Job Title

Head Application Management ServicesLevel: Associate Director / Director | Work Arrangement: Hyderabad OfficeRole Summary:We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Head of Application Management Services (AMS) to lead our application management operations and drive the strategic vision of our value based comprehensive services suite. This is a senior leadership role that requires a proven track record in managing large scale SaaS application services, leading high perming teams and ensuring exceptional service delivery to enterprise customers.The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the end-to-end application management lifecycle, driving operational excellence, ensuring system reliability, adoption and leading digital transformation initiatives. This role requires a blend of product, functional and technical expertise alongside strategic thinking and exceptional leadership skills to manage complex enterprise-grade HR solution’s delivery serving millions of users globally.Key Responsibilities :Strategic Leadership and Vision- Develop and execute comprehensive application management strategy aligned with Darwinbox’s business objectives and growth trajectory - Lead transformation initiatives to modernize the processes, build tooling’s/reusable assets library and improve operational efficiency - Define SLA’s, key Performance Indicators and operational metric to ensure world class delivery - Collaborate with C-level executives and senior leadership to align with application management strategy with overall business strategy - Drive innovation in application management services, incorporating industry best practices and emerging technologies - Act as CoE and guiding light in terms of ideal processes and approaches w.r.t. AMS delivery by our Partner Ecosystem.Team Leadership and Development- Lead, mentor, and develop an evolving team expecting over 100% expansion in the near term including functional, technical and configuration specialists - Build high-performing teams through strategic hiring, talent development, and succession planning - Foster a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and customer-centricity within the application management organization - Implement performance management frameworks and career development programs for team members - Establish cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, DevOps, Product, and Customer Success teamsClient Relationship Management- Serve as a trusted advisor to clients, providing expert guidance at regular intervals and enabling the client to champion the ‘Thriving in the Cloud’ approach. - Handle escalations and work collaboratively with clients to resolve complex issues - Drive client engagement initiatives and maintain strong relationships throughout the lifecycle.Application Operations & Service Delivery Excellence- Design and refine delivery processes, methodologies, and documentation; maintain and progressively improve delivery templates, checklists, and knowledge repositories - Analyze delivery metrics and provide insights for organizational improvement. Stay current with HR technology trends and integrate innovative approaches into delivery practices - Lead special projects focused on integrating AI tools into Application Management Services. - Implement proactive monitoring and alerting systems to prevent service disruptions and ensure services reliability - Implement cost optimization strategies to improve operational efficiency while maintaining service quality - Establish vendor management practices and negotiate contracts with external service providersQualifications- 15+ years of experience in HRMS/SaaS implementation/Application Management, with 5+ years in Darwinbox/similar global HCM platforms deployments/services management. - Bachelor’s degree in Business, IT, or related field - MBA degree preferred (MBA, MS or equivalent) - Certifications w.r.t. HRMS products, PMP, PRINCE2, Six Sigma or Agile/Scrum Master preferred - Deep understanding of HR Business Processes across multiple modules: Core HR, Talent Development and Management, Employee Engagement, Payroll, leave, attendance and others.Skills & Competencies- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills - Strong project governance, risk mitigation, and multi-stakeholder coordination capabilities - Familiarity with data migration, APIs, Excel/SQL/spreadsheets - Ability to prioritize, multitask, and drive activities under tight timelineAbout Darwinbox:Darwinbox is Asia's fastest-growing HR technology platform, designing the future of work by building the world's best HR tech, driven by a fierce focus on employee experience and customer success, and continuous, iterative innovation. We are the preferred choice of 1000+ global enterprises to manage their 4 million+ employees across 130+ countries.Darwinbox's new-age HCM suite competes with local as well as global players in the enterprise technology space (such as SAP, Oracle, and Workday). The firm has acquired notable customers ranging from large conglomerates to unicorn start-ups: Nivea, Starbucks, DLF, JSW, Adani Group, Crisil, CRED, Vedanta, Airtel, Mahindra, Glenmark, Gokongwei Group, Mitra Adiperkasa, EFS Facilities Management, VNG Corporation, and many more. Our vision of building a world-class product company from Asia is backed by marquee global investors like Microsoft, Salesforce, Sequoia Capital, TCV, KKR, and Partners Group.