Manager of Application Support (#MADA06)
$69,363.00 Yearly Min / $86,704.00 Yearly Mid / $104,045.00 Yearly Max

This class is responsible for the direction, coordination and allocation of State and contractual resources required to procure, develop and maintain computerized information systems which meet the needs of user agencies.

• Supervises technical employees directly and through subordinate project leaders.

Supervision is provided by an administrative superior.  An incumbent in this class organizes, controls, and evaluates allocated resources and activities by establishing work assignments, schedules, operational priorities and level of resources required involving continually changing priorities.  An incumbent monitors and evaluates the performance of the unit's assigned resources; provides input regarding hardware/software acquisitions and formulation of plans, policies and standards.  Work includes estimates of hardware, software, personnel and time requirements for system projects and presenting findings, recommendations and specifications in formal reports and oral presentations. Recommendations are made, and activities monitored, that are associated with the unit's budget.  An incumbent works toward the long term goal of bringing new and existing applications into an easily maintained object orientation.

Essential functions are fundamental, core functions common to all positions in the class series and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties for any one position in the class.  Since class specifications are descriptive and not restrictive, incumbents can complete job duties of similar kind not specifically listed here.

• Ensures the unit's short and long term goals and objectives are met by establishing schedules and operational priorities and recommending new/revised policies and standards.
   
• Ensures employee performance is maximized to provide effectiveness and efficiency of operation.
   
• Provides adequate and related training for new hires and current employees, to insure maximum preformance standards and that needed resources are available within budgetary limitations.
   
• Prepares, administers and monitors the unit's budget to insure proper funding levels and justifiable expenditures; writes requests for proposals for contractual services and participates in the selection process.
   
• Provides adequate planning and coordination of the unit activities to provide for new or improved service levels to all users to include estimating hardware, software, personnel and time required for proposed information systems projects.
   
• Prepares a variety of reports reflecting the unit's accomplishments, problems and resolutions, and future plans.
     
• Conducts meetings with staff and users to discuss work in progress and anticipated problems or needs.
   
• Performs recruitment, interviewing, performance appraisal and other miscellaneous personnel activities as they relate to merit employees as well as contractual staff.
   
• Ensures products meet user requirements.
   
• Stays current with packages and technologies for assembling components into application systems.
   
• Ensures the work of project leaders follows approved methodologies and results in quality deliverables.

The intent of the listed knowledge, skills and abilities is to give a general indication of the core requirements for all positions in the class series; therefore, the KSA’s listed are not exhaustive or necessarily inclusive of the requirements of every position in the class.

• Knowledge of the concepts, methods and techniques of computer information system project management, including project scheduling, staffing, coordination, control, monitoring, evaluating and status reporting.
• Knowledge of multiple computer platform operations, hardware/software functions and capabilties.
• Knowledge of the concepts, methods and techniques of project management and supervision of a data processing organizational unit.
• Knowledge of the fundamentals of budget preparation, expenditure and cost accounting.
• Knowledge of state contractual policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of concepts, methods and techniques of systems analysis including information needs analysis, requirement analysis and design alternative analysis.
• Knowledge of concepts, methods and techniques of systems analysis including information needs analysis, requirement analysis and design alternative analysis.
• Knowledge of the concepts, methods, and techniques of system design, program specification, preparation and computer programming.
• Knowledge of methods, concepts and techniques of supervision and project management.
• Knowledge of the latest generation of programming languages and job control languages.
• Knowledge of Data Base Management concepts and System Development Life Cycle methodology concepts.
• Skill in communicating effectively with users, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to think creatively and to develop creative solutions to management information system problems.
• Ability to plan, schedule, assign, delegate, monitor and evaluate the work of an application support unit.
• Ability to plan and achieve short and long term goals.
• Ability to implement agency rules, regulations and standards.
• Ability to analyze and define users' data requirements, translating them into design specifications for computer program development.
• Ability to design a logical flow of program steps, and illustrate the sequence by flow charting.
• Ability to write clear, concise, informative reports.
• Ability to train lower level application support personnel.
• Ability to prepare time and cost estimates.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with users and co-workers.
• Ability to coach lower level project leaders.
• Ability to perform cost/benefit analyses.
• Ability to stay current with new application packages and other applications technology tools.

JOB REQUIREMENTS for Manager of Application Support
Applicants must have education, training and/or experience demonstrating competence in each of the following areas:

1. Three years experience in information systems analysis and design.
2. Three years experience in database management systems which includes database design, testing, and implementation.
3. Six months experience in information technology project management which includes planning, scheduling, staffing, coordinating, controlling, monitoring, evaluating and reporting on status of IT projects. 
4. Six months experience in staff supervision which includes planning, assigning, reviewing, and evaluating the work of others.
5. Knowledge of contract administration which includes overseeing the development and negotiation of contracts and bid specifications; managing bid openings; awarding and executing contracts.