Job Information
Bright Horizons Director, Application Development in Newton, Massachusetts
What you will be doing:
- The Director, Application Development is responsible for providing management for applications support and development for application sets across emerging Lines of Business (LOB).
What we hope you will bring to this role:
General Application Development and Support Skills
Deep understanding of the application development life cycle and ability to apply it to existing and future application development
Management of technical support staff both in-house and external on a day to day basis and provide continuous improvement to support function
Technical expertise to understand applications and develop plans to continuously improve application portfolio
Exhibit excellent follow-up on the status and next steps of all application support
Identify resources needed and assign individual responsibilities to cross-functional project team members
Oversee application development of existing and future application according to Bright Horizons standards
Technical knowledge of Microsoft applications tools and programs to effectively manage the development of software to support business needs
Ensure documentation is complete, current, and stored appropriately
Report on schedule and product progress on weekly basis (or more frequently as required by management)
Application Specific Project Management Skills
Ensure that application projects are prepared (including all pre and post-development steps) in a timeframe, quantity and mix to achieve the best possible return from development and project resources to ensure both efficiency and effectiveness of the development process
Ensure that software development schedule and timeline is in alignment with business and implementation goals and requirements and make adjustments to meet business goals when necessary
Oversee the creation of pre-development materials to ensure that they are created in a format and level of depth that facilitates business team feedback and can be efficiently converted into functional specifications to be provided to developers
Collaborate with business owners and other relevant parties to fully understand, define and document functional requirements for system and/or process changes to meet evolving business needs including oversight of process flow diagrams, user interface mock-ups and conceptual explanations
Manage software developers to refine functional specifications and project phasing to strike an appropriate balance for each project between full complex functionality, speed to market and available development resources
Review all functional and technical specifications prior to initial development to ensure that recommended solutions are consistent with related functionality within the appropriate application(s)
Review test scripts as part of all functional specifications to ensure that testing occurs to meet all business requirements including all process components as well as client, center and program configurations
Execute test scripts to ensure compliance of software changes with business requirements and manage a testing team of quality assurance or user acceptance testers
Ensure that all changes to systems are tested according to change management policies and procedures to ensure compliance of software changes with business requirements and that audit documentation is complete and accurate
Communication
Facilitate team and client meetings effectively
Hold regular status meetings with development team
Keep development team well informed of changes within the organization and general corporate news
Effectively communicate relevant project information to superiors
Deliver engaging, informative, well-organized presentations that are effectively tailored to the intended audience
Adjust communication strategy and approach of team to match the needs of specific business groups, individuals and development partners and ensure that all materials created for communicating and facilitating discussion of intended approach are carefully tailored to the intended audience to ensure that business owners are able to give complete and accurate feedback
Ensure that feedback from key business owners is fully acknowledged and incorporated into functional and technical specifications, process flow diagrams and project plans to give business leaders the confidence that they are being heard and that their needs will be met
Serve as a communication bridge between business leaders and developers to facilitate understanding of initial requirements, questions and changes across these groups
Resolve and/or escalate issues in a timely fashion
Understand how to communicate difficult/sensitive information tactfully
Teamwork
Consistently acknowledge and appreciate each team member's contributions
Effectively utilize each team member to his/her fullest potential
Motivate team to work together in the most efficient manner
Keep track of lessons learned and shares those lessons with team members
Mitigate team conflict and communication problems
DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY
- Works under the direction of the Application Development Leader and CIO.
RECOMMENDED EDUCATION/ EXPERIENCE/ SKILLS
Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Engineering, Technology or related field
Minimum 10+ years of application development and application development management
Strong scheduling and budgeting experience
Strong technical capabilities with knowledge of Microsoft technologies and development practices
Ability to remain organized at all times and to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources including team members, other internal departments and external parties (such as 3rd party software development partners)
Ability to lead, motivate and direct a cross-functional workgroup while being flexible in a changing environment
Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment and react to project adjustments and alterations promptly and efficiently
Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion in confidential matters
Excellent analytical skills required
Experience managing all phases of the project life cycle, including running project prioritization meetings, post-installation project postmortem meetings and a proven track record of multi-tasking, meeting deadlines and delivering projects on budget
Prior experience managing development staff, including BH staff and third party vendors
Knowledge of different project management software, and be technically competent with various software programs including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project and Visio
Self-starter with the ability to work with minimal supervision, and have excellent verbal and written communication skills
Travel as required
The range of compensation listed here or that may be discussed in the interview process is what Bright Horizons in good faith anticipates offering for this job opening. Actual compensation offers will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education and training, certifications, geography, and other relevant business or organizational factors.
Life at Bright Horizons:
Our home office employees support all facets of our business — and no matter which department you join, you’ll be part of a passionate team doing work that makes a difference in the lives of children and families.
Our people are the heart of our company. Because we’re as committed to our own employees as we are to the clients we serve, our collaborative workplaces are designed to grow careers and support personal lives. Here, you’ll find traditional perks (health insurance, 401(k), PTO, and flex spending) plus childcare discounts, education assistance, and so much more. Join us to experience how we support our people to realize their passion, possibilities, and purpose both at work and at home. All in a workplace where you can be you. Come build a brighter future with us.
HAVING TECHNICAL ISSUES WITH YOUR APPLICATION?
Contact us at bhrecruit@brighthorizons.com or 855-877-6866
Bright Horizons is dedicated to creating a workforce that promotes and supports diversity and inclusion. We provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals without discrimination. Bright Horizons complies with the laws and regulations set forth in the following EEO is the Law Poster: EEO – English (https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf) and EEO – Spanish (https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeosp.pdf) along with information on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/fmlaen.pdf) and Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) (https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/eppac.pdf) .
Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the recruitment helpdesk at 855-877-6866 or bhrecruit@brighthorizons.com . Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.