Manager – Application Development

Join the FHLBC team!

At the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, employees come first - that’s why we offer a highly competitive compensation and bonus package, and access to a comprehensive benefits program designed to meet the needs of our employees.

• Retirement program (401k and Pension)

• Medical, dental and vision insurance

• Lifestyle Spending Account

• Generous PTO plan

• 11 paid holidays per year

• Hybrid working model

Who we are:

FHLBank Chicago partners with our members in Illinois and Wisconsin to provide them competitively priced funding, a reasonable return on their investment in the Bank, and support for their community investment activities. We are one of 11 Federal Home Loan Banks created by Congress in 1932 as a government sponsored enterprise to support mortgage lending and community investment. We are member owned and member focused. Our members include banks, credit unions, insurance companies and CDFIs.

What it’s like to work here:

At FHLBank Chicago, we bring people together. Our regular All-Staff meetings keep employees informed and our values drive the work that we do. Our Buddy Program pairs new hires with tenured employees to guide their onboarding. Through our Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), we host signature and employee-led events to celebrate our differences and learn from each other and identify volunteer opportunities to strengthen our communities; and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and culture teams create connections around shared interests and experiences. We offer live and on-demand professional development opportunities to grow your skillset and your career.

What you’ll do:

In this role you’ll be responsible for managing and guiding staff development and supporting technology business management processes. Incumbent works closely with team members and stakeholders to understand operations and system requirements and to deliver quality solutions. The incumbent is expected to provide the technical guidance, leadership, coordination and/or specialized expertise needed to develop, integrate, and maintain business solutions successfully.

How you’ll make an impact:

• Lead and Inspire Teams: You will manage and guide a diverse team of software developers, QA analysts, and other IT professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement to deliver high-quality, secure client-facing applications.
• Drive Technical Excellence: By providing technical leadership and ensuring alignment with business needs, you will oversee the development, integration, and maintenance of business solutions, leveraging your expertise in Agile methodologies and software development standards.
• Enhance Operational Efficiency: Your role will involve managing the full Software Development Life-Cycle (SDLC), from discovery through implementation, and driving incident and problem resolution, ensuring seamless and efficient operations of supported applications.
• Strategic Vendor Management: You will handle vendor relationships, including negotiating contracts and managing purchase orders, to support a diverse portfolio of custom-built and SaaS applications, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and optimizing resource utilization.

What you can expect:

• Manage and provide direction for the application development team. This includes direct reports (software developers and QA analysts) as well as dotted line reports (Solution Architect, BSA).
• Manage the IT delivery team efforts to build and support client facing applications that are secure, right-sized, & of high quality.
• Collaborate with architects and designers to ensure the technical solutions align with the business needs and requirements.
• Provide technical leadership to project managers and technical staff working on delivery teams.
• Cultivate, disseminate, and enforce functional policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Collaborate with analysts, developers, and system owners in the testing of new software programs and applications.
• Promote a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Drive incident and problem resolution for the delivery team’s supported applications.
• Manage team including individual and team performance goals, career development, and skills training.
• Prepare, establish, and manage to annual project and team budgets.
• Guide, direct, and coach less experienced IT staff as needed.
• Assess the technical feasibility of work product, develop accurate estimates, and manage capacity to ensure successful execution.
• Drive identification of technical interdependencies.

What you’ll bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems or related degree OR equivalent experience.
• Advanced degree preferred.
• Experience onboarding and supporting Software as a Service (SaaS) applications.
• Experience managing diverse portfolio of custom built and Software-as-a-Service Applications in a highly regulated environment.
• Experience in vendor management, including negotiating and overseeing contracts, handling purchase orders and processing invoices.
• Experience managing all facets of the Software Development Life-Cycle (SDLC) from discovery through implementation.
• Experience working with, and establishing, software development standards, guidelines, processes and procedures.
• Experience managing and guiding software development efforts using an Agile framework (Scrum and Kanban) is essential.
• Experience with common languages and frameworks: Angular, .Net Core/C#, Java/J2EE/Spring
• Experience with common OS and RDBMS: Windows, Solaris, Linux; SQL Server
• App Server: Apache/Tomcat, IIS, Websphere 8.x
• Other: DevSecOps, API’s, Webservices, Microsoft Azure DevOps, AWS
• Experience with process automation (build, deploy and test) and continuous integration principles.
• Solid background in software, data, and enterprise architecture concepts.
• Minimum of 7 years of work experience delivering custom and SaaS based enterprise systems with a minimum of 1-3 years of experience in a management capacity.
• Financial systems experience a plus, in particular, Workday.
• Capital Markets, Finance or Accounting background a plus.
• Experience with responsive web design to support mobile usage.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Excellent listening and interpersonal skills
• Strong collaboration and team work experience
• Customer service focus
• Strong analytical skills
• High degree of personal accountability and integrity
• Demonstrated leadership ability
• Demonstrated capacity to manage, mentor, and assess the performance of a team
• Knowledge of Finance, Banking, or Mortgage Lending
• Broad knowledge of software development methods including Waterfall and Agile (Scrum and Kanban)
• Demonstrated knowledge of software design patterns and advanced knowledge of software/data architectural concepts
• Familiarity with emergent architecture concepts

The perks:

At FHLBank Chicago, we believe in rewarding our high performing workforce. We offer a highly competitive compensation and bonus package, and access to a comprehensive benefits program designed to meet the needs of our employees. Our retirement program includes a 401(k) and pension plan. Our wellbeing program supports employees at work and in their personal lives: Our generous PTO plan provides five weeks of vacation for new employees and 11 paid holidays per year; our Lifestyle Spending Account provides an annual stipend for employees to support wellbeing activities; and our central downtown location at the Old Post Office provides easy access to public transportation and breathtaking views from our award-winning rooftop. Step into a brighter future with us. #LI-Hybrid