention to detail!

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge and experience of working in Technology would prove advantageous to the individual and provide a good base to help perform their role efficiently and effectively
• Sound understanding of Remedy, Plutora, Confluence and Jira toolsets
• Proficiency in usage of Excel
• Proven people leading skills including appraising and mentoring

Our Approach to Inclusion

The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve.

At the Bank of England we want all colleagues to feel valued and respected, so we're working hard to build an inclusive culture which supports people from all backgrounds and communities to be at their best at work. We celebrate all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. We believe that it’s by drawing on different perspectives and experiences that we’ll continue to make the best decisions for the public.

We welcome applications from individuals who work flexibly, including job shares and part time working patterns. We've also partnered with external organisations to support us in making adjustments for candidates and employees in the recruitment process where they're needed.

For most roles where work can be carried out at home, we aim for colleagues to spend half of their time in the office, with a minimum of 40% per month. Subject to that minimum requirement, individuals and managers should work together to find what works best for them, their team and stakeholders.

Finally, we're proud to be a member of the Disability Confident scheme. You can find more information on what this means here. If you wish to apply under this scheme, you should check the box in the ‘Candidate Personal Information’ under the ‘Disability Confident Scheme’ section of the application.

Salary and Benefits Information

Salary range between £61,770- £78, 300

We encourage flexible working, part time working and job share arrangements. Part time salary and benefits will be on a pro-rated basis as appropriate.

In addition, we also offer a comprehensive benefits package as detailed below:

• A non-contributory, career average pension giving you a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/95th of your annual salary for every year worked. There is the option to increase your pension (to 1/50th) or decrease (to 1/120th) in exchange for salary through our flexible benefits programme each year.
• A discretionary performance award based on a current award pool.
• A 7% benefits allowance with the option to take as salary or purchase a wide range of flexible benefits. (Note that from April 2023 and for the Benefits year 2023/24, this will increase to 8%)
• 26 days’ annual leave with option to buy up to 12 additional days through flexible benefits.
• Private medical insurance and income protection.

National Security Vetting Process

Employment in this role will be subject to the National Security Vetting clearance process (and typically can take between 6 to 12 weeks post offer) and the passing of additional Bank security checks in accordance with the Bank policy. Further information regarding the vetting and security clearance requirements for the role will be provided to the successful applicant, and information about how the Bank processes personal data for these purposes, is set out in the Bank’s Privacy Notice at Privacy and the Bank of England | Bank of England.

The Application Process

Important: Please ensure that you complete the ‘work history’ section and answer ALL the application questions fully. All candidate applications are anonymised to ensure that our hiring managers will not be able to see your personal information, including your CV, when reviewing your application details at the screening stage. It’s therefore really important that you fill out the work history and application form questions, as your answers will form a critical part of the initial selection process.

The closing date for applications is 04/06/2023

The assessment process will comprise of two stages.