Assistant Manager - Technology - Middleware & Platforms (MGN Pak)

This role requires a skilled professional with expertise in system administration and a strong focus on supporting critical production issues related to IBM API Connect. The ideal candidate will be responsible for the installation, configuration, deployment, administration, and monitoring of IBM API Connect environments both in cloud and on-premises virtual machines. They will ensure the health, performance, and availability of APIs, participate in incident resolution, and lead root cause analysis efforts when necessary. The role also involves managing API lifecycle through the API Management Portal, maintaining CI/CD pipelines, and configuring security settings to maintain a secure operating environment.

Key Responsibilities

- Install, configure, deploy, administer, and monitor IBM API Connect on cloud and on-premises VMs.
- Monitor the health and performance of the IBM API Connect environment to ensure API availability.
- Lead and participate in incident resolution calls to assist with root cause analysis.
- Analyze system logs to identify and troubleshoot issues within the IBM API Connect environment.
- Configure and implement backup and restoration processes for IBM API Connect subsystems and configuration data.
- Maintain and optimize CI/CD pipelines for building and deploying APIs.
- Manage API lifecycle across multiple API catalogs using the API Management Portal.
- Perform consumer maintenance by creating users, groups, roles, and managing security configurations.
- Customize the IBM API Connect Developer Portal, including administrative menu configurations and Drupal theme adjustments.
- Enable third-party tools such as Elastic to capture analytics events for customer dashboards.
- Utilize expertise in Splunk for advanced search query construction, monitoring, and alert setup for failure detection.
- Configure security settings using TLS profiles and native OAuth2 mechanisms to ensure a secure environment.
- Apply product maintenance patches, interim releases, and upgrades as required.
- Provide technical architecture information, support discovery sessions, and assist architects or team leads with infrastructure and security queries.
- Understand hardware specifications, networking requirements, and storage sizing relevant to IBM API Connect.
- Collaborate with IBM Technical Support and IBM Technical Sales to resolve issues and clarify technical questions.
- Complete all phases of the software development lifecycle, including analysis, design, testing, and support.
- Demonstrate strong analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Required Qualifications

- 5 to 8 years of experience in application domain support and system administration.
- Proven experience with IBM API Connect installation, configuration, deployment, and monitoring in cloud and on-premises environments.
- Strong knowledge of API lifecycle management and CI/CD pipeline maintenance.
- Expertise in log analysis, incident management, and root cause analysis.
- Experience with backup and restoration of IBM API Connect subsystems and configuration data.
- Proficiency in configuring security using TLS profiles and OAuth2.
- Familiarity with third-party analytics tools such as Elastic and Splunk, including advanced query construction and alerting.
- Ability to apply product patches, upgrades, and interim releases.
- Solid understanding of hardware, networking, and storage requirements for API management platforms.
- Experience interacting with IBM Technical Support and Sales teams.
- Ability to manage all phases of the software development lifecycle.
- Strong analytical, communication, and teamwork skills.

Preferred Qualifications

- Strong skills in IBM App Connect Enterprise and IBM MQ.
- Experience with Azure Cloud and DevOps CI/CD practices.
- Knowledge of Oracle and SQL databases.
- Familiarity with Core Java and Microservices architecture.
- Understanding of AIX/UNIX operating systems.

This position offers the opportunity to work with cutting-edge API management technologies in a dynamic environment, supporting critical business functions and collaborating with technical teams and vendors to ensure seamless API operations.