Cluster Release Manager - (location: Zurich) 100%

The Cluster Release Manager will play a critical role in enabling end-to-end coordination of integrated software deliveries across 25 interdependent value chains (similar to projects) within a major transformation programme at Julius Baer.

This individual will be part of the Release Management Team and ensures that all relevant processes related to Release Management such as Release Planning, Dependency Management, Deployment Management, Release Note Creation, Quality Gate Adherence and Communication are correctly performed.

Operating in a highly matrixed environment, the Cluster Release Manager will act as a central orchestrator between different stakeholders on different levels (senior management, project leads, technical teams, testing groups, application leads, infrastructure providers, and business stakeholders to deliver coordinated, traceable, and quality-assured releases.

Additionally, this role also requires the willingness to work extra hours and weekends overwatching specific activities such as Data Refresh or Dress Rehearsal Activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for the Release Management discipline for up to 5 projects in parallel (together with Release Coordinator)
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive release plan aligned with delivery timelines, dependencies, risk profiles, and environment availability.
• Coordinate all aspects of release management execution across multiple projects and suppliers, ensuring alignment with enterprise change management principles
• Chair regular release coordination meetings with stakeholders to track progress, resolve blockers, and manage risks.
• Ensure full traceability from requirements → design → development → test cases → defects → deployments, leveraging tools such as JIRA, Confluence, or similar ALM platforms.
• Oversee the dependencies and risks related to releases in scope being deployed to the environments
• Oversee staging and promotion of code and configuration changes into environments collaborating closely with Environment Management.
• Monitor release health via KPIs such as defect leakage, regression pass rate, rollback frequency, and deployment success rates.
• Prepare reporting on release status, risks, and key milestones for Release Management Leadership
• Support readiness assessments prior to each test cycle and contribute to lessons learned after each release.

Professional Experience

• Worked in a similar role before
• Experience in adjusting processes to programmes need
• Minimum of 8 years’ experience in IT project delivery within complex banking or financial services organisations with 500 – 1000 applications over several booking centres.
• Proven track record as a Release Manager in small- mid-sized transformation projects
• Direct experience managing multi-project release trains across SIT and UAT cycles in regulated environments.
• Familiarity with system landscape architectures commonly found in wealth management or private banking infrastructures.
• Banking experience and a profound understanding of Private banking products

Technical Understanding

• Strong grasp of SDLC methodologies (Waterfall, Agile, SAFe, hybrid models).
• Understanding of release management tools and technologies (e.g., JIRA)

Soft Skills & Personal Attributes

• Pragmatic & solution driven mindset
• Good stakeholder engagement abilities across technical and non-technical audiences on different levels
• High emotional intelligence and diplomacy when navigating conflicting priorities in a matrix organisation.
• Results-oriented mindset with attention to detail and structured problem-solving capability.
• Ability to operate autonomously under pressure, meeting tight deadlines without compromising quality.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; German or other languages beneficial.
• High willingness to contribute to the programmes success and to work on weekends

Education & Certifications

University degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, or related field.

AARK Tech Solutions GmbH

Seestrasse 11

8805 Richterswil