VP : Software Engineer - Mainframe

Purpose of the role

To design, develop and improve software, utilising various engineering methodologies, that provides business, platform, and technology capabilities for our customers and colleagues. 

Accountabilities

• Development and delivery of high-quality software solutions by using industry aligned programming languages, frameworks, and tools. Ensuring that code is scalable, maintainable, and optimized for performance.
• Cross-functional collaboration with product managers, designers, and other engineers to define software requirements, devise solution strategies, and ensure seamless integration and alignment with business objectives.
• Collaboration with peers, participate in code reviews, and promote a culture of code quality and knowledge sharing.
• Stay informed of industry technology trends and innovations and actively contribute to the organization’s technology communities to foster a culture of technical excellence and growth.
• Adherence to secure coding practices to mitigate vulnerabilities, protect sensitive data, and ensure secure software solutions.
• Implementation of effective unit testing practices to ensure proper code design, readability, and reliability.

Join us as a Software Engineer – Mainframe at Barclays, where you will spearhead the evolution of our infrastructure and deployment pipelines, driving innovation and operational excellence. You will harness cutting-edge technology to build and manage robust, scalable and secure infrastructure, ensuring seamless delivery of our digital solutions.  

To be successful as a Software Engineer - Mainframe, you should have experience with:

• Strong, proven experience in Mainframe Application Design, Development, and technical leadership.
  • Deep expertise in core mainframe technologies, including COBOL, JCL, IMS / DB/DC, DB2, VSAM, CICS, TWS (scheduling), Stored Procedures, and REXX.
  • Strong understanding of mainframe engineering, including debugging, performance optimization, and change management tooling (e.g., Endeavor, Abend-Aid, File-Aid, DB2 Platinum).
• Experience in Mainframe Modernization and API enablement, including z/OS Connect will be preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to provide technical oversight, including:
  • Reviewing and assuring solution and design quality.
  • Guiding complex, large-scale implementations.
  • Unblocking delivery teams across multiple workstreams.
• Strong understanding of performance engineering and production stability considerations.

Some other highly valued skills may include:

• Experience leading or working with mainframe DevOps practices, tool chains, and automated delivery pipelines.
• Exposure to automation, Modernization, and next-generation engineering practices within mainframe environments.
• Familiarity with DevOps-driven delivery and engineering enablement for mainframe platforms.
• Strong banking / financial services domain knowledge

Vice President Expectations

• To contribute or set strategy, drive requirements and make recommendations for change. Plan resources, budgets, and policies; manage and maintain policies/ processes; deliver continuous improvements and escalate breaches of policies/procedures..
• If managing a team, they define jobs and responsibilities, planning for the department’s future needs and operations, counselling employees on performance and contributing to employee pay decisions/changes. They may also lead a number of specialists to influence the operations of a department, in alignment with strategic as well as tactical priorities, while balancing short and long term goals and ensuring that budgets and schedules meet corporate requirements..
• If the position has leadership responsibilities, People Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others..
• OR for an individual contributor, they will be a subject matter expert within own discipline and will guide technical direction. They will lead collaborative, multi-year assignments and guide team members through structured assignments, identify the need for the inclusion of other areas of specialisation to complete assignments. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions..
• Advise key stakeholders, including functional leadership teams and senior management on functional and cross functional areas of impact and alignment.
• Manage and mitigate risks through assessment, in support of the control and governance agenda.
• Demonstrate leadership and accountability for managing risk and strengthening controls in relation to the work your team does.
• Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the organisation functions to contribute to achieving the goals of the business.
• Collaborate with other areas of work, for business aligned support areas to keep up to speed with business activity and the business strategies.
• Create solutions based on sophisticated analytical thought comparing and selecting complex alternatives. In-depth analysis with interpretative thinking will be required to define problems and develop innovative solutions.
• Adopt and include the outcomes of extensive research in problem solving processes.
• Seek out, build and maintain trusting relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders in order to accomplish key business objectives, using influencing and negotiating skills to achieve outcomes.

You may be assessed on key critical skills relevant for success in role, such as risk and controls, change and transformation, business acumen, strategic thinking and digital and technology, as well as job-specific technical skills.

Bar Raiser Expectation :

• Must have modern engineering + modernization experience
• Hands-on with event-driven, microservices, Kafka Outcomes matter more than titles
• Prefer small-team technical leaders, not big managers
• AI literacy is mandatory (awareness > expertise)
• Bar Raisers test modernization thinking + AI perspective Engineering Manager assessed on productivity, delivery, ops metrics modernization or AI awareness, Future Readiness
• show curiosity, architecture depth, and continuous learning 
• DORA Metrics - DevOps Research and Assessment 
• SPACE Metrics - Satisfaction and well-being, Performance, Activity, Communication and collaboration, and Efficiency and flow