z/OS System Programming POD SME Band 9

Job Title: z/OS System Programming - Remote
Duration: 6 Months

About The AES Group:
The AES Group is a premier technology and engineering consulting company that has been bringing businesses and talent together for over 20 years to deliver innovative solutions that have the greatest positive impact on society. AES has helped over 40 business enterprises, including Fortune 500 companies, engage their customers, empower their employees, and transform their business operations with the power of cloud, data, AI, engineering, and other emerging technologies.

Overview:
We are seeking a highly experienced z/OS System Programmer to lead mainframe system programming initiatives, ensuring stability, performance, and continuous modernization of enterprise z/OS environments. The role demands strong technical depth combined with leadership capabilities to drive service excellence, automation, and operational transformation.

Key Responsibilities
Platform Ownership & Technical Leadership

• Own end-to-end z/OS platform architecture, stability, and service delivery
• Provide deep technical leadership across MVS, JES2, Sysplex, and LPAR environments
• Govern HCD/IODF configurations ensuring scalability and compliance
• Lead performance tuning, capacity planning, and system optimization initiatives

Maintenance, Upgrades & Lifecycle Management

• Define and execute z/OS upgrade strategy and RSU maintenance roadmap
• Establish and govern SMP/E processes and standards
• Lead ISV product lifecycle management, including upgrades and vendor coordination
• Ensure standardized, secure, and compliant platform management

Incident Management & RCA Leadership

• Act as escalation point for Sev1/Sev2 incidents
• Lead end-to-end Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and preventive action planning
• Drive proactive monitoring and reduce repeat incidents
• Ensure SLA adherence and operational excellence

Disaster Recovery & Resilience

• Define and lead Disaster Recovery (DR) strategy and execution
• Conduct DR drills, failover testing, and validation
• Strengthen Sysplex-based high-availability design
• Ensure business continuity readiness for critical workloads

Automation & Transformation

• Drive adoption of automation frameworks and system-level automation
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce manual effort
• Lead transformation aligned to Kyndryl Bridge / AIOps initiatives
• Enable predictive and self-healing operations where applicable

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as trusted technical advisor to clients
• Lead discussions on stability, modernization, and risk management
• Support solutioning, proposals, and business growth initiatives

Required Technical Skills

• Strong expertise in z/OS System Programming
• In-depth knowledge of MVS and JES2 architecture
• Extensive experience with Sysplex environments and LPAR management
• Hands-on expertise in HCD / IODF configuration and maintenance
• Proficiency in SMP/E for software installation, maintenance, and patch management
• Strong experience in z/OS Upgrades and RSU Maintenance planning and execution
• Expertise in ISV Product Maintenance, including upgrades and vendor coordination

Operational & Leadership Skills

• Proven experience in Incident Management (Sev1/Sev2 handling)
• Strong capability in leading Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and implementing preventive actions
• Hands-on experience in Disaster Recovery (DR) support, including planning and execution
• Demonstrated experience in Automation to improve operational efficiency and reliability

Experience & Qualifications

• 12–15+ years of experience in z/OS system programming
• Experience managing large enterprise mainframe environments
• Exposure to multi-client / global delivery models
• ITIL certification preferred
• Domain experience in Banking / Insurance is an advantage