Senior Release Manager

XperiencOps, Inc. is seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Release Manager to oversee the release lifecycle of our software products. This role involves planning, scheduling, coordinating, and managing releases across multiple teams to ensure timely delivery of high-quality software updates and features. The Release Manager will work closely with Product Management, Development, QA, and DevOps to streamline processes, reduce risks, and ensure smooth production deployments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Release Planning, Coordination, and Execution
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive release calendar across all products and teams.
• Coordinate with product managers, engineers, QA, and DevOps to define and document release plans.
• Identify release dependencies and manage cross-team communication.
• Oversee all aspects of the release process, including code freezes, testing, deployment, and validation.
• Ensure proper change management practices are followed for production releases.
• Monitor and mitigate release risks, addressing blockers and conflicts promptly.
• Provide go/no-go decision support to stakeholders.
• Act as the primary point of contact for release-related information.
• Facilitate release readiness meetings and post-mortem reviews.
• Report on release progress, metrics, and outcomes to stakeholders and leadership.
• Continuously evaluate and optimize release processes to improve efficiency and reduce lead time.
• Implement tools and practices for automation, CI/CD pipelines, and release monitoring.
• Maintain documentation on release workflows, standards, and guidelines.
• Facilitate Agile Ceremonies: Lead daily stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives, and other ceremonies, ensuring they are efficient and productive.
• Accountability Enforcement: Monitor team commitments and progress, holding team members accountable for deliverables and deadlines while promoting a culture of trust and transparency.
• Agile Coaching: Guide the team in agile practices, fostering continuous improvement and an agile mindset across the organization.
• Backlog Management: Collaborate with Product Owners to maintain a well-organized, prioritized backlog that aligns with business goals.
• Tool Administration: Manage JIRA and Confluence platforms to track workflows, provide reporting, and streamline collaboration for the engineering team.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as a liaison between technical teams and stakeholders, ensuring clear communication of priorities, risks, and progress.
• Risk Management: Identify and address potential roadblocks proactively, ensuring smooth sprint execution and timely delivery of projects.
• Performance Metrics: Analyze sprint data and other key performance indicators to assess team performance and provide actionable insights.

Requirements

• Experience: Minimum 5 years of experience as a Release Manager and/or Senior Scrum Master, preferably with enterprise SaaS or PaaS teams.

• Methodology Expertise: Strong knowledge and practical application of Agile principles, Scrum frameworks, and related tools.

• Technical Acumen: Familiarity with engineering workflows and the ability to understand technical discussions, even if not a developer.

• Tool Proficiency: Advanced expertise with JIRA and Confluence, including configuration, reporting, and administration.

• Leadership: Proven ability to hold teams accountable and manage complex timelines with precision.

• Communication: Exceptional facilitation and interpersonal skills, capable of driving alignment across diverse teams.

• Certifications: Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or equivalent agile certification is strongly preferred.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, benefits, and equity package.

• Opportunity to work with a cutting-edge SaaS platform company in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

• Collaborative and innovative team culture.

• Professional development and growth opportunities.