Enterprise Applications Manager

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES

Strategic Manager and leadership role responsible for the County's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) ecosystem and enterprise application portfolio. Manages mission-critical systems serving Finance, HR, Tax, Permitting, Planning, and other departments. In the context of the portfolio, drives digital transformation, cloud migration, AI adoption, and process optimization while ensuring uptime, security, and regulatory compliance. Leads team of 5-8 technical professionals supporting various ERP and Enterprise systems serving 3,000+ users.

Oversee complex ecosystem of 8+ integrated ERP systems including Infor Lawson (HR), Tyler Munis/EPL (Finance/Permitting), UKG (Time), Farragut (Tax), and supporting applications. Manage enterprise implementations, vendor relationships, and cross-functional teams. Champions innovation and business-outcome focused solutions. Reports to Deputy CIO - Applications with autonomy in strategic planning, resource allocation, and portfolio management with respect to ERP and other Enterprise applications managed by the team.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Leadership & Portfolio Management

• Develop and execute ERP, enterprise application strategy aligned with County goals and departmental needs
• Manage $2M+ portfolio budget including licensing, maintenance, contracts, and ERP related capital projects
• Prioritize and balance competing initiatives across Finance, HR, Tax, Permitting, Planning and other departments
• Drive cloud-smart strategy, AI adoption, and digital transformation initiatives
• Establish KPIs measuring system performance, availability, business value, linked to departmental outcomes
• Serve as trusted advisor to department directors, translating technical solutions into business value
• Facilitate executive steering committees and manage stakeholder expectations through transparent communication

ERP Systems & OperationsManagementand Support

• Ensure up time for mission-critical ERP systems through proactive monitoring and maintenance avoiding impact to business functions of the County.
• Oversee integrated ecosystem: Lawson, Munis, EPL, UKG, Farragut, Benefits-First, Neogov, Halogen and other systems
• Manage 150+ system integrations, data flows, and interfaces (APIs, SFTP, batch, real-time sync)
• Coordinate upgrades, patches, and releases with minimal business disruption
• Oversee database management (MS SQL Server and other databases) including performance tuning and optimization
• Enforce data governance, security standards, and regulatory compliance (PCI-DSS, CJIS, HIPAA)
• Manage PCI audit compliance for the organization

Enterprise Project & Portfolio Governance

• Lead enterprise implementations ($100K-$2M+, 6–24-month timelines) including deployments, upgrades, replacements
• Manage concurrent projects using agile and waterfall methodologies appropriately
• Develop comprehensive project plans (scope, schedule, budget, resources, risks) and executive dashboards
• Lead cloud migration initiatives and modernize legacy systems
• Conduct post-implementation reviews capturing lessons learned and measuring business outcomes
• Adopt and contribute to IT department PMO practices and the development of standardized methodologies and templates

Team Management, Leadership, Development & Collaboration

• Manage, lead, mentor, and develop 5-8 senior technical professionals (ERP analysts, DBAs, integration specialists, developers)
• Conduct performance evaluations, goal setting, career development planning, and succession planning
• Build high-performing culture focused on innovation, collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning
• Champion IT approved AI tool adoption (GitHub Copilot) targeting 30-50% productivity gains
• Implement cross-training programs, documentation standards, and knowledge repositories
• Facilitate knowledge sharing through workshops, technical presentations, and team learning sessions
• Develop technical talent through conferences, certifications, and professional development opportunities
• Foster inclusive environment valuing diverse perspectives and backgrounds
• Collaborate effectively with internal IT teams (infrastructure, security, networking, operations) to deliver integrated solutions
• Partner with departmental stakeholders to understand business needs and deliver measurable outcomes
• Build strong relationships across organizational boundaries, including county departments, IT divisions, and external vendors

Vendor Management & Strategic Partnerships

• Manage relationships with major IT Enterprise Application vendors and implementation partners
• In collaboration with supported departments, Purchasing, and the County Attorney’s Office, negotiate contracts, SLAs, licensing terms, and purchase orders
• Oversee vendor performance, escalate issues, and ensure contractual compliance
• Evaluate vendor roadmaps and align with County strategic direction
• Coordinate with vendors to resolve technical issues and implement enhancements
• Serve as primary liaison between vendors and County departments

