Release Manager

Zaelab is looking for a Release Manager to own and drive the software release process for a key client engagement.

In this role, you’ll bring structure, visibility, and predictability to how software moves into production. You’ll own the release process from planning and readiness through go-live and post-release stabilization, working across engineering, QA, DevOps, project teams, and client stakeholders to make sure everyone is aligned and releases happen smoothly.

This is not a hands-on development role. We’re looking for someone who understands the technical side of software delivery but thrives in the orchestration of it - connecting teams, anticipating risks, keeping dependencies moving, and making sure there is a clear plan when things don’t go as expected.

What You’ll Do:

• Own the release calendar - Build and manage the release schedule across the engagement, coordinating dependencies, freeze windows, environments, and competing workstreams.
• Drive release readiness - Establish clear entry and exit criteria, facilitate go/no-go discussions, and ensure the right approvals are in place across engineering, QA, security, and client teams.
• Lead cutover planning - Create detailed, actionable cutover plans with clear owners, timing, dependencies, and checkpoints. Coordinate dry runs and rehearsals for higher-risk releases.
• Ensure rollback readiness - Make sure releases have documented and tested rollback plans, with clear triggers and decision ownership established before deployment.
• Keep stakeholders aligned - Own release communications before, during, and after deployment, adapting the level of detail for technical teams, leadership, and client stakeholders.
• Identify and manage risk - Surface potential blockers early, whether they’re related to testing, environments, dependencies, or timing, and bring forward clear mitigation options.
• Improve how we release - Track release performance and trends, lead retrospectives, and continuously improve the processes that help teams ship reliably.
• Partner with DevOps - Work closely with DevOps teams around deployment automation, environments, branching, and versioning. You won’t be expected to build pipelines, but you should understand how they work and how they impact release planning.

What You Bring:

• 4+ years of experience in release management, delivery management, technical program management, or a similar role within software delivery.
• Hands-on experience managing production releases end to end, including planning, readiness, go/no-go, cutover, and rollback.
• Strong understanding of the SDLC, CI/CD concepts, deployment environments, and branching/versioning strategies.
• Experience coordinating across engineering, QA, DevOps, project teams, and external or client stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to create clear runbooks, release updates, and executive-level summaries.
• A structured, calm approach to decision-making, particularly during high-pressure releases or production issues.
• Experience working with tools such as Jira, Confluence, release workflows, and delivery dashboards.
• Active use of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Copilot to work more effectively - whether creating release documentation, summarizing information, drafting communications, or improving workflows - combined with good judgment around validating AI-generated output.

Nice to have:

• Experience working in eCommerce environments.
• Exposure to CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) solutions.
• Salesforce experience.
• ServiceNow experience.
• Experience working in consulting, professional services, or another client-facing delivery environment.
• ITIL, SAFe Release Train Engineer, PMP, or similar certification.

What success looks like:

You create clarity around releases before they happen. Teams know what is shipping, when it is shipping, who owns each step, what could go wrong, and what the plan is if it does.

You’re proactive rather than reactive, comfortable working across technical and business teams, and able to bring structure to complex client environments without adding unnecessary process.

Requirements

• 4+ years of experience in release management, delivery management, technical program management, or a similar role within software delivery.
• Hands-on experience managing production releases end to end, including planning, readiness, go/no-go, cutover, and rollback.
• Strong understanding of the SDLC, CI/CD concepts, deployment environments, and branching/versioning strategies.
• Experience coordinating across engineering, QA, DevOps, project teams, and external or client stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to create clear runbooks, release updates, and executive-level summaries.
• A structured, calm approach to decision-making, particularly during high-pressure releases or production issues.
• Experience working with tools such as Jira, Confluence, release workflows, and delivery dashboards.
• Active use of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Copilot to work more effectively - whether creating release documentation, summarizing information, drafting communications, or improving workflows - combined with good judgment around validating AI-generated output.

Nice to Have

• Experience working in eCommerce environments.
• Exposure to CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) solutions.
• Salesforce experience.
• ServiceNow experience.
• Experience working in consulting, professional services, or another client-facing delivery environment.
• ITIL, SAFe Release Train Engineer, PMP, or similar certification.

What Success Looks Like

You create clarity around releases before they happen. Teams know what is shipping, when it is shipping, who owns each step, what could go wrong, and what the plan is if it does.

You’re proactive rather than reactive, comfortable working across technical and business teams, and able to bring structure to complex client environments without adding unnecessary process.

Benefits

• Unlimited Vacation/PTO
• Fully remote and distributed teams
• Paid Parental Leave
• Ongoing training and education opportunities
• 0% Bureaucracy Culture - Focus is on responsibilities, not title

Like what you see but don’t meet every requirement? Apply anyways! Studies have shown that various groups (women and people of colour) are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every requirement. At Zaelab, we’re committed to building and fostering an inclusive accessible environment, where all employees feel valued, respected and supported. We are dedicated to creating a culture with a diversity of talented individuals who join, stay, and work in an environment that enables them to thrive.

Zaelab is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to providing accommodations. If you require accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs. We useE-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new USA hires.

Please rest assured that we’ll treat any information you share with us with the utmost care, only use your information for recruitment purposes and will never sell it to other companies for marketing purposes. Please review our privacy policy for future information LINK As part of our hiring process, AI-based tools are used to support the initial review of applications. Rest assured, our People Ops team carefully reviews all applications and makes the final decisions on candidate progression.