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  • 4 min read

Business Application Manager Job Description (2024)

Sreenidhe S.P

9th January, 2024

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Business applications manager works in an IT department, where they look after the lifecycle of software applications.

Business application managers are responsible for managing one or more computer applications or programs within an organization. The programs may include software such as online stores, customer relationship management systems, pay roles systems, and even manage vendor relations.

For the maintenance and up-gradation of applications, the application manager might also need to manage staff and budget. They may need to conduct meetings with employees to discuss the application needs, examine industry trends and make recommendations for upgrades or replacements of applications.

The business application manager combines managing responsibilities with in-depth business operation expertise. They work closely with internal and external management and executive staff. The business application managers are responsible for developing business application strategies, managing IT projects, and recommending the best use of IT resources.

A high level of technical knowledge is required for being an application manager. Application managers should at least have a bachelor's degree in information technology or a related field and have worked in technical roles. This role requires communication with people at different levels within the organization.

Application management covers how an application works, vision control, maintenance, and upgrades. The services provide governance of the applications to ensure the organization that applications perform at their best and run very efficiently. Application management can be integrated with back-office functions like database, ERP, and saas cloud functions like CRM.

The degree, professional experience, location, and the size of the organization in which the individual works are some factors that affect the salary of the business application manager. 

The salary range of a business application manager is approximately $71,446 to $103,597 annually. The larger the company, both in terms of location and earnings, the better the salary. A candidate can also benefit from regular training courses to improve their application management skills; this increases their chances of getting a higher salary.

Responsibilities of a Business Application Manager

Here are some important responsibilities of a business application manager:

• To evaluate the requirements of the business process: The applications manager has to analyze the company's flow of business work to get possible solutions for application-based issues. They should be aware of the latest software developments to find ways where software can be used to improve the business' efficiency and success.

• Responsibility for application software and hardware installations and upgrades: The application manager leads a team that includes IT specialists who look after the up-gradation and implementation of hardware systems. Their duty is to make sure that servers are ready for use before installing new systems. 

• Troubleshooting problems with software applications: A business application manager should provide technical support and solve issues for business software systems. The application manager, along with his/her team, examines the problem and offers a solution.

• Software creations and protocols: The responsibility of an application manager is to guide the creation, development, and also oversight of protocols and procedures that will be used for any new software being introduced to the company. Training may be required for the users to follow these standards.

Below is the list of other responsibilities for a business application manager:

• Analyzing the business operations and computer systems to understand which application can improve efficiency.

• Giving advice or recommendation on upgrading existing systems and even installing new ones.

• Solving and troubleshooting any issues related to business software.

• Monitoring the working of new software to make sure there are no issues.

• Supervising protocols and procedures to allow the use of new applications.

• Training employees in the organization to use new software applications.

• Researching and purchasing new software required for the company.

• Assist in the upgrades of servers, software, and hardware.

• Giving reports to senior management and end-user on the progress of operational problems. 

• Managing the financial budget for specific projects. 

• Gaining patent for application developed for commercial use.

• Keeping track of the market for new applications that are developed.

• Incorporating new technologies and programs into the organization.

• Being a part of creating policies for the company.

Educational Qualifications and Skills Required

A business application manager needs to be able to think critically and solve issues related to software applications. Some of the solutions they decide may require creative and detailed analysis. They should be strong communicators to share their ideas and findings with their seniors. 

Here is a list of the skills a business application manager requires to have:

• Possess database Management experience.

• Expertise in system design implementation development and user support principles.

• Needs to have an understanding and familiarity with project management principles.

• Should have experience in information system troubleshooting.

• Ability to communicate technical information to non-technical employees.

• Possess advanced system analysis techniques, principles, and practices.

• Ability to prepare workflow analysis.

• Should be able to lead and facilitate training.

• Should understand the principle of cost modeling.

A bachelor's degree is required, but employers also prefer a master's and a doctoral degree in business information systems. Strong academic background is needed to be a successful application manager. 

Their academic background can be in information technology, computer science, or web design. Individuals with experience in positions such as UI designer, UX designer, and system developer are also preferred for this post. The candidate should have experience and knowledge in system design, project management, and database management.

The individual requires to have experience in the IT industry and must know about databases like SQL, MS, Oracle, and MySQL. Having experience in Apache Tomcat and Apache HTTPD is a plus point in this field. Possessing knowledge about enterprise resource planning is another requirement for application management. This knowledge will contribute to managing resources and development when required.

After completing a Bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field, the individual can start a career as an Entry-level application manager. Depending on the type of application manager role he/she is pursuing, the individual can explore different certification courses. 

There are many career paths for business application managers after entry-level. Getting promoted to the next level of seniority can take approximately two years. To advance in the career, the individual needs to have at least five years of experience at each level. Additional education or special certifications can be beneficial for a better career as an application manager.

The business application manager role requirements may vary from one organization to another, but many core skill requirements remain the same.

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About the author

Sreenidhe S.P

Sreenidhe is a SaaS management expert and has a keen interest in ITAM and SAM practices. She is adept when it comes to SaaS Vendor Management and SaaS Spend management. Her knowledge of SaaS and SaaS management is self-thought and is based on a lot of reading. Before joining Zluri, Sreenidhe was working as a full-time journalist. She is also equally passionate about fashion and aspires to own a boutique someday.