Operational Excellence, Results & Business Outcomes

• Focus on Business requirements and Business Architecture to deliver quality deliverables addressing department Enterprise application solution needs.
• Establish and monitor SLAs with client departments measuring service quality and business impact
• Implement ITIL best practices for incident, problem, change, and release management
• Drive continuous improvement through root cause analysis, trend analysis, and proactive measures
• Manage major incidents coordinating cross-functional response teams
• Monitor application performance, optimize database queries, and resolve bottlenecks
• Track and optimize total cost of ownership (TCO) identifying cost reduction opportunities
• Focus on measurable business outcomes: process efficiency, cost savings, user satisfaction, operational productivity
• Measure success through departmental KPIs: reduced processing time, improved data accuracy, increased automation, enhanced user experience

RECRUITMENT STANDARDS

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Comprehensive ERP knowledge (Finance, HR, Tax, Permitting domains) and implementation methodologies
• Knowledge and experience with Infor Lawson, Tyler Munis/EPL, UKG platforms and/or major ERP platform for Public Sector employers.
• Knowledge of business analysis and architecture.
• Knowledge of AI coding assistants (GitHub Copilot) and governance frameworks.
• Extensive knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning (Finance / HR) and complex integrations and implementations.
• Knowledge of enterprise integration methodologies and best practices.
• Knowledge of change management best practices.
• Demonstrated skills in vendor management and contract negotiation.
• Advanced database skills (SQL Server) - performance tuning, SQL, stored procedures
• Integration expertise (REST/SOAP APIs, SFTP, ETL, middleware) and architecture patterns
• Project management skills managing $500K+ projects with multiple concurrent initiatives
• Leadership skills with ability to develop and guide technical teams.
• Ability to lead cross functional teams through complex projects.
• Ability to mentor, coach and train junior staff members.
• Business acumen aligning technology with organizational strategy and demonstrating ROI
• Ability to effectively communicate and build consensus without direct authority.
• Ability to take initiative, drive effective results and demonstrate accountability.
• Public sector ERP understanding
• Cloud platforms knowledge (AWS, Azure) and SaaS delivery models
• Strong communication skills translating technical concepts for executives and elected officials
• Stakeholder management across diverse groups building consensus without direct authority
• AI/ML understanding for enterprise applications including predictive analytics and automation
• Knowledge of Versioning Control / Collaborative Development platforms, example GitHub or Azure DevOps Services
• Results-orientation driving projects to completion with accountability for business outcomes
• Collaboration skills building partnerships across IT divisions, departments, and vendor organizations

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, Business Administration or related field of study and 8 years of progressive IT experience that includes formal management of technical teams, project leadership, technical team coordination, or cross functional team leadership.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Business Administration or related field of study; PMP, ITIL or enterprise application certifications with 8 + years of progressive IT experience to include managing an enterprise application, leading technical support teams, project leadership, or cross functional team leadership.
• Prefer experience in the public sector.
• Prefer experience with Infor Lawson, Tyler Munis/EPL, UKG platforms or any major ERP platform used in the public sector.

May Require Driving

This position may require driving for this position whether driving a County owned or personal vehicle to conduct county business such as but not limited to attending conferences, meetings, or any other county related functions. Motor Vehicle Reports may be verified for valid driver’s license and that the driving record is compatible with the county’s driving criteria.

If a personal vehicle is operated for county business proper insurance is maintained as per Guilford County’s vehicle use policy.

Special Note - This generic class description gives an overview of the job class, its essential job functions, and recommended job requirements. However, for each individual position assigned to this class, there is available a completed job description with a physical abilities checklist which can give further details about that one specific position. Those documents should be reviewed before initiating a selection process. They can provide additional detailed information on which to base various personnel actions and can assist management in making legal defensible personnel decisions.