Sr. IT Manager - Supply Chain

United Airlines•Chicago, IL

6d•$140,600 - $183,108

About The Position

The Senior Manager of IT Application Development will lead a team responsible for creating, implementing, and maintaining technology solutions that support United Airlines’ Supply Chain operations. The role shapes Supply Chain technology strategy and advances solutions across warehousing, logistics, transportation management, global trade management, forecasting, and inventory management. It combines technical leadership, organizational change, and close collaboration with finance and other business teams. The role aligns IT strategy with business objectives, oversees project portfolios and the full project lifecycle, and ensures solutions are scalable, reliable, secure, and compliant with architectural and governance standards. The manager partners with business and technology leaders to define product vision and multi-year roadmaps, and works with stakeholders to deliver solutions that meet functional and technical needs. The position leads application development and support, including Agile practices, development standards, quality control, security protocols, application performance, and service delivery. It manages budgets, vendors, delivery metrics, and resource planning, while mentoring and developing a high-performing, multifunctional team and communicating progress to senior IT and business leadership.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Finance, or a related field.
At least 5 years of relevant experience in application development.
At least 2 years of leadership experience managing multiple large, cross-functional teams or projects and influencing senior-level management and key stakeholders.
Experience in application development supporting warehousing, logistics, transportation management, global trade management, forecasting, order management, and inventory management.
Understanding of system architecture principles, including designing scalable and reliable solutions.
Strong background in Agile delivery, SaaS solutions, cloud technologies such as AWS or Azure, and enterprise integration, including APIs and microservices.
Proficiency in project management methodologies, including Agile and DevOps practices.
Leadership ability to guide and inspire a team.
A continuous-learning mindset and commitment to staying current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices.
Advanced technical and business knowledge of the software development lifecycle, quality assurance, project management, and related disciplines and processes.
Knowledge of Agile development and requirements management processes.
Legal authorization to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship.
Successful completion of an interview.
Reliable, punctual attendance; attendance is an essential function of the position.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree.
Practical experience developing and architecting highly integrated systems with large user bases.
Leadership experience managing multiple large, cross-functional teams or projects and influencing senior-level management and key stakeholders.
Proven experience managing Supply Chain technology solutions.
Experience with cybersecurity principles and secure software development lifecycle.
Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.
Ability to lead through influence in a complex organization.
Passion for technology innovation, reliability, and safety in aviation.
Understanding of generative AI capabilities and limitations, with effective use for research, analysis, content creation, and problem-solving; critical validation of AI-generated outputs and compliance with responsible AI, data privacy, and security policies.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a comprehensive technology strategy aligned with business objectives.
Manage the full project lifecycle, including planning, development, testing, and deployment.
Establish best practices and governance procedures to ensure solution quality and scalability.
Monitor solution performance and review whether solutions deliver expected business benefits.
Escalate, assist with, and follow through on resolving issues related to technology solution delivery.
Align delivery success criteria with business partners and deliver projects and work requests within committed budget, schedule, and quality targets.
Identify needs, secure commitments, and monitor deliverables from internal and external service provider teams.
Provide cost estimates and business case updates.
Ensure technology solutions comply with architectural standards.
Communicate progress to senior IT and business leadership and provide information for IT performance metrics, project status reporting, and resource planning reviews.
Organize and monitor application issue performance in accordance with agreed service-level agreements.
Establish team structure and quality-control processes for development, testing, debugging, and deployment.
Implement Agile best practices and continuous improvement, and ensure adherence to code scanning and security protocols.
Establish and manage application development process disciplines and standards, including solution delivery, project management, work requests, and quality assurance.
Stay informed about new technologies and business processes and apply them to improve staff productivity and software maintainability.
Drive continuous improvement, adapt to changing designs, and add performance enhancements.
Help formulate and follow development procedures and processes, and form Agile delivery teams.
Partner with business and technology leadership and product subject-matter experts to define product vision, goals, strategy, and multi-year development plans.
Share knowledge and collaborate on innovative solutions; maintain current knowledge of technology trends and advancements.
Partner with technical and business stakeholders to understand requirements and user expectations and lead development of solutions that meet functional and technical needs.
Collaborate with IT operations, security, and quality assurance teams to ensure application reliability, security, and scalability.
Build strong business-partner relationships and act as a trusted advisor and advocate for IT.
Work across departments to identify and prioritize process-automation opportunities and serve as a thought partner to business owners and process-development teams.
Manage budgets, vendor relationships, and service delivery metrics.
Ensure compliance with FAA, OEM, and internal IT governance standards.
Drive measurable improvements in application reliability, security, and user satisfaction.
Lead a multifunctional team responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining SaaS and customer applications.
Manage vendor development teams assigned to projects and core support.
Mentor and develop team members, establish department and individual goals, and support career growth.
Assess and recommend improvements to organizational structure, roles, and responsibilities; participate in future strategy, goals, objectives, and operational performance.
Plan short- and long-term resources to ensure suitable staffing and skills for project goals and schedules.
Use proactive leadership to address project challenges and opportunities.