Release Manager

Position Summary 

Effectual Release Manager are key members of the Public Sector Program Management team, responsible for delivering mission-aligned solutions with a strong focus on technical excellence, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder satisfaction. They oversee end-to-end release planning, execution, governance, and deployment activities across complex environments. Ensures that releases are delivered on schedule and within defined quality standards. The Release Manager drives structured release management processes and alignment between project teams, stakeholders, and leadership to support mission-critical enterprise systems. As representatives of the Effectual brand, they are expected to stay current with applicable public sector standards, policies, and best practices to consistently deliver high-quality, well-architected solutions that address the diverse needs of government and public sector organizations. 

A Glimpse into the Daily Routine of an Effectual Release Manager 

Collaborate and coordinate with stakeholders to align release scope, schedules, and deployment requirements while assessing readiness, dependencies, and risks across interconnected systems. Work closely with development, testing, security, and operations teams to support deployment cycles, oversee configuration and environment changes, and maintain compliance. Be available during core customer hours, support in-person collaboration which is essential to ensure effective communication and teamwork. Partnering with the Project Manager to align project goals, priorities, and resource allocation. Manage DevSecOps alignment, ensuring proper documentation and traceability for changes, and reporting status, risks, and outcomes to leadership and project management teams. Your expertise will be critical in driving both application development and successful cloud migration initiatives. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

• Lead release management lifecycle including planning, scheduling, tracking, deployment, and governance 

• Own release calendars and ensure alignment across development, testing, security, operations, and business functions 

• Conduct readiness reviews, risk assessments, quality checks, and release authorization gates 

• Manage enterprise configuration, version control, and deployment documentation in accordance with federal compliance standards 

• Oversee automated and manual deployment processes and ensure adherence to DevSecOps, CI/CD, and change management policies 

• Facilitate communication and issue escalation between project managers, PMO, engineers, enterprise architects, and end users 

• Support audit readiness with traceable configuration artifacts, deployment logs, testing records, and approvals 

• Track release KPIs and develop continuous improvement strategies to increase reliability, velocity, and stability 

• Assist in the development of project documentation, including requirements documentation, functional specifications, process flows, and user guides 

• Foster strong relationships with stakeholders, actively engaging and communicating to ensure alignment and successful delivery of application development projects 

Qualifications 

• Minimum Education: Bachelor’s degree in related field AND 

• Minimum Experience: 10 years of experience, including cloud professional and/or project management certification OR 

• Substitution/Alternative to Minimum Education and Experience: Must have at least 10 years of on-the-job experience 

• Available during customer working hours, as needed—both for scheduled and impromptu support 

• Be able to work remotely but, be able to go on-site as requested and/or occasionally on-site in Washington DC  

• Must be a US Citizen 

• 10+ years of release management, configuration management, DevOps, or related experience within government contracting or public-sector IT programs 

• Demonstrated experience supporting large-scale enterprise systems and modernization programs  

• Ability to build structured deployment processes, maintain technical oversight, mitigate risks, and ensure regulatory compliance 

• Must have certifications including ITIL Foundation and at least one of the following: PMP, ScrumMaster, SAFe Agilist, CompTIA Security+, or equivalent 

• Strong knowledge of Agile frameworks and solid understanding of ITIL, change management, SDLC, and QA best practices 

• Experience with Agile tools such as Jira, Confluence, and other project tracking systems 

• Familiarity with technical environments, including cloud migration projects (AWS preferred) and enterprise-level software stacks 

• You are able to work with distributed teams and handle multiple workstreams simultaneously 

• Quick-learner and operating with minimum supervision in a changing environment 

• Experienced in drafting comprehensive documents using Microsoft Office suite 

• Excellent communication skills to effectively collaborate and engage stakeholders 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to translate requirements into technical specifications 

• Hardworking and self-motivated, with the ability to work in team and individual settings 

• Detail-oriented and able to stand behind the quality of the work 

• Able to properly understand and communicate level of effort, define due dates, and meet deadlines 

• Ability to work Eastern Standard Time Zone schedule 

Nice-to-Have Skills and Experience 

• Active Clearance or Public Trust (DOJ Preferred) 

• Professional certifications such as PMI-ACP or SAFe Agilist preferred 

• Ability to influence process maturity, standardization, and automation initiatives across distributed technical teams 

• AWS Certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, AWS Certified Solutions Architect) 

• Exposure to agile delivery frameworks within large PMOs, federal agencies, or complex multi-vendor programs 

• Experience in leading Agile transformation initiatives within large, complex organizations 

• Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, automated testing frameworks, and DevSecOps practices 
• Stay updated with emerging AWS cloud technologies, public sector regulations, industry trends, and best practices related to application migrations 

Physical Demands and Work Environment  

The work is generally performed in an office environment.  Physical demands include sitting, keyboarding, verbal communication, written communication.  Employees are occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. 

This job description may not be inclusive of all assigned duties, responsibilities, or aspects of the job described, and may be amended anytime at the sole discretion of the Employer. Duties and responsibilities are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship. Effectual Inc. is an EEO employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected classification in its hiring, promoting, or any other job-related opportunity.