Senior Application Specialist

Position: Sr. Application Specialist
Location: UAE
Position Summary:
The Senior Application Specialist is responsible for managing the software applications within a business, figuring out what specific applications are needed to improve business operations, and then supervising the installation, upgrading, and daily maintenance of software applications used by an organization. And to lead the vendor management for a successful collaboration and integration of third-party solutions, contributing significantly to the organization's overall objectives.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Requirement Analysis:
• Work closely with business users to gather and document detailed software requirements.
• Analyze and document current business processes, systems, and workflows.
• Conduct feasibility studies and impact assessments for proposed application changes.
2. Application Development:
• Responsible for leading the development of software applications, including defining project goals, timelines, and budgets.
• Work with development teams/Vendors to ensure that software projects are completed on time and within budget.
3. Application Support:
• Responsible for providing technical support for software applications used by the organization.
• Work to resolve technical issues to ensure that applications are functioning correctly.
• Responsible for maintaining SLAs with third-party providers.
• 4. Report Design and Development:
• Collaborate with stakeholders, including business users, analysts, and other IT teams, to understand reporting requirements.
• Utilize reporting tools and technologies of the applications.
• Create visually appealing and easy-to-understand reports and dashboards.
• Ensure that reports meet quality standards and are accurate and reliable.
5. Vendor Management:
• Evaluate and select external vendors or third-party solutions when necessary.
• Manage vendor relationships, negotiate contracts, SLAs, pricing agreements. 6. Budget Management:
• Responsible for managing the budget for software development and maintenance projects.
7. Project Management:
• Collaborate with project Manager to define project scope, objectives, and deliverables.
• Participate in project planning, monitoring progress, and reporting on project status.
• Assist in the development of project timelines and resource planning.
8. Quality Assurance and Testing:
• Develop test plans and conduct testing to ensure software meets specified requirements.
• Coordinate user acceptance testing (UAT) and gather feedback from stakeholders.
• Work closely with development teams to resolve defects and issues identified during testing.
9 Training and Documentation:
• Develop user training materials and conduct training sessions for end-users.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation, including user manuals and technical guides.
10. Change Management:
• Facilitate change management processes related to application updates and enhancements.
• Communicate changes to relevant stakeholders, addressing concerns and ensuring user adoption.
11. Continuous Improvement:
• Ensuring that software applications are maintained and updated regularly to meet changing business needs.
• Stay updated with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices related to software applications.
Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in Autoline – Keyloop.
• Proven experience in the Automotive Business is essential.
• Proven experience in software development and application management, with leadership responsibilities.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Experience in vendor management, contract negotiation, and relationship building is a plus.
• Strong programming skills and expertise in various programming languages (e.g., Java, C#, Python).
• Familiarity with database management, data analysis, and reporting tools (preferably BI tools