Director of Application Development @ Protective Life

Software Engineering (2)
,

Software Engineering (2)

Salary Range: 99000 to 151000 (Currency: USD) (Pay period: per-year-salary)

The work we do has an impact on millions of lives, and you can be a part of it.

We help protect our customers against life’s uncertainties. Regardless of where you work within the company, you’ll be helping provide protection and peace of mind when our customers need it most.

The Director of Application Development will work as part of the Dynamics team under the direction of the Senior Director of Application Development. This strategic leadership role will oversee the design, development, and implementation of custom applications and solutions built on the Microsoft Dynamics platform, driving digital transformation and business process optimization across the organization. It is expected that this person will be able to apply an in-depth understanding of business dynamics and how the Microsoft Dynamics platform integrates within the organization. Additionally, this individual will be expected to know and enforce industry best practices while achieving objectives.

This person is responsible for overseeing multiple application development team members, improving systems, planning and executing long-term strategies and initiatives, as well as maintaining data across a wide range of technologies for both business and technical systems. This person will manage the day-to-day performance of subordinate staff to ensure that all project and department milestones and goals are met and align with overall company objectives. The goal is to optimize each team member's contribution, drive the team forward in accomplishing IT goals, and ensure the team's direction aligns with the overall business strategy. This will be achieved by facilitating quarterly goal setting, conducting frequent one-on-one and team meetings, and utilizing any other necessary means.

In addition to managing and mentoring the team, the individual in this role must collaborate with product owners to comprehend business requirements and provide the necessary resources to facilitate progress towards a desired future state. This position is responsible for contributing to continuous process improvements within IT and must exert influence both internally and externally, including senior division executives, vendors, or regulators. The individual must excel at building and nurturing highly effective teams and adapting processes for application development, release management, low code tasks, and testing. Furthermore, the person must demonstrate the ability to adapt and thrive in a fast-paced environment, as well as develop and refine processes to maximize team effectiveness.

This position requires strong analytical, problem-solving, leadership, and organizational skills. The candidate must meet deadlines and demonstrate leadership among peers and direct reports. Excellent communication is necessary for effective collaboration with both internal and external parties. The candidate should be inquisitive, detail-oriented, responsible, and capable of independent work and strategic decision-making.

Job Responsibilities

People Management
Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing team of Dynamics developers, solution architects, and technical specialists
Establish development standards, coding guidelines, and quality assurance processes specific to Dynamics environments
Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional development within the Dynamics development team
Manage resource allocation and capacity planning for multiple concurrent Dynamics projects
Understand how to implement the company’s initiatives at a team and individual level.
Develop, implement and/or refine team metrics to continuously improve and move the team forward.
Monitor performance, conduct performance reviews and develop/maintain development plans for each employee.
Strategic Leadership
Develop and execute comprehensive application development strategies aligned with business objectives and Dynamics platform capabilities
Lead cross-functional teams in delivering complex Dynamics solutions, including customizations, integrations, and extensions
Collaborate with executive leadership to define technology roadmaps and investment priorities for Dynamics applications
Drive innovation and best practices in Dynamics development methodologies and architectural patterns
Technical Oversight
Oversee the architecture and design of scalable Dynamics solutions across D365, Power Platform, and related Microsoft technologies
Ensure adherence to Microsoft best practices, security standards, and compliance requirements
Guide technical decision-making for complex integrations with third-party systems and legacy applications
Stay current with Microsoft Dynamics product updates, new features, and emerging capabilities
Project and Program Management
Lead enterprise-level Dynamics implementation and upgrade projects from conception to deployment
Collaborate with business stakeholders to gather requirements and translate them into technical specifications
Manage project timelines, budgets, and deliverables while ensuring quality and performance standards
Coordinate with vendors, consultants, and Microsoft partners as needed
Business Partnership
Work closely with business units to understand operational needs and identify opportunities for Dynamics-based solutions
Help translate business requirements into technical solutions that leverage Dynamics capabilities effectively
Provide technical expertise and guidance during business process reengineering initiatives
Support change management and user adoption strategies for new Dynamics applications
Licensing and Compliance Management
Develop and maintain a comprehensive understanding of Microsoft Dynamics licensing models, user types, and compliance requirements
Optimize licensing costs by analyzing user needs and recommending appropriate license types across the organization
Ensure compliance with Microsoft licensing terms and conditions for all Dynamics deployments and customizations

Work Experience, Education, Certification / Training Required:

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required. Master’s degree, PMP, CSPO, and CSM certifications preferred
Demonstrated professional level abilities in driving culture change, process management, effective tool usage, evangelizing product technologies and related application capabilities
Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly, negotiate, listen, mitigate conflict, build alliances and achieve results
Minimum 10+ years demonstrated experience in the IT industry or support roles for IT solutions in customer facing environments in diagnosing complex support and service issues
Experienced in complex business processes, applications, infrastructure, and their use in IT solutions
Proven track record of successful large-scale Dynamics implementations and customizations.
Certifications in industry-related or discipline-related organizations are desirable and may substitute for some work and/or technical experience. (Organization could include Scrum Alliance, LOMA, SILA, American College, PMI, IIBA, IIST)
Minimum of 3+ years of leadership experience managing technical teams and complex development projects.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

Expert-level knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM, ERP, Finance & Operations, Business Central) - preferred
Proficiency in Power Platform components (Power Apps, Power Automate)
Strong development skills in C#, .NET Framework, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and SQL Server
Experience with Azure services, APIs, web services, and cloud-based integration patterns
Knowledge of Dynamics SDK, plugins, workflows, and custom entity development - preferred
Understanding of data migration, system integration, and ETL processes
Comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics licensing models, compliance requirements, and cost optimization strategies
Excellent leadership and team management capabilities with experience building and scaling technical teams
Strong project management skills with experience in Agile/Scrum methodologies
Exceptional communication skills with ability to present technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders
Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities with focus on business outcomes
Change management experience and ability to drive organizational transformation
Experience with DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and automated testing frameworks
Other related skills and/or abilities may be required to perform this job.

Employee Benefits:

We aim to protect the wellbeing of our employees and their families with a broad benefits offering. In addition to offering comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance, we support emotional wellbeing through mental health benefits and an employee assistance program. Work/life balance is important and Protective offers a variety of paid time away benefits (e.g., paid time off, paid parental leave, short-term disability, and a cultural observance day). The financial health of our employees is just as important as physical and emotional health. Some of the financial wellbeing benefits include contributions to healthcare accounts, a pension plan, and a 401(k) plan with Company matching. All employees are encouraged to protect their overall wellbeing by engaging in ProHealth Rewards, Protective’s platform to improve wellbeing while earning cash rewards.

Eligibility for certain benefits may vary by position in accordance with the terms of the Company’s benefit plans.

Accommodations for Applicants with a Disability:

If you require an accommodation to complete the application and recruitment process due to a disability, please email [email protected]. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application and recruitment process.

Please note that the above email is solely for individuals with disabilities requesting an accommodation. General employment questions should not be sent through this process.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to being inclusive and attracting, retaining, and growing an inclusive workforce.

Director of Application Development

Dynamics Team

Protective Life

Compensation Overview

Job Responsibilities

Work Experience, Education, Certification / Training Required:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

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