Lead Application Support & Operations (Azure | AI & Automation)

Hiring for Lead Application Support & Operations (Azure | AI & Automation) @ Montvale, NJ for a W2 contract position Role Summary We are seeking a senior resource to lead the Application Support and Operations function for enterprise-grade applications hosted on Microsoft Azure. This role will be responsible for ensuring high availability, operational excellence, and continuous improvement through automation and AI-driven practices. The candidate will lead a global support team and act as a key liaison between engineering, vendors (including Microsoft), and business stakeholders. Key Responsibilities Operational Leadership Lead day-to-day operations of the Application Support & Operations team, ensuring efficient ticket triage, troubleshooting, and resolution Manage and mentor a global team (~8 analysts across onshore and offshore) Own application uptime, SLA adherence, and operational stability Incident & Problem Management Act as the escalation point for critical incidents and perform hands-on troubleshooting Conduct root cause analysis (RCA) and implement preventive measures Enforce ITIL best practices across incident, problem, and change management Azure & Technical Oversight Collaborate with Microsoft and internal engineering teams on Azure performance and reliability Monitor application health using logs, metrics, and observability tools Ensure stable environments across releases, deployments, and system updates Stakeholder & Vendor Management Coordinate across business, technical teams, and external vendors Drive clear communication during incidents, releases, and operational reviews Continuous Improvement & Automation Drive transformation initiatives including: o Process automation o Proactive monitoring o AI/agentic automation for incident detection/resolution Improve documentation, knowledge management, and self-service capabilities Reporting & Governance Define and report KPIs, trends, and operational insights Provide regular updates to leadership on performance and risks Qualifications Experience 8+ years in Application Support / Production Operations / Service Management 3+ years in a team leadership or management role Experience managing global/offshore teams Technical Skills Strong knowledge of Microsoft Azure architecture and operations Hands-on experience with: o .NET / C# o SQL Server o

IIS / WCF

/ Windows-based applications Ability to analyze logs, system metrics, and performance issues Tools & Frameworks ServiceNow (ITSM) Application Insights / monitoring tools ITIL processes (incident, problem, change) Soft Skills Strong communication and stakeholder management Ability to operate in high-pressure, mission-critical environments Preferred Experience Supporting large-scale enterprise applications Experience in regulated / audit-driven environments Exposure to AI-driven operations (AIOps), automation, or agentic workflows Key Differentiator Proven ability to modernize support functions using AI, automation, and proactive operations