IT Applications Director

IT Applications Director - Enterprise SystemsThe IT Applications Director - Enterprise Systems will lead the strategic and operational management of Clark Construction Group's critical suite of enterprise applications. This role is pivotal in ensuring the availability, reliability, and continuous improvement of our critical applications those essential to driving business operations and maximizing the value of our technology investments. The Director will lead a team of Application Managers and Analysts, proactively identifying and addressing business requirements, fostering strong collaboration with business stakeholders, and ensuring strategic alignment to deliver maximum business value.Location: McLean, Virginia (on-site)Key ResponsibilitiesDevelop and implement comprehensive application roadmaps and budgets aligned with Clark's strategic business objectives, specifically focusing on how applications like Workday, Coupa, ServiceNow, Google Workspace, Box, Salesforce, and SAP S4/HANA drive business value.Lead the enterprise application support organization in a proactive, value-driven model.Oversee the management of "sacred applications," ensuring they are optimized for performance, functionality, and user experience, with a keen eye on their contribution to business outcomes.Drive the development and maintenance of business continuity plans.Establish and maintain effective vendor relationships to ensure optimal support and service delivery for all enterprise applications.Ensure all application-related processes and systems align with current and evolving Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) standards.Team Leadership and DevelopmentRecruit, mentor, and manage a team of Application Managers and Analysts.Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement within the team.Ensure team members have the necessary skills and knowledge to support enterprise application initiatives.Application Lifecycle ManagementOversee the implementation of new features and functionalities for enterprise applications, ensuring thorough testing, training, and communication.Manage application license agreements and track usage to optimize costs and compliance across the enterprise application portfolio.Ensure application availability and performance through proactive monitoring and reporting for all core enterprise systems.Develop and maintain a comprehensive knowledge base to support users and facilitate knowledge sharing.Manage audit and compliance tracking related to applications.Stakeholder EngagementEstablish regular, proactive engagement with business stakeholders across all functions to deeply understand their needs, priorities, and how enterprise applications can further their strategic goals.Act as a trusted liaison between IT and business units, ensuring effective communication, collaboration, and a shared understanding of application value.Gather and analyze business requirements to inform application roadmap and development initiatives, always focusing on maximizing business value.Ensure that application-related processes and procedures are clearly communicated.Performance Measurement and ImprovementEstablish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure enterprise application performance and team effectiveness, tying them directly to business value delivered.Analyze data and metrics to identify areas for improvement and implement corrective actions that enhance business processes.Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance enterprise application support and service delivery, ensuring technology investments yield tangible business benefits.Basic QualificationsBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.Minimum of 10 years of experience in IT operations, with a focus on enterprise application management.Proven experience in leading and managing application support teams.Extensive experience with enterprise applications such as Workday, Coupa, ServiceNow, Google Workspace, Box, Salesforce, and SAP S4/HANA.Demonstrated knowledge of core business processes that leverage enterprise applications (e.g., HR, Finance, Procurement, CRM, Collaboration).Experience in developing and implementing application roadmaps and business continuity plans that are aligned with business strategy.Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills.Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong relationships with business stakeholders and vendors, focusing on driving business value.Experience with audit and compliance tracking.Experience with application license management.Proven ability to move an organization from a reactive to a proactive support model, emphasizing strategic value.Proven ability to ensure adherence to cybersecurity policies and best practices, including experience with application security testing and compliance with industry-standard frameworks (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001).Alignment to Clark Standards of Excellence: Self-Motivated, Results Oriented, Adaptable, Team Player, Accountable, Ethical, Innovative, Resilient, Builds Relationships, Builds People / Teams & Followership, Sets Direction & ExecutesPreferred QualificationsExperience with project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall).Knowledge of cloud-based application management.Experience with ITIL framework.