Senior Practice Director, Mainframe Application Management

At Ensono, our Purpose is to be a relentless ally, disrupting the status quo and unleashing our clients to Do Great Things!  We enable our clients to achieve key business outcomes that reshape how our world runs. As an expert technology adviser and managed service provider with cross-platform certifications, Ensono empowers our clients to keep up with continuous change and embrace innovation.

We can Do Great Things because we have great Associates. The Ensono Core Values unify our diverse talents and are woven into how we do business. These five traits are the key to achieving our purpose:

Honesty, Reliability, Curiosity, Collaboration, and Passion.

About the role and what you’ll be doing:

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

Practice Development & Strategy

• 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)

Business Growth & Market Development

• 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

Service Delivery & Operational Excellence

• With the support of delivery director and management teams, 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

Team Leadership & Talent Development

• 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
• Together with Mainframe AMS Delivery Director, 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

Client & Stakeholder Engagement

• 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

Financial & Performance Management

• Own P&L responsibility for the mainframe application management practice

We want all new Associates to succeed in their roles at Ensono. That’s why we’ve outlined the job requirements below. To be considered for this role, it’s important that you meet all Required Qualifications. If you do not meet all of the Preferred Qualifications, we still encourage you to apply. 

Required Qualifications:

• 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

Preferred Qualifications:

• 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

Competencies

• Entrepreneurial mindset and innovation orientation
• Strategic vision with execution excellence
• AI literacy and technology trend awareness
• Client-centric approach and consultative selling
• Change leadership and transformation management
• Financial acumen and business management
• Team development and talent cultivation
• Cross-functional collaboration and influence
• Market awareness and competitive intelligence

Success Metrics

• Practice revenue growth and profitability including AI service lines
• Client satisfaction and retention rates
• New logo acquisition and pipeline generation for AI-enabled mainframe services
• Service delivery quality and SLA attainment
• AI adoption rates and automation metrics
• Team utilization and productivity
• Employee engagement and retention
• Market recognition and thought leadership impact in mainframe AI space

Why Ensono?

Ensono is a place to make better happen – for our clients and for your career. You can do great things through innovation or collaboration, by learning or volunteering, or to promote diversity and inclusion. You can do great things for your own health or for a healthier planet. Whatever it means to you to do great things we want Ensono to be the place you can do it. 

We are a client-facing business, but we do encourage clients to allow us to work remotely most of the time so if you are not required to be on a client site, you can choose to work from home or in our Ensono offices.

Some of our benefits include:

• 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

As of the date of this posting, a good faith estimate of the current pay scale for this role is $200,000 to $250,000 annually based on a full-time schedule. Please note that placement in the range may vary based on numerous factors including but not limited to skills, experience, internal equity, and business needs. In addition to base salary, other compensation programs, depending on eligibility, include an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance and an equity grant under our Associate Equity Appreciation Program.

Ensono is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We are committed to providing equal employment to our Associates and building a diverse and inclusive workforce. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.

Pay transparency nondiscrimination statement/posting OFCCP’s pay transparency policy can be found on OFCCP’s website.

If you need accommodation at any point during the application or interview process, please let your recruiter know or email [email protected].