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Solutions development manager

We are seeking an experienced Solution Development Manager to lead our applications development team. You will be responsible for setting the solutions development strategy and provide professional oversight of digital development.

Half the world lives in poverty. Christian Aid is striving for wholesale change to rules that keep people poor. We work wherever the need is greatest, giving people strength to find their own solutions to the problems they face, irrespective of their religion. So if you’re passionate about helping others, and want to help us drive positive change across the world, come and join us.

Your role will be to manage the development, implementation and in-depth technical support for the charities line of business systems and provide technical leadership for the development of enterprise applications and internet technology. You will be providing strategic advice to key business systems owners on application selection and utilisation, expressing complex technical issues in business friendly terms. This role will require substantial technical understanding of development tools and methodology as well as management and influencing skills.

Your role dimensions are:

· Responsible for the management of the systems development team and their delivery of new system developments and support of existing systems

· Delivers projects to improve application and internet provision within the charity, working closely with project managers and business systems owners

· Uses professional expertise to provide technical and strategic advice to senior managers

· Collaborates with external professionals and prepares briefs for third party suppliers

· Liaises and negotiates with internal stakeholders and external suppliers

Ideal professional qualifications are:

· Professional qualification in development or systems integration technology (e.g. MCSD)

· Qualified PRINCE 2 Practitioner or equivalent desirable

· Qualification in development methodologies desirable

You will need extensive experience of:

· structured analysis, design and development

· developing internet and enterprise applications in a commercial environment

· development technology, particularly C#.Net, HTML, JavaScript

· databases and SQL, especially MS SQL Server and MySQL

· staff management

Considerable experience of:

· contract negotiation and supplier management

· integration technologies such as SOAP, FTP and web services

· social networking technologies

· using rapid development methodologies

· writing high quality reports and documentation

Please show your suitability for this post by giving answers to the following questions: Using the guidance notes may help you formulate your answers.

Impact and influence

Describe a circumstance where you had to influence the position or point of view of others and, to do so, you needed to build support "behind the scenes".

Planning and organising

Describe challenges you encountered in coordinating a number of complex activities or projects and how .planning and organizing ability proved to be key in keeping things on track.

Strategic thinking

Describe a time a project you worked on that demonstrates your judgement and ability to integrate diverging perspectives.

Application development methods

Describe how you have addressed the risks in using rapid application development to deliver a project within tight timescales.

We value the contribution each person makes to the success of our organisation. That’s why you can expect a wide range of rewards and benefits, including a generous holiday allowance, an interest-free season ticket loan, and flexibility that will ensure you enjoy a good work/life balance.

You will be required to have a standard disclosure check from the CRB.

As this post is UK based, non-EC nationals will require current and valid permission to work in the UK.

Download the role profile (68 KB pdf)

To apply for this post, please download an application pack and email your completed UK & Ireland application form to: recruitment@christian-aid.org (quoting the reference number). Alternatively, your completed application form can be printed out and posted to us at:

Christian Aid
35 Lower Marsh
Waterloo
London SE1 7RT

Please note that CVs will not be accepted.

Job reference: 223/LJ

Closing date: 12 noon, Friday 18 November 2011

Interview date: To be confirmed

Christian Aid values diversity and aspires to reflect this in our workforce. We welcome applications from people from all sections of the community, irrespective of race, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief.