Middleware Platform Lead

Discipline: Retail Banking
Job type: Permanent
Contact name: Josh Wingate

Contact email: careers@co-operativebank.co.uk
Job ref: 028802
Published: 15 days ago

Middleware Platform Lead

Salary – Up To £83,500 + Car Allowance + Private Medical

Manchester/Home Based

 

Want to change the world? A career that makes a difference

We’re not a bank that follows the crowd. Instead, we like to stand out for all the right reasons. Our bank is built on co-operative values that stand strong today. A lot has happened since our story began, we don’t just help people with their money, but help people fight for justice and the causes they care about. Our unique customer-led Ethical Policy, has made us a natural leader in environmental and social issues today, and we’re market leaders in ESG as rated by leading ESG ratings agency Sustainalytics*. 

 

There has never been a more pressing time for our Bank to focus our efforts on causes that matter to our customers and colleagues. Why not see where you can make a change, and join the UK’s original ethical bank to continue our ambitions to lead the industry on environmental and social issues today and beyond.

 

We promote a hybrid working environment, which means you will work at our office in Manchester roughly once per month and then remotely from home. To enable you to work from home, you will need have a suitable office set up which includes a desk and a chair in a location which is free from the interruptions of day-to-day life. 

 

Our role:

 

As the platform owner and squad lead for Middleware, you will have the opportunity to shape the Bank’s future usage of Middleware and be responsible for day to day operations. You will be responsible and accountable for the Bank’s future Middleware Roadmap and driving the strategy and implementation of such. You will provide architectural design and technical leadership to projects, manage middleware designs within the Bank’s architectural governance framework and work with 3rd party build and service teams to ensure solutions are implemented and run to the highest standards. You will also engage in the operational support of middleware. This will include Risk and Lifecycle Management, as well as have input into Major Incident. You will lead a team of middleware platform engineers and 3rd party resources to achieve these goals.

What you will be doing:

*       Accountable for delivering the Bank’s Middleware Roadmap as well as driving its strategy and implementation.

*       Represent and lead Middleware elements as part of the Banks TDA (Technical Design Authority) including in-flight projects as well as long term roadmap planning for the future middleware.

*       Produce middleware infrastructure design documentation based on solution architecture to be implemented by the Bank’s 3rd party suppliers.

*       Provide accurate estimates for inclusion into project costs and business cases as well as end to end IT costs of the Co-operative Bank.

*       Input to infrastructure solution frameworks and patterns displaying awareness of external markets and suppliers, so that the best value for money and service is delivered.

*       Lead 3rd parties in providing design for product integration for existing and new solutions.

*       Work with Project Managers and 3rd party supplier build teams to ensure that solutions implemented across the Bank project portfolio are of a high standard and compliant to design.

*       Assist with the smooth transition of new middleware technologies from design through production in order to minimise the interruption to service.

*       To be technical escalation point for Major Incident where required, providing a high level of expertise, support and advice to other areas of IT to ensure that service and incidents are managed effectively and appropriately.

*       Contribute to the identification and management of IT Risk.

 

What you need to be successful:

 

  • Experience of operating within a complex business consuming 3rd Party managed services.
  • Proven track record of accomplishment in managing Governance, Architecture, Design, Project Change and Service Delivery within large and complex enterprises.
  • Experience in leading, advising and supporting less senior members across IT and being used as an escalation point across all areas of IT delivery.
  • Proven expertise in leading infrastructure solution, design and process improvement activities within an IT operational environment resulting in improved efficiency, performance and financial benefit.
  • Good communication and influencing skills, dealing with internal management and teams, liaison with business partners, customers and external IT service providers.
  • Good people skills with the ability to work effectively at all levels, including senior management, internal stakeholders and external service providers, taking a naturally proactive, collaborative approach.
  • Team management experience.

 

Technical skills you’ll need:

 

  • Demonstrate skills in installation, configuration, administration, monitoring and daily maintenance of enterprise-wide middleware such as but not limited to Apache Tomcat, JBoss , IBM WAS, IBM MQ, IBM Connect:Direct and SQL Databases.
  • Using troubleshooting methods to differentiate between an infrastructure or environment problem
  • Administration of Web environments
  • Advanced Web/Java troubleshooting (analyzing heapdumps, threaddumps)

 

Interview Process:

 

-          15 minute pre-screen with a Talent Specialist

-          1hr technical interview with our Head of Platform Engineering via Microsoft Teams

-          1hr values interview with the team via Microsoft Teams

 

What You Can Expect From Us:

  • Flexible and home working options
  • 27 days holiday rising to 30 with service, plus opportunity to buy 5 extra days
  • Competitive pension with up to 10% employer contribution
  • Income protection / life assurance
  • Commitment from employers on continued learning & development
  • Wellbeing support ‘Help@Hand’ offers mental health support, physiotherapy, GP’s for both you and your family.
  • 2 paid days for volunteering per year
  • ‘MyReward’ corporate discount for over 800 retailers and Cycle to Work Scheme.  
  • Family friendly policies and supportive working environment
  • Colleague network groups committed to inclusion and diversity within our Bank.