Director, Software Engineering Operations

Job Summary:

The Director of Software Engineering Operations will be responsible for leading and optimizing Agile software development methodologies, Kanban support teams, incident management, project management, and program management. This role ensures that software development operations align with CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) and COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies) frameworks to improve process maturity, governance, and risk management. The ideal candidate will lead process improvement initiatives, drive operational excellence to ensure efficient software delivery and regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities:

Agile & Software Development Operations:

• Define, implement, and continuously improve agile software development methodologies, including Agile, Scrum, and Kanban.

• Oversee Kanban support teams, ensuring continuous delivery and operational alignment with business priorities.

• Establish CMMI-compliant software development processes to improve maturity, predictability, and efficiency in software engineering.

• Align software development operations with COBIT governance principles to ensure IT control and risk management best practices.

• Define clear KPIs and metrics to track engineering performance, quality, and operational efficiency.

Incident Management & Operational Readiness:

• Develop and implement an incident management framework to ensure rapid response and resolution of production issues.

• Establish CMMI Level 3+ processes for incident handling, problem resolution, and corrective/preventive actions.

• Organize and oversee Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations for incidents, ensuring thorough documentation and reporting to leadership.

• Align incident response and resolution workflows with COBIT risk management principles to enhance IT governance.

• Collaborate with engineering, DevOps, and security teams to maintain high availability and reliability of software products.

Project & Program Management Leadership:

• Lead and mentor a team of project managers and program managers, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.

• Oversee CMMI-aligned project management methodologies to drive efficiency in software development lifecycles.

• Ensure COBIT-based IT governance in managing project risks, business continuity, and compliance.

• Drive standardization of project management tools and best practices, ensuring consistency across engineering teams.

• Manage program execution for specific initiatives, ensuring seamless coordination across cross-functional teams including engineering, product, client experience, and operations.

Process Improvement & Governance:

• Align software engineering processes with CMMI maturity levels, ensuring continuous process optimization.

• Implement COBIT-aligned IT governance frameworks to ensure software development aligns with business goals, compliance, and risk mitigation.

• Work with IT security, compliance, and risk management teams to meet regulatory and business objectives.

• Define, monitor, and improve operational processes that balance agility with compliance in software development.

• Foster collaboration between engineering, product, and business teams to improve communication, transparency, and efficiency.

Qualifications:

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field.

• 10+ years of experience in software development operations, project management, or engineering leadership.

• 5+ years of experience managing project and program management teams in a technology-driven organization.

• Extensive experience implementing CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) Level 3+ processes.

• Proven track record of applying COBIT frameworks for IT governance, security, and risk management.

• Experience working in a highly regulated industry (e.g., healthcare, finance, or government) is a plus.

Technical & Leadership Skills:

• Strong understanding of agile software development lifecycles, including sprint planning, backlog management, and iterative development.

• Expertise in incident management and operational readiness for large-scale software applications.

• Experience in leading CMMI and COBIT compliance efforts across engineering teams.

• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills with a track record of scaling high-performing teams.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present process improvements and governance strategies to executives.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with JIRA, Confluence, Azure DevOps, or similar project management tools.

• Familiarity with DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and software release management.

• Knowledge of cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP) and their impact on software engineering operations.

• Certifications in CMMI, COBIT, PMP, SAFe, or ITIL are highly desirable.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets.