Role Name: Release Management SME
Location: Remote
Job Description
The Release Management SME will design, implement, and optimize Release Management processes, contributing to key deliverables and leveraging ServiceNow Release Management (ideal). The role supports both traditional waterfall and agile methodologies, ensuring robust, traceable, and efficient release and deployment of services.
Key Responsibilities
• Process Design & Implementation:
o Develop and establish release and distribution processes with STPs to ensure changes to services are controlled, tested, traceable, authorized, and implemented in a structured manner.
o Conform MSI operations to agreed Release policies, processes, and procedures defined in the SMM.
o Execute releases according to the approved Release Management methodology.
o Use the MSI-provided Release Management System as the single source of release information.
• Methodology & Planning:
o Define and establish Release Management systems and processes supporting both waterfall and agile methodologies.
o Define roles and responsibilities for STPs and customers to ensure successful deployments.
o Develop agreed-upon release and deployment plans with client and customers, including overall Release Management Plan and schedule.
o Ensure each release package contains compatible assets and service components, maintaining integrity throughout transition activities.
• Integration & Testing:
o Integrate MSI PPM System and STP agile project management tools (e.g., Jira) for aggregation of epics, sprints, stories, and status.
o Provide capabilities for STPs to manage release testing, tracking use cases, stories, sprints, defects, and other release concepts.
o Ensure release and deployment packages can be tracked, installed, tested, verified, uninstalled, or backed out as appropriate.
• Change & Knowledge Management:
o Manage organizational and stakeholder change during release and deployment activities.
o Record and manage defects, deviations, risks, and issues related to new or changed services.
o Transfer knowledge and skills to customers, users, operations, and support staff.
• Governance & Metrics:
o Support planning, execution, and management of testing methods, tools, and procedures.
o Define release success/failure criteria for each lifecycle point.
o Establish measurement processes for release success/failure, including incident recording post-release.
o Participate in governance body overseeing release activities, risk management, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• ServiceNow Digital Product Release Module:
o Deploy and configure the ServiceNow Digital Product Release module to orchestrate release processes, automate validation of "release readiness," and provide visibility and control over product/service releases.
o Configure integrations between ServiceNow and other enterprise systems (CI/CD pipelines, testing tools, deployment platforms).
o Set up dashboards and visualizations in ServiceNow for clear insights into release schedules, progress, risks, and outcomes.
Qualifications
• Proven experience designing and implementing Release Management processes, ideally with ServiceNow Release Management.
• Familiarity with both waterfall and agile methodologies.
• Experience integrating project management tools (e.g., Jira) and ServiceNow.
• Strong understanding of ITIL 4 practices and governance frameworks.
• Ability to define and track KPIs and metrics (release success rate*** defects post-release, mean time to deploy, change failure rate*** release cycle time).
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to transfer knowledge and skills to diverse teams.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Release success rate
• Number of defects post-release
• Mean time to deploy (MTTD)
• Change failure rate
• Release cycle time"
