Release Manager (Laravel & PHP development experience required)

***Must have Laravel and PHP development background and be able to go in and edit the code***

 

The Release Manager will be responsible for overseeing the planning, scheduling, coordination, and management of software releases across the organization. This role is crucial in ensuring that new features, updates, and improvements are delivered consistently and reliably to our customers. The ideal candidate will have strong experience in managing releases in a fast-paced eCommerce environment and will work closely with development, QA, product, and operations teams to ensure smooth, on-time releases.

 

Responsibilities

• Release Planning & Coordination: Plan and manage the release of new features, enhancements, and bug fixes across multiple environments (e.g., development, staging, production).
• Release Calendar Management: Maintain a forward-looking release calendar, coordinating releases across different teams and stakeholders to ensure alignment and avoid conflicts.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with product management, engineering, QA, operations, and marketing teams to define release scope and deliverables, ensuring clear communication and expectations.
• Release Governance: Define and implement release governance standards, ensuring that each release meets the necessary quality and security requirements.
• Risk Management: Identify potential risks and issues related to releases and implement mitigation strategies to avoid disruption or delays.
• Change Management: Manage and document the change management process, ensuring any modifications or deployments follow best practices and are communicated effectively.
• Monitoring and Reporting: Track and report key release metrics (KPIs) such as release frequency, deployment success rate, and post-release issues. Ensure timely delivery and resolution of any issues that arise during or after releases.
• Release Documentation: Ensure all necessary release documentation, including release notes, deployment plans, and rollback procedures, are maintained and up to date.
• Post-Release Support: Monitor the performance of new releases and coordinate with relevant teams to address any post-release defects or improvements.
• Automation & Continuous Improvement: Lead initiatives to automate release processes and improve release efficiency, working with development and operations teams to introduce CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) pipelines.
• Candidate is accountable for professional working behavior to include building and maintaining constructive working relationships, implementing proactive and concise communication, acting as a resource to colleagues, and engaging in collaborative thinking and problem solving while demonstrating company core values.
• An employee may perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities as needed

 

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering)

 

Experience

• 5-8 years of experience in release management, software development, or a related field within an eCommerce or digital product environment, preferably in health, wellness, or supplements

 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Technical Knowledge: Strong software development background with focus on Laravel & PHP, infrastructure, DevOps, and agile methodologies. Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and release automation tools.
• Project Management: Demonstrated experience in managing multiple releases and projects simultaneously with strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Leadership: Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
• Problem Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to quickly identify issues and recommend solutions.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to clearly articulate technical issues to non-technical stakeholders.
• Tools: Experience with release management tools and platforms (e.g., Jenkins, Jira, Git, Azure DevOps, or similar).
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment while managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to use a personal computer. Proficiency with other Microsoft Office applications
• Ability to read, write, speak and understand the English language in a business environment

FAQ

1. What are the primary responsibilities of a Release Manager in a Laravel/PHP environment?
This role manages the end-to-end release lifecycle for applications built on Laravel and PHP. It includes planning releases, coordinating deployments, and ensuring code moves smoothly from development to production. The role also focuses on minimizing risks and maintaining system stability during releases.

2. How hands-on is the technical involvement in this role?
The role requires a solid understanding of Laravel and PHP to oversee build processes, troubleshoot issues, and validate deployments. While not always coding daily, you are expected to review code changes, understand dependencies, and guide technical decisions. Hands-on involvement increases during critical releases or incidents.

3. What tools and technologies are commonly used for release management?
Common tools include version control systems like Git, CI/CD platforms such as Jenkins or GitHub Actions, and deployment tools. Knowledge of containerization (Docker) and cloud environments is often beneficial. Monitoring and logging tools are also used to track release performance.

4. How does this role coordinate with development and QA teams?
The Release Manager works closely with developers and QA teams to ensure code is tested, approved, and ready for deployment. This includes managing release schedules, coordinating testing cycles, and resolving blockers. Clear communication ensures alignment across teams.

5. What is the release process typically followed in this role?
The process usually involves code integration, testing, staging deployment, and production release. The Release Manager ensures each stage meets quality and readiness criteria. Rollback plans and contingency measures are also prepared in case of issues.

6. How are risks and incidents handled during releases?
The role involves identifying potential risks before deployment and implementing mitigation strategies. During releases, the manager monitors systems closely and coordinates incident response if needed. Post-release reviews help prevent recurring issues.