Senior Manager Technology - Integration Support

We are seeking an experienced IBM API Connect Specialist to lead the Middleware & Platforms team, managing the installation, configuration, deployment, and administration of IBM API Connect across both cloud and on-premises virtual machines. The role involves ensuring the health, performance, and availability of APIs, as well as maintaining secure and efficient API lifecycle management. The ideal candidate will have strong technical expertise, leadership skills, and the ability to collaborate with internal teams and external IBM support to resolve issues and optimize the environment.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead and manage the Middleware & Platforms team, ensuring smooth operations and high performance.
- Oversee the installation, configuration, deployment, and administration of IBM API Connect in cloud and on-premises environments.
- Monitor the health and performance of the IBM API Connect environment to maintain API availability and responsiveness.
- Lead incident resolution efforts, guiding root cause analysis and troubleshooting during critical situations.
- Analyze system logs to identify and resolve issues within the IBM API Connect infrastructure.
- Configure and manage backup and restoration processes for IBM API Connect subsystems and configuration data.
- Maintain and enhance the CI/CD pipeline for building and deploying APIs, ensuring a streamlined development workflow.
- Utilize the API Management Portal to manage API lifecycles across multiple API catalogs.
- Manage consumer-related tasks including user, group, and role creation, along with security configurations.
- Customize the IBM API Connect Developer Portal by updating administrative settings, Drupal themes, and content for improved user experience.
- Enable third-party tools such as Elasticsearch to capture analytics events for customer dashboards.
- Demonstrate expertise in Splunk for advanced search query construction, monitoring, and alert setup to detect failures.
- Implement security configurations using TLS profiles and native OAuth2 mechanisms to secure the API Connect environment.
- Apply product maintenance patches, interim releases, and upgrades as needed to keep the platform current.
- Provide technical architecture support, participate in discovery sessions, and assist architects or team leads with infrastructure and security-related inquiries.
- Collaborate with IBM Technical Support and Sales teams to address and resolve technical issues and queries.
- Understand hardware specifications, networking requirements, and storage sizing relevant to IBM API Connect deployments.

Required Qualifications

- Extensive experience with IBM API Connect and middleware technologies, demonstrating successful implementation and management.
- Proven leadership and team management skills, capable of motivating and guiding technical teams.
- Strong expertise in API management, including lifecycle management, security protocols, and performance tuning.
- Proficiency in CI/CD methodologies and tools, with hands-on experience maintaining deployment pipelines.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a systematic approach to troubleshooting.
- Effective communication and collaboration skills for working with diverse stakeholders, both internal and external.
- In-depth knowledge of security best practices, including TLS and OAuth2 implementations.
- Experience working with IBM Technical Support and Sales processes to resolve technical challenges.
- Familiarity with hardware, networking, and storage considerations specific to IBM API Connect environments.
- A proactive, results-oriented mindset focused on delivering high-quality solutions and services.

This role offers the opportunity to lead a critical middleware platform within a dynamic environment, working closely with both technical teams and external partners to ensure robust API management and security. Candidates with a strong technical background and leadership experience in IBM API Connect will find this position rewarding and impactful.