Release Manager
People First Bank · Australia
Are you an experienced technology professional who thrives on bringing people, processes, and delivery teams together to ensure successful change outcomes? We have an exciting opportunity for a Release Manager to join our Release & Environments Team in a 12 months fixed term contract with potential extension or permanency.
This is a key role responsible for planning, coordinating, and governing technology releases across projects, products and BAU change initiatives. You'll work closely with engineering, delivery, testing, security, operations, and business stakeholders to ensure every release is well planned, appropriately governed, and delivered safely with minimal disruption.
About the role
As the Release Manager, you'll play a critical role in ensuring technology releases are implemented successfully through robust planning, readiness assessments, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and release execution activities.
Working within the Bank's Release Management frameworks, you'll manage release activities across multiple teams and vendors while providing clear leadership through implementation events and high-impact delivery windows.
Key responsibilities include:
Release Planning & Coordination
- Develop and maintain detailed release plans, milestones, dependencies, implementation schedules, and resource requirements.
- Coordinate release activity across delivery teams, platforms, applications, vendors, and business stakeholders.
- Maintain accurate release records and contribute to the enterprise release calendar.
Readiness & Assurance
- Lead release readiness reviews and ensure all testing, security, risk, architecture, and operational approvals are in place.
- Verify implementation, validation, rollback, communications, and support plans prior to deployment.
- Identify and proactively manage risks and issues to resolution.
Release Execution
- Own release run sheets and coordinate implementation activities within approved release windows.
- Facilitate implementation bridges and stakeholder communications during release events.
- Monitor progress, manage dependencies, coordinate issue resolution, and support go/no-go decision making.
- Coordinate rollback and recovery activities where required.
Stakeholder Engagement & Continuous Improvement
- Deliver accurate, timely, and action-oriented communications to stakeholders.
- Drive lessons learned and post-implementation reviews.
- Contribute to the ongoing enhancement of release frameworks, standards, tooling, and automation opportunities.
About you
You are a highly organised and collaborative Release Manager with a strong understanding of technology delivery and change governance. You can confidently coordinate complex releases, manage competing priorities, and remain calm under pressure during critical implementation activities.
You have a proven ability to bring diverse stakeholder groups together, identify risks early, and drive successful release outcomes through structured planning and communication.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience in Release Management, Change Management, Delivery, DevOps, or Technology Operations.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating complex technology releases across multiple teams.
- Working knowledge of ITIL, Agile, DevOps, CI/CD, and service transition practices.
- Strong planning, facilitation, risk management, and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to remain calm, structured, and decisive during high-risk implementation events.
Desirable
- Experience within banking, financial services, or another regulated industry.
- Experience with ServiceNow, Azure DevOps, Jira, Confluence, or similar release and deployment tools.
- ITIL Foundation, Agile, or DevOps certification.
- Relevant tertiary qualifications or equivalent industry experience
Why you’ll love working with us:
You’ll have access to financial and lifestyle benefits to support your success and individuality:
Flexibility and hybrid working arrangements.
Extend your salary with discounts on banking, health insurance, and shopping across Australia.
Advance your career with training, study support, and project opportunities.
Competitive leave benefits that empower employees to take time for themselves and loved ones.
Wellbeing support with our Employee Assistance Program, wellbeing leave, mental health app, and mental health ambassadors’ program.
Make a difference with paid volunteering, Workplace Giving, and diverse community initiatives.
Be recognised for your contributions through our peer-driven recognition program.
A bit about People First Bank:
In March 2023, People’s Choice and Heritage Bank merged to form Heritage and People’s Choice Limited - Australia's leading mutual bank. We are now on an exciting journey to bring together our products, services, and technology under a single brand - People First Bank.
We have over 700,000 customers and 1,900 employees, with dual head offices in Adelaide and Toowoomba, an Australian-based contact centre and branches across five states.
With a vision ‘To deliver positive change through banking’, People First Bank serves customers and contributes to the community, while offering an inclusive, flexible work environment. We’re big enough to make an impact; but agile enough to influence and do interesting work.
Apply online now:
If you are ready to join a supportive team who are passionate about the work they do and the results they achieve, we would love to hear from you.
Click 'Apply' to submit your application, including a cover letter and current resume, by 22nd October 2026.
Our diversity makes us stronger
People First Bank acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and pays respect to Elders past and present. We are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and culturally safe workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive. We welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people of all backgrounds, identities and lived experiences. We welcome requests for reasonable adjustments to ensure all candidates can participate fairly and confidently in our selection process.
We have an exciting opportunity for a Release Manager to join our Release & Environments Team in a 12 months fixed term contract with potential extension or permanency