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Mainframe Manager Jobs in Wisconsin (NOW HIRING)

At leave 4 years of experience in Design methods and tools, Configuration and Release Management ... At least 4 years of experience with Mainframe techonologies Additional Information ** U.S. citizens ...

At leave 4 years of experience in Design methods and tools, Configuration and Release Management ... At least 4 years of experience with Mainframe techonologies Additional Information ** U.S. citizens ...

At leave 4 years of experience in Design methods and tools, Configuration and Release Management ... At least 4 years of experience with Mainframe techonologies Additional Information ** U.S. citizens ...

Experience and desire to work in a management consulting environment that requires regular travel Qualifications Qualifications Basic Bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent required from an ...

Build & CI pipeline management tools - Ability to conceptualize, design and execute a customized end-to-end CI/CD pipeline and workflow solution (DevOps). * Familiarity and experience with design ...

Manager - IS

Menomonee Falls, WI · On-site

$95.30K - $116.90K/yr

... Mainframe programming, VB Script, Help Desk, Networking, and developing custom reports. • Manage multiple projects simultaneously in a matrix environment while delivering results on time and on ...

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Mainframe Manager information

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$10

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How much do mainframe manager jobs pay per hour?

As of May 29, 2026, the average hourly pay for mainframe manager in Wisconsin is $53.88, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $47.55 and $61.15 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Mainframe Manager job?

A Mainframe Manager oversees the operation, maintenance, and security of an organization's mainframe systems. They manage a team of IT professionals, ensure system availability, and implement upgrades and performance optimizations. Their role includes coordinating disaster recovery plans, monitoring system performance, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. Strong technical expertise, leadership, and problem-solving skills are essential for this role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Mainframe Manager position, and why are they important?

A Mainframe Manager requires deep expertise in mainframe systems administration, COBOL programming, resource planning, and a relevant bachelor’s degree in computer science or IT. Familiarity with mainframe operating systems (such as z/OS), job scheduling tools, and certifications like IBM Certified System Programmer are highly valued. Strong leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills help manage teams and facilitate collaboration across IT functions. These competencies are vital for maintaining system reliability, optimizing performance, and leading modernization initiatives in large-scale enterprise environments.

What are some typical challenges faced by Mainframe Managers in a modern IT environment?

Mainframe Managers often encounter challenges such as integrating legacy mainframe systems with newer technologies, ensuring data security, and maintaining high system availability. Balancing the demands of routine maintenance with modernization projects and adapting to evolving compliance requirements can also be demanding. Collaboration with cross-functional teams, including application developers and security specialists, is common to address these challenges effectively. Successful Mainframe Managers stay proactive about emerging trends and prioritize continuous learning to keep systems efficient and secure.
What are the most commonly searched types of Mainframe jobs in Wisconsin? The most popular types of Mainframe jobs in Wisconsin are:
What are popular job titles related to Mainframe Manager jobs in Wisconsin? For Mainframe Manager jobs in Wisconsin, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Mainframe Manager jobs in Wisconsin look for? The top searched job categories for Mainframe Manager jobs in Wisconsin are:
Mainframe z/OS Systems Programmer

Mainframe z/OS Systems Programmer

Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Milwaukee, WI • On-site

$54.25 - $69/hr

Full-time

Posted 6 hours ago


Northwestern Mutual rating

8.0

Company rating: 8.0 out of 10

Based on 71 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

146th of 259 rated insurance


Job description

About the Job
This is a mainframe role focused on IBM z/OS environments.
While the role exists within the broader Software Engineering family, day-to-day responsibilities are exclusively centered on z/OS platform engineering and operations. Experience with distributed systems or cloud technologies is not required for success in this position.
What You'll Do
  • Mentor, enable, and teach peers to be self-sufficient within the mainframe platform
  • Apply engineering standard methodologies to analyze, design, and maintain z/OS system-level solutions
  • Leverage established standards, best practices, and automation to support mission-critical mainframe workloads
  • Identify complex system-level problems and implement reliable, supportable solutions in a highly regulated production environment
  • Review, verify, and validate system-level changes, configurations, and automation introduced into production
  • Drive continuous improvement across reliability, availability, performance, security, and operational efficiency
  • Develop, maintain, and execute disaster recovery and redundancy strategies
  • Partners with vendors and enterprise teams on emerging best practices, patterns, and technologies
  • Proactively learn emerging platforms and related technologies
  • Establish and maintain best practices related to compliance, security, privacy, and legal requirements
  • Anticipate deviations from standard practices and determine practical paths forward
  • Track industry trends relevant to the domain and apply them where appropriate
  • Break down complex problems into manageable components and help others do the same

