Company Introduction
We have an exciting opportunity now available with one of our sector-leading consultancy clients! They are currently looking for a skilled Implementation Manager - Mainframe Product Migration Programme to join their Tier 1 banking client on a remote basis.
Job Responsibilities/Objectives
Plan, coordinate, and execute the end-to-end implementation of a Mainframe product migration into production, ensuring a controlled, compliant, and low-risk cutover.
Own the integrated deployment/cutover plan, readiness, and go/no-go governance across technology, operations, business, and third parties.
- Create and maintain the integrated implementation (deployment/cutover) strategy and plan covering scope, approach (big bang/phased), timeline, dependencies, and critical path.
- Lead cutover planning: detailed runbooks, rehearsal plans, roles/responsibilities, communications, checkpoints, and contingency/rollback.
- Coordinate release and change management activities (CAB submissions, implementation approvals, change records, stakeholder signoffs).
- Drive environment and operational readiness: capacity, access, monitoring, scheduling/batch windows, support model, service transition.
- Manage data migration implementation activities with clear sequencing, validation steps, reconciliation, and operational controls.
- Orchestrate dress rehearsals/mock cutovers, capture lessons learned and harden runbooks.
- Lead implementation governance: readiness reviews, RAID management, decision logs, and executive reporting.
- Coordinate hyper care/post-go-live: incident triage, defect backlog prioritisation, stabilisation metrics, and handover to BAU.
- Ensure alignment with risk/compliance/audit requirements (evidence packs, approvals, segregation of duties where required).
- Manage third parties/vendors involved in deployment (eg, infrastructure, platform, data, app support, schedulers).
Deliverables (typical)
- Implementation strategy and Integrated Cutover Plan
- Detailed cutover runbooks (minute-by-minute where needed)
- Rehearsal plans and rehearsal outcomes/actions log
- Change/CAB artefacts and approval pack
- Readiness criteria, go/no-go checklist, and decision log
- Hypercare plan, support model, and BAU handover pack
- Implementation closure report and lessons learned
Required Skills/Experience: The ideal candidate will have the following:
- Proven Implementation/Cutover/Deployment Management on Mainframe or large-scale Legacy migrations.
- Strong understanding of z/OS production operations constraints: batch cycles (JCL), scheduling (eg, Control-M/CA-7), DB2/IMS considerations, CICS regions, interface dependencies, and resilience/DR practices.
- Experience running dress rehearsals, coordinating cross-team cutovers, and leading go/no-go forums.
- Working knowledge of ITIL-aligned change, release, and incident management in regulated environments.
Skills & behaviours
Excellent planning and dependency management; strong ?get it done? execution bias.
Clear, calm leadership during high-pressure cutover windows.
Strong stakeholder management across technology, operations, business, risk/compliance, and suppliers.
Crisp written communication: executive updates, RAID, and runbook clarity.
Tools/methods
- Planning: MS Project/Smartsheet/Jira/Confluence
- Change/ITSM: ServiceNow (or equivalent)
- Reporting: Excel