IT Development Manager - Resort Applications (82732)

Job Summary

This position will have responsibility for managing the software development of our core, custom point of sale and ski resort management applications that supports our portfolio of mountain resorts, RPOS (Resort Point of Sale) and ProConnect (Ski School Management). The RPOS application includes functionality that supports our pass and lift ticket sales and fulfillment, lift access scanning, ski school, rentals, retail, customer data management, loyalty, web and mobile commerce, EpicMix and much more. This position will have direct responsibility for technology resources (developers, consultants, and contractors) while taking a lead role in managing cross-functional projects and teams through project execution. This position will provide technical oversight and leadership in functional and technical design, development, quality assurance, integration, deployment, compliance, and operational support for the entire RPOS application ecosystem. This role will be the technical leader for the planning and execution of a multi-year application modernization effort to ensure stability and scalability while adding incremental business value aligned with our business objectives. Candidates must bring deep experience with the management of custom software engineering and enterprise level production support and compliance. The ideal candidate will be a strong contributor in a collaborative, team oriented work environment with an ability to work closely with directors, other managers, project managers, business analysts, developers, and consultants. This position will be primarily focused on management of the Development Team focused on C# .NET code, as well as TSQL Stored Procedures, and the occasional maintenance of a VB6 client application. This position will be expected to manage both new development and maintenance activities and will be expected to progress the RPOS application platform whenever possible by migrating existing application code to new technologies (C#, Rest Based Web Services, etc.).

Job Responsibilities

Solution Design and Development

• Ensure all software is developed in accordance with our defined software development lifecycle and all compliance obligations are met.
• Identify opportunities to improve and evolve our software development life-cycle, including all aspects of process and technology.
• Ensure solutions are architected in a forward looking manner aligned with our multi-year product roadmaps.
• Provide technical leadership and oversight of all technology solution architecture and design.
• Provide leadership and oversight of business, functional, and technical requirements for projects and product enhancements.

Quality Assurance

• Ensure all configuration and development changes follow the appropriate SDLC adhering to all appropriate controls.
• Provide technical leadership and oversight of technical resolution during the Quality Assurance process.

Technology Strategy, Alignment, Governance

• Provide technical leadership and oversight in the creation of a multi-year functional and technical product roadmap for the modernization of the RPOS application and the evolution of ProConnect.
• Ensure our product roadmaps are aligned with our business objectives, stakeholder expectations, and the enterprise architecture across the rest of the application ecosystem.
• Facilitate prioritization and governance discussions in a dynamic and fluid business environment to ensure our resources are appropriately allocated to the top priorities of the company.

Business Strategy, Innovation, Stakeholder Management

• Develop an understanding of our business and collaborate closely with our various stakeholders to identify and influence opportunities to drive business value through technology innovation
• Inspire trust and build strong relationships across locations, functions, business units, and levels across the enterprise.

Financial Management

• Assist in the creation of a 5-year IT capital plan for RPOS maintenance, enhancements, and modernization and the evolution of ProConnect with a focus on delivering business value with defined ROI’s with each capital investments.
• Collaborate with business partners on Capital Projects to provide accurate Capital Assessments, Business Cases and ROI’s.
• Effectively manage all Capital and Expense budgets and forecasts.

Operational Support and Maintenance

• Provide leadership and management for all operational support and maintenance responsibilities.
• Develop, maintain and enforce all policies and procedures related to production impacting events.
• Ensure all software releases are well communicated and managed in close coordination with all business stakeholders and business cycles

Risk and Compliance

• Work closely with our External Auditors, Internal Audit department, and IT Risk and Compliance team to proactively anticipate and address Business and IT risks and internal and external compliance requirements
• Ensure all SOX and PCI compliance responsibilities are met and verified through our annual audit processes
• Provide support, analysis, and recommendations for any relevant Internal Audits

Business Development

• Assist in the planning and execution of RPOS implementations for any new resort acquisitions.

Leadership, Employee Engagement

• Demonstrate a passion for our culture, mission, values, vision, products and services.
• Lead by example and inspire others to follow.
• Develop clear and measureable action plans and show continuous improvement in employee engagement as measured in our annual employee engagement surveys.

Performance Management, Employee Development, Process Improvement

• Set clear business and performance goals and provide timely and relevant feedback for the team to drive a culture of personal development and team accountability for consistent, high quality results.
• Drive continuous improvement and capability maturity throughout the entire software development life cycle and the various team disciplines that include project management, business analysis, user interface design and development, application architecture, application design and development, integration, quality assurance, and solution delivery.
• Ensure all team members are supported in the creation and pursuit of Career Plans and Individual Development Plans.
• Cultivate talent and develop an environment that will attract and retain the best, and serve as a mentor to those in and outside of the RPOS team.

External Networking, Vendor Management

• Develop a strong external network of industry leaders, peers, consulting partners and third-party software and services providers.
• Identify, select, and manage consultants and staff augmentation partners leveraged to add required skills and capacity to support the product roadmaps and project portfolios
• Negotiate contracts, master services agreements, statements of work, licensing and support agreements and the procure-to-pay process for engagements with external vendors.

Job Requirements

• 5 years of experience in IT Management
• 3 years of Commercial or Custom Product Management
• 3 years of Application Production Support in an Complex Operating Environment
• Experience building and managing technical teams leveraging SOA and Web Technologies
• S/W development experience (Java, C#, or other relevant technology)
• SQL
• Agile Management Tools (Atlassian/Rally/etc)
• GIT
• MS Office

• Proven leadership experience managing Agile teams including technical oversight of software solutions
• Experience managing software deliveries and source code control
• Professional and effective communication skills
• Good time management skills
• Strong Problem Solving Skills
• Proven ability to collaborate well across functions and departments, to work as part of a team

• Experience tracking and managing to financials to a defined budget
• Experience in a ski resort or hospitality field preferred
• BS or MS in Computer Science or other related technical field or engineering discipline

Have Fun. Serve Others. Do Right. Drive Value. Do Good. Be Safe . These are the values Vail Resorts employees embrace daily. As the premier mountain resort company in the world and a leader in luxury, destination-based travel at iconic locations, we operate in three highly integrated and interdependent segments including mountain, lodging and real estate. Vail Resorts employees are good at what they do and we welcome people who bring enthusiasm, pride and commitment to creating an Experience of a Lifetime to our stakeholders.

Vail Resorts is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.