Mainframe / z/OS-Focused Responsibilities
  • Perform hands-on z/OS system administration including IPLs, system startup/shutdown, parameter tuning, and system recovery
  • Plan, execute, and validate IBM and ISV software installs and upgrades using z/OSMF Software Instances and Workflows
  • Manage SMP/E environments including PTFs, HOLDDATA, USERMODs, and consolidation builds
  • Install, analyze, and modify system exits and USERMODs, including assembler updates when required
  • Build and maintain system-resident DASD volumes, system libraries, and reproducible system builds
  • Configure and administer JES2
  • Administer RACF security including users, groups, profiles, access controls, and policy enforcement
  • Author, debug, and optimize JCL for batch processing
  • Analyze SMF/RMF data for accounting, capacity planning, and system performance tuning
  • Administer and tune DFSMS components including DFSMShsm and DFSMSrmm
  • Configure and troubleshoot TCP/IP for z/OS and associated services
  • Develop automation and tools using REXX, CLIST, and UNIX System Services scripting
  • Use monitoring tools such as BMC MainView and/or Intellimagic Vision
  • Support mainframe hardware environments including HMC operations, CPC/LPAR configuration, and IBM zSeries platforms
  • Participate in on-call rotations and ITIL-aligned incident, change, and problem management
  • Coordinate with vendors and ISVs for licensing, problem determination, and PTF coordination
  • Create and maintain documentation, runbooks, SOPs, and operational procedures
  • Mentor and train junior staff on z/OS engineering and operational practices

What You'll Bring to the Role
Note: This position requires deep experience in IBM z/OS systems programming. Candidates whose background is primarily AWS, Linux, Windows, or distributed/cloud platforms without substantial mainframe experience are unlikely to be a fit.
  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
  • At least 4 years of relevant experience
  • 5+ years of professional IT experience, primarily focused on enterprise mainframe platforms
  • Experience applying DevOps concepts, Agile methodologies, and automation in mainframe environments
  • Experience monitoring and tuning performance of large-scale systems
  • Working knowledge of scripting or programming concepts for automation
  • Familiarity with authentication, authorization, certificates, and vulnerability management

Required z/OS / Mainframe Experience
  • Extensive hands-on experience as a z/OS Systems Programmer in production environments
  • Strong knowledge of z/OS internals, JES2, RACF, SMP/E, and system libraries
  • Proven expertise in SMF/RMF-based performance tuning, capacity planning, and problem determination
  • Experience with DASD, tape management, and SAN technologies, including Hyperswap
  • Proficiency with REXX, CLIST, and USS shell scripting (additional languages a plus)
  • Experience supporting Sysplex and Coupling Facility environments (preferred)
  • Exposure to subsystems such as CICS, DB2, and MQ and their integration with z/OS
  • Knowledge of PKI/SSL, LDAP integration, Kerberos, and mainframe security hardening
  • Experience with z/OSMF, Ansible, or automation/orchestration tooling for mainframe lifecycle management
  • Familiarity with cloud-to-mainframe integration or CI/CD concepts as applied to z/OS
  • Strong troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills under sustained production pressure

Skills You Have
The hiring team will assess candidates against the following skills:
  • Communicates complex technical information clearly across both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Designs and supports systems with a strong customer-first mindset, particularly for mission-critical platforms.
  • Designs, implements, and maintains enterprise-class hardware, system software, networks, and data storage platforms.
  • Uses monitoring and performance tools to diagnose, optimize, and stabilize system performance.
  • Demonstrates deep expertise in operating system architecture, internals, and resource management.
  • Develops, maintains, and documents complex programs, scripts, and automation.
  • Resolves complex technical issues and drives alignment on durable solutions in production environments.

#LI-Remote #LI-Hybrid
Compensation Range:
Pay Range - Start:
$118,960.00
Pay Range - End:
$178,440.00
Geographic Specific Pay Structure:
Structure 110:
$130,880.00 USD - $196,320.00 USD
Structure 115:
$136,800.00 USD - $205,200.00 USD
We believe in fairness and transparency. It's why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process. The standard pay structure is listed but if you're living in California, New York City or other eligible location, geographic specific pay structures, compensation and benefits could be applicable, click here to learn more.
Job Posting End Date:
07/31/2026
The timeline for this job posting may be shortened or extended based on organizational needs.
Grow your career with a best-in-class company that puts our clients' interests at the center of all we do. Get started now!
Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer who welcomes and encourages diversity in the workforce. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.

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About Northwestern Mutual

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Northwestern Mutual has been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for over 160 years through a distinctive planning approach that integrates risk management with wealth accumulation, preservation, and distribution. With more than $290 billion in assets, $30 billion in revenues and more than $1.9 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 4.6 million clients. People are the power behind Northwestern Mutual, and diversity makes us better. We are committed to reflecting and serving the marketplace. We do so by attracting and improving the engagement of those who bring their outstanding perspectives, ideas, and beliefs.

Industry

Finance and insurance

Company size

5,001 - 10,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Milwaukee, WI, US