Senior Practice Director, Mainframe Application Management

Ensono

5d•$200,000 - $250,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Practice Director of Mainframe Application Management is responsible for building, leading, and growing Ensono's mainframe application management practice. This role combines strategic practice development, service delivery excellence, and business growth to establish Ensono as a market leader in mainframe application services. The Practice Director drives innovation in service offerings including AI-enabled mainframe solutions, develops go-to-market strategies, and ensures operational excellence across the mainframe application management portfolio.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in mainframe application management with progressive leadership responsibility
5+ years of experience in practice development, business development, or service portfolio management
Proven track record building and growing technology service practices or business units
Strong background managing large-scale mainframe environments (z/OS, z/VM, z/VSE) for enterprise clients
Experience with AI/ML initiatives on mainframe platforms or in hybrid mainframe-cloud architectures
Demonstrated success in client-facing roles with C-level engagement experience
Deep knowledge of mainframe application platforms, development tools, and deployment processes
Understanding of AI capabilities on IBM Z platforms including Telum AI accelerators, z/OS AI Toolkit, and IBM Watson integration
Strong understanding of mainframe schedulers (TWS, Control-M), code promotion tools, and application monitoring solutions
Experience with mainframe databases (DB2, IMS, VSAM) and data pipelines for AI/ML model consumption
Knowledge of AIOps platforms, intelligent automation tools, and AI-powered application performance management
Familiarity with Python, Java, or other AI framework languages running on z/OS
Knowledge of mainframe modernization patterns including cloud migration, containerization, API enablement, and AI-driven code transformation
Familiarity with DevOps, Agile, and ITIL methodologies applied to mainframe environments
Strategic thinking with ability to articulate vision for AI-enhanced mainframe application services
Strong business acumen with experience managing P&L and driving profitable growth
Ability to communicate complex AI concepts to technical and business audiences
Exceptional client relationship management and executive communication skills
Proven ability to build, inspire, and lead technical teams through transformation
Excellence in collaboration across sales, delivery, and operational teams
Strong presentation and storytelling skills for internal and external audiences

Nice To Haves

Experience implementing AI use cases on mainframe environments (predictive analytics, intelligent automation, fraud detection)
Certifications in IBM Z AI capabilities, machine learning, or data science
Background in industry analyst relations (Gartner, Forrester, ISG, Everest Group)
Knowledge of competitive landscape in AI-powered mainframe services
Expertise in financial services, insurance, healthcare, or state and local government verticals where mainframe AI applications are emerging
Experience with partner ecosystem development including AI/ML vendors
MBA or advanced degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, or Business Administration

Responsibilities

Define and execute the strategic vision and roadmap for Ensono's mainframe application management practice, including integration of AI/ML capabilities on mainframe platforms.
Develop innovative service offerings that leverage AI for mainframe application optimization, predictive analytics, and intelligent automation.
Drive adoption of AIOps for mainframe management, including predictive monitoring, anomalous behavior detection, and intelligent incident remediation.
Build thought leadership around AI-enhanced mainframe modernization on the mainframe or in hybrid models through industry engagement, white papers, and analyst relations.
Identify emerging trends in AI, machine learning, and cognitive computing as applied to mainframe environments.
Establish best practices for integrating AI/ML models with mainframe applications and data platforms (z/OS, IBM Watson, IBM z16 AI accelerators).
Drive revenue growth for both AI-enabled mainframe application services and traditional application managed services.
Partner with sales and pre-sales teams to develop compelling solutions combining mainframe expertise with AI capabilities for intelligent application management & optimization.
Lead pursuit activities showcasing Ensono’s capability to support mainframe application performance, security, and reliability.
Develop pricing strategies for traditional and AI-powered mainframe application services including predictive maintenance, intelligent automation, and data analytics.
Build relationships with AI/ML technology partners (IBM Watson, Google Cloud AI, Azure AI) for hybrid mainframe-cloud AI solutions.
Represent Ensono at industry events focusing on mainframe innovation, AI transformation, and hybrid cloud architectures.
Oversee delivery of mainframe application management services enhanced by AI-driven monitoring, analytics, and automation.
Implement AI-powered tools for code optimization, application performance management, and capacity planning on mainframe platforms.
Drive use of machine learning for intelligent workload scheduling, resource optimization, and predictive failure analysis.
Leverage AI for automated code remediation, vulnerability detection, and compliance monitoring in mainframe applications.
Implement intelligent observability and AIOps platforms for proactive issue detection and resolution.
Lead initiatives to extract and analyze mainframe data for AI/ML model training and business intelligence.
Build a high-performing practice team with expertise in both traditional mainframe skills and emerging AI technologies.
Recruit talent with capabilities in mainframe AI accelerators, Python/AI frameworks on z/OS, and hybrid cloud AI integration.
Create upskilling programs to train mainframe engineers in AI/ML concepts, prompt engineering, and intelligent automation.
Foster a culture of innovation that embraces AI experimentation while maintaining operational stability.
Develop Centers of Excellence for AI-enabled mainframe services and cognitive application modernization.
Serve as trusted advisor to clients on best practices to support, enhance and optimize mainframe applications and unlock data value.
Drive client satisfaction through continuous improvement, insights, predictive recommendations, and proactive optimization.
Own P&L responsibility for the mainframe application management practice.

Benefits

Unlimited Paid Days Off
Three health plan options
401k with company match
Eligibility for dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life and AD&D coverage, and flexible spending accounts
Family Forming Benefit including fertility coverage and adoption/surrogacy reimbursement
Paid childbearing and paternal leave
Education Reimbursement, Student Loan Assistance or 529 College Funding
Sabbatical leave
Wellness program
Flexible work schedule