Applications Development Manager

Purpose of the Role 
The Applications development Manager will be a hands on manager who in addition to having people leadership skills, must bring strong analysis and development skills, experience with multiple Microsoft solutions sets, including SQL, .NET, and the ability to design architect and build Power App and workflow based solutions. This role will manage an existing Global Applications team, that builds and maintains solutions for the Global Crane CPE Business, with active participation in the development process and leading by example. The team sits alongside an RPA automation team and a newly formed AI team. Synergy between the teams will be constant and rewarding.  

In addition to leading the team that develops and enhances new applications, the manager will lead the team in supporting and occasionally implementing change controls for an existing application portfolio.

The candidate will be experienced in evaluating and proposing software solutions appropriate for any given  business need, have a solid background in following a Software Development Lifecyle and be very comfortable communicating with Global Business owners around the world, in both verbal and written English.

They will collaborate closely where necessary. with Operational Support teams and with the companies Security Teams, to ensure all solutions align with company policy and guidelines.

This role requires a dynamic, self‑driven individual who is passionate about modern application development and solution delivery, and who is used to managing a team of developers and taking some responsibility for their growth and development. This is a hands-on role, running the small development team whilst being an active participant, leading by example.

The candidate must demonstrate continuous learning, strong communication skills, and the ability to work with global teams. There will be opportunities to collaborate closely with the automation and AI leaders and the opportunity for occasionally travel. The candidate will also participate in Crane Business System (CBS) activities that drive continuous improvement and generate new software development needs.

Job Responsibilities (KRA)
·        Lead, manage and develop a small team of application developers, ensuring team members are clear on priorities, delivery expectations and quality standards.

·        Remain actively involved in hands-on analysis, solution design, development, troubleshooting and technical decision-making across business application projects.

·        Apply strong practical experience with Microsoft development toolsets, including .NET, SQL Server, SharePoint and Power Apps, to guide robust and maintainable solutions.

·        Provide technical leadership by setting standards, reviewing designs and code, promoting best practice, and ensuring solutions are secure, scalable and fit for purpose.

·        Maintain a clear understanding of team members’ project assignments, delivery progress, risks, dependencies and support workload in order to assist with effective leadership reporting.

·        Assist the IT director by contributing to concise, accurate reporting of the team’s activities for senior IT leadership.

·        Support the IT Director in shaping application development strategy, assessing technology choices, and identifying opportunities to improve platforms, processes and delivery methods.

·        Working alongside the RPA Automation team and AI team leads/managers to find collaboration and improvement opportunities.

·        Work with stakeholders across global business functions to understand requirements, translate business needs into practical technical solutions, and communicate progress clearly.

·        Demonstrate excellent written and verbal English communication skills, with the ability to engage technical and non-technical audiences across different regions and cultures.

·        Coach and mentor team members, supporting their technical development, career growth and progression through regular cadence, guidance, feedback and knowledge sharing.

·        Promote a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, accountability and professional development within the application development team.

·        Balance management responsibilities with direct technical contribution, ensuring the role remains visible, credible and actively engaged in the delivery of high-quality application solutions.

Job Requirements (KPI)
·        BE or MS in Computer Science, Data Science,  or related technical field.

·        2 years of experience in managing a team of software developers in a hands-on manner.

·        10+ years of personal experience in software engineering with at least 5 years in Microsoft solutions including MVC/Razor, ASP.NET Core, Entity Framework Core, SQL Server, SharePoint and the Power Applications / Power Automate Suite.  

·        Experience of delivering software documentation for all key stages of a Software Development Life-Cycle 

·        Experience of managing software development teams that deliver robust bespoke solutions for global businesses using Microsoft technologies, both traditional stack and Power Apps/Automate solutions.

·        Ability to remain hands-on with design, development, troubleshooting and technical problem solving while managing team delivery.

·        Experience of supporting older legacy applications written in earlier versions of .NET and ASP.

·        Experience of training business users in the use of new software and assisting in SOP creation.

·        Strong experience of working the SDLC using waterfall and / or Agile with the development team and working to tight timescales.

·        Strong written and verbal English communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with technical teams, business users and senior stakeholders across a global organization.

·        Evidence of coaching, mentoring or supporting the professional development of technical team members.

·        A strong understanding of the security implications and ramifications of developing software solutions in a distributed and sometimes, cloud-based environment.

·        A willingness for occasional travel (domestically/internationally) to other Crane locations.

Desirable Qualifications / Experience:

·        Formal leadership, management or coaching training relevant to managing technical teams.

·        Experience working in a large, complex or global business environment with distributed stakeholders and cross-regional project teams.

·        Experience of occasionally outsourcing software development projects to third party service companies.  

·        Experience contributing to application development strategy, technology selection, standards definition or platform improvement initiatives.

·        Use of MS Copilot for day to day activities.  Knowledge of, and experience in using MS CoPilot studio to create CoPilot Agents that might be used to speed up application development and testing.

·        Experience of working in Agile/Scrum environments, contributing to iterative development, sprint planning, and cross‑functional collaboration.

·        Relevant certifications in .NET Core, Azure and other related technologies. 

·        General exposure to AI, particularly in the area of Software  development and testing.