Release Manager

Our client is currently seeking a Release Manager Role: Senior Release Manager Location: New York, NY /Wilmington, DE Job Type: Contract-to-Hire Job Overview Our client is seeking an experienced Senior Release Manager. This role is responsible for managing and coordinating release activities across 15-20+ teams within both legacy and modern technology environments. The ideal candidate has deep expertise in release management, experience working in complex enterprise platforms, and the ability to guide release discipline in evolving modernization initiatives. Key Responsibilities Plan, coordinate, and manage multiple releases throughout the year across 15-20+ delivery teams Oversee release execution for high-volume, mission-critical transaction systems Maintain and manage a well-established release cadence for legacy systems Define, implement, and guide release processes for modernization initiatives Establish release scheduling, intake processes, governance, and guardrails Partner closely with engineering, product, QA, operations, and business stakeholders Ensure compliance with regulatory and risk management requirements Identify release risks and dependencies and drive mitigation strategies Workstreams Classic /Release Flow Legacy, mainframe-based systems 3-7 releases per year Stable and well-defined release cadence Focus on oversight and execution (no reinvention required) Modernization Release Flow New, modern framework with more frequent releases Release processes still being refined Requires strong leadership in building cadence, structure, and discipline Opportunity to shape and mature release governance Required Qualifications 10+ years of Release Management experience Proven experience managing release cadence for 15-20+ teams Background supporting large, regulated enterprise platforms Experience in banking, financial services, payments, or credit card systems Strong understanding of SDLC, CI/CD, and enterprise release practices Experience supporting high-volume transaction environments Preferred Qualifications Experience with mainframe and legacy systems Prior experience leading release management during technology modernization programs Industry Experience Banking Financial Services Payments Credit Cards The Judge Group