Applications Development Lead

Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG), a leading management consulting firm, is seeking an experienced Applications Development Lead to provide senior technical leadership for the design, development, maintenance, and enhancement of applications and web-based systems supporting federal human services programs.

The Applications Development Lead will work closely with technical and programmatic teams to translate business requirements into effective technology solutions, guide application development activities, and ensure systems are secure, accessible, user-friendly, and aligned with federal standards. Experience supporting early childhood, child care, education, health, or other human services programs is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities:

• Analyze business and functional requirements and translate them into application and system solutions.
• Lead the design, development, testing, debugging, and enhancement of applications and web-based systems.
• Provide technical direction and guidance to developers and other technical staff.
• Oversee application enhancements designed to improve functionality, performance, usability, and reliability.
• Develop and maintain program-level and user-level technical documentation.
• Collaborate with program staff, subject matter experts, government stakeholders, and technical teams to identify and address technology needs.
• Support application testing, quality assurance, user acceptance testing, and release activities.
• Identify technical risks, system dependencies, and potential impacts throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
• Support system maintenance, modernization, migration, and continuous improvement activities.
• Ensure applications and websites comply with applicable federal accessibility and security requirements.
• Participate in technical working groups, governance meetings, and client discussions as needed.
• Provide technical expertise and recommendations to support effective decision-making and long-term system planning.
• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field.
• 15+ years of relevant professional experience, or an equivalent combination of education and training.
• Demonstrated experience leading application development, enhancement, testing, and maintenance activities.
• Experience translating business requirements into technical solutions and application designs.
• Experience providing technical direction to developers and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong understanding of Agile methodologies and the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
• Experience with application testing, debugging, quality assurance, and user acceptance testing.
• Experience with cloud-based technologies and/or enterprise application platforms.
• Experience with web development technologies and content management systems.
• Strong understanding of accessibility standards, including Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 AA.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with government clients, program staff, technical teams, and other stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting federal human services, early childhood, child care, education, health, or related programs.
• Experience working with ServiceNow, AWS, and/or Drupal.
• Experience supporting federal government websites or public-facing applications.
• Experience working in FedRAMP-authorized or other government cloud environments.
• Familiarity with U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) and federal web standards.
• Experience with federal Change and Release Management processes.
• Experience supporting cloud migration, application modernization, or systems integration initiatives.
• Familiarity with federal cybersecurity, privacy, and Zero Trust requirements

Qualified applicants will be added to a reviewer pool and contacted as opportunities align with their expertise.

Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Our hiring decisions are based solely on merit and qualifications, ensuring a fair and competitive selection process.

EEO Statement: Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Our hiring decisions are based solely on merit and qualifications, ensuring a fair and competitive selection process.