FLEX Release & Activation Manager – Loyalty Transformation

Marriott • Bethesda, MD

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Release & Activation Manager will be responsible for end‑to‑end planning, coordination, and execution of phased releases for a multi‑year Loyalty Transformation Program. This initiative includes re‑platforming legacy systems, integrating Salesforce and cloud‑based microservices, and coordinating multiple dependent programs.

This is not a “big bang” implementation — the role requires a practitioner experienced in multi‑phase activations, progressive cutovers, and environment coordination across complex enterprise landscapes. The manager will work closely with Product, Engineering, DevSecOps, QA, and Business Readiness teams to ensure each release event is executed safely, predictably, and with minimal disruption.

Requirements

• Strong understanding of cloud deployment lifecycles and environment governance.
• Familiarity with Salesforce release management, sandbox management, and metadata deployment practices.
• Working knowledge of APIs, microservices, event streaming, and messaging integrations (e.g., Kafka/Confluent).
• Experience managing data migration waves, including sequencing, validation, and back‑out procedures.
• Understanding of CI/CD tooling, release automation, and artifact management.
• 8+ years of experience in release, environment, or cutover management within large‑scale transformation programs.
• Proven success managing multi‑wave activations across enterprise ecosystems.
• Experience operating in a hybrid delivery model.
• Adept at coordinating multiple vendors and technical teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and executive reporting skills.
• Vendor partnership experience in outsourced or distributed delivery environments.

Nice To Haves

• Exposure to infrastructure‑as‑code (IaC) tools considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the end‑to‑end release and activation schedule, including all cutover, migration, and readiness activities.
• Partner with program and technology leads to plan phased activations across systems such as Salesforce, Channels, and downstream systems.
• Coordinate with enterprise environment management teams to schedule test and staging environments, ensuring data synchronization, interface validation, and deployment windows are clearly defined.
• Work with DevSecOps and Infrastructure teams to align CI/CD pipelines (e.g., GitHub Actions, Harness) with release milestones.
• Ensure release package integrity by validating build deployments, configuration management, and version control across environments (DEV, INT, UAT, PERF, STAGE, PROD).
• Plan and execute activation rehearsals, rollback simulations, and contingency plans.
• Define and enforce go/no‑go governance, cutover checklists, and sign‑off protocols.
• Track and report release readiness status, risk assessments, and issue resolutions through appropriate governance tools (e.g., JIRA, Confluence, program dashboards).
• Partner with other in‑flight transformation programs to align dependencies, avoid environment contention, and coordinate shared integration testing.
• Collaborate with QA Leads on test entry/exit criteria, regression timelines, and data refresh schedules.
• Facilitate strong communication across cross‑functional stakeholders — including Program Management, Architecture, Business Readiness, and Operations.

Benefits

• All locations offer 401(k) plan, stock purchase plan, discounts at Marriott properties, commuter benefits, employee assistance plan, and childcare discounts.
• Full-time positions also offer coverage for medical, dental, vision, health care flexible spending account, dependent care flexible spending account, life insurance, disability insurance, accident insurance, adoption expense reimbursements, and paid parental leave.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees