Job Description

Desktop Application Packaging Transition Manager
Role Summary
The Desktop Application Packaging Transition Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and governing the transition of desktop application packaging services from an incumbent vendor or internal team to a new delivery organization.
The role ensures knowledge transfer, service continuity, quality assurance, and risk mitigation while establishing a standardized, scalable, and automated packaging factory.
This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong technical depth, transition governance, and stakeholder management skills.
Key Objectives

• Execute end-to-end transition of application packaging services with zero or minimal business disruption
• Establish standard operating procedures (SOPs), tooling, and quality benchmarks
• Ensure knowledge capture and long-term operational stability
• Enable a future-ready packaging model aligned with automation and modern endpoint platforms

Key Responsibilities
1. Transition Planning & Governance

• Own the transition strategy, roadmap, and execution plan
• Define transition phases: discovery, knowledge transfer, shadow support, takeover, and steady state
• Establish RACI, transition KPIs, and acceptance criteria
• Manage transition risks, dependencies, and escalations
• Ensure compliance with contractual SLAs and OLAs during transition

2. Application Discovery & Assessment

• Lead application portfolio discovery (typically 1,000 5,000+ apps)
• Assess:

• Packaging formats (MSI, EXE, MSIX, App-V)
• Application dependencies and conflicts
• OS compatibility (Windows 10/11, VDI)
• Packaging complexity and criticality
• Categorize apps into standard, complex, and high-risk buckets

3. Knowledge Transition & Documentation

• Drive structured knowledge transfer from incumbent teams
• Create and validate:

• Packaging runbooks
• Packaging standards and naming conventions
• Dependency matrices
• Troubleshooting guides
• Ensure knowledge is captured, validated, and signed off

4. Packaging Factory Setup

• Establish a standardized application packaging factory, including:

• Packaging tools (AdminStudio, Advanced Installer, MSIX tooling)
• PowerShell automation frameworks
• CI/CD-style packaging workflows (where applicable)
• Define:

• Packaging SLAs
• Quality gates
• Test and validation checklists

5. Tooling & Platform Alignment

• Align packaging services with endpoint platforms:

• Intune / MECM (SCCM)
• VDI platforms (Citrix / AVD / VMware)
• Ensure integration with:

• ServiceNow (intake, CMDB, change)
• Security tooling (Defender, AppLocker, WDAC)
• Drive adoption of modern packaging formats (MSIX where feasible)

6. Service Stabilization & Handover

• Manage shadow and parallel run phases
• Validate operational readiness before full takeover
• Ensure smooth transition into BAU operations
• Provide executive-ready transition completion reports

7. Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Act as the single point of contact for transition activities
• Collaborate with:

• End-user computing teams
• Security and IAM teams
• Infrastructure and VDI teams
• Application owners and business stakeholders
• Manage incumbent vendor interactions and exit activities

Key Skills & Competencies
Technical Skills

• Desktop application packaging (MSI, EXE, MSIX, App-V)
• Windows OS architecture (Windows 10/11)
• Endpoint management tools (Intune, SCCM/MECM)
• PowerShell scripting for packaging and automation
• VDI application delivery concepts
• Application security and compatibility remediation

Transition & Program Skills

• Large-scale service transition management
• ITIL-based transition governance
• Risk and issue management
• KPI definition and reporting
• Documentation and knowledge management

Behavioral & Leadership Skills

• Strong stakeholder communication
• Decision-making under ambiguity
• Ability to bridge technical and business teams
• Structured, methodical, and outcome-driven mindset

Skills Required