Mainframe Z/Os Technical Lead

Job Title: Mainframe z/OS Technical Lead / L3 Engineer
Location: McLean, VA
Work Arrangement: Hybrid


Job Description
We are seeking a senior Mainframe Z/OS Technical Lead to act as the client-side SME overseeing outsourced mainframe services and guiding a small internal team.
Responsibilities:
• Provide technical oversight of vendor-managed mainframe operations
• Review daily operations, incidents, RCA, changes, and releases
• Validate vendor recommendations and ensure adherence to SLAs and ITIL processes
• Act as escalation point for complex mainframe issues
• Provide expert guidance on z/OS, Sysplex, WLM, JES, and RACF
• Oversee IMS (DB/DC), DB2 for z/OS, and CICS environments
• Review system performance, capacity, availability, and stability
• Recommend improvements for performance, automation, and cost optimization
• Identify risks, technical debt, and modernization opportunities
• Review DR, BCP, backup, and recovery strategies
• Provide architectural input for upgrades and future-state planning
• Communicate technical insights clearly to leadership and stakeholders
Required Skills:
• 10+ years of strong hands-on mainframe experience
• Expert knowledge of z/OS, IMS, DB2, CICS
• Strong understanding of JCL, COBOL, and batch processing
• Experience with vendor-managed or outsourced environments
• Ability to influence, challenge, and guide vendors constructively
Preferred:
• Mainframe modernization or optimization experience
• ITIL process exposure