Lead Application Support Specialist

Join the FHLBC team!

At the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, employees come first - that's why we offer a highly competitive compensation and bonus package, and access to a comprehensive benefits program designed to meet the needs of our employees.

• Retirement program (401k and Pension)

• Medical, dental and vision insurance

• Lifestyle Spending Account

• Generous PTO plan

• 11 paid holidays per year

• Hybrid working model

Who we are

Our mission at FHLBank Chicago: To partner with our members in Illinois and Wisconsin to provide them competitively priced funding, a reasonable return on their investment, and support for their community investment activities.

Simply said, we're a bank for banks and other financial institutions, focused on being a strategic partner for our members and working together to reinvest in our communities, from urban centers to rural areas. Created by Congress in 1932, FHLBank Chicago is one of 11 Federal Home Loan Banks, government sponsored in support of mortgage lending and community investment.

What it's like to work here

At FHLBank Chicago, we bring people together. Our regular All-Staff meetings keep employees informed and our values drive the work that we do. Our Buddy Program pairs new hires with tenured employees to guide their onboarding. Through our Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), we host signature and employee-led events to celebrate our differences and learn from each other and identify volunteer opportunities to strengthen our communities; and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and culture teams create connections around shared interests and experiences. We offer live and on-demand professional development opportunities to grow your skillset and your career.

What You'll do

In this role you will be responsible for managing the staff and day-to-day functions of the Application Support Team. This role will oversee the availability of the Bank's applications through providing 24/7 support. This individual will be accountable for formulating standards and procedures, analyzing workflows, establishing team priorities, and setting achievable deadlines.

The Lead Application Support Specialist will apply effective communication skills, team building, conflict management, problem-solving skills, and knowledge of best practices to motivate and provide technical mentorship to team members and to establish themselves as a trusted advisor to stakeholders.

How you'll make an impact:

• Lead process improvement initiatives

• Participate in planning relevant project, enhancement, and maintenance activities

• Assist in software releases and roll-outs and communication to the end users

• Supporting the monitoring and completion of overnight processing

What you can expect:

• Collaborate with non-technical statkeholders to gather business unit requirements effectively.

• Participate in crafting high-level designs for software application support projects.

• Install, maintain, and optimize software applications to streamline business operations.

• Supervises team members by delegating project tasks and providing guidance.

• Responsible for collaborating with different areas of IT and handling escalated application support issues.

• Provide timely reports on the status of projects as well as any unforeseen issues to management and to business units.

• Demonstrates leadership and professionalism both internally and externally.

• Ensures staffing levels are appropriate to provide service and meet deadlines.

• Develop teams through coaching, feedback, and performance management skills.

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with diverse stakeholders and customers.

• Promotes a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, quality, and accountability.

• Ensures thorough documentation of installation and application maintenance procedures.

• At times, will provide 24x7 on-call support of bank applications.

• Possible additional responsibilities

What you'll bring:

• 2-year college degree in information technology or technical certification.

• Experience with cloud services required, with a preference for AWS

• Proficiency in data and application automation tools preferred, with a preference for Helix/Control-M

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Windows platforms, client server technology and database platforms (i.e., MS SQL Server).

• Understanding of ITIL framework

• Experience with ticketing systems, with a preference for ServiceNow

• Experience with O365 / MS Office product (notably Outlook, Word, Excel, and Access) preferred

• 4+ years of technical application support experience

• Experience supervising a team, a plus

• Must have outstanding communication (verbal, written, and listening) skills.

• Subject matter expert of software application support concepts.

• Will require the ability to be a self-starter and to work independently as well as in a team setting.

• A high level of integrity and dependability are necessary to perform this role.

• Requires a great deal of attention to details.

• Must possess excellent time, project, and people management abilities.

• Excellent time management skills in order to juggle multiple tasks.

The Perks

At FHLBank Chicago, we believe in rewarding our high performing workforce. We offer a highly competitive compensation and bonus package, and access to a comprehensive benefits program designed to meet the needs of our employees. Our retirement program includes a 401(k) and pension plan. Our wellbeing program supports employees at work and in their personal lives: Our generous PTO plan provides five weeks of vacation for new employees and 11 paid holidays per year; our Lifestyle Spending Account provides an annual stipend for employees to support wellbeing activities; and our central downtown location at the Old Post Office provides easy access to public transportation and breathtaking views from our award-winning rooftop. Step into a brighter future with us. #LI-Hybrid