Application Development Lead

About Us 

Born from the vision to elevate Dubai's global prominence, Wasl was founded on May 25, 2008, with the mission to transform the city into an even more captivating destination for residents, businesses, and visitors alike. Created from the union of the Dubai Development Board and Real Estate Department, Wasl embarked on a journey of seamless integration. This strategic merger not only streamlined operations but also empowered our team with enhanced expertise, enabling us to adopt dynamic, market-driven investment strategies.

Today, Wasl stands tall as a cornerstone of Dubai's real estate landscape. As one of the city's largest and most diversified real estate management companies, we proudly oversee an expansive portfolio of landmark assets, entrusted to us by DREC and other esteemed partners. 

1. JOB DETAILS

Position Title: Application Development Lead
Reports to: Head of IT Governance, Quality and Digital Service Excellence
Department: Information Technology

2. POSITION SUMMARY

The Application Development Lead is responsible for leading the design, development, and delivery of enterprise applications, ensuring alignment with business requirements, enterprise architecture, and governance frameworks.

The role oversees the end-to-end Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), manages development teams and external partners, and ensures high-quality, scalable, and secure application solutions. It plays a key role in translating business needs into technology solutions while driving efficiency, standardization, and continuous improvement across application development practices.

3. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the end-to-end Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) including design, development, testing, and deployment
• Oversee development and enhancement of enterprise applications ensuring quality, scalability, and performance
• Ensure timely and high-quality delivery of application solutions aligned with business requirements
• Establish and enforce development standards, coding practices, and technical documentation
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to gather, validate, and translate requirements into technical solutions
• Manage and prioritize application development backlog based on business value and capacity
• Ensure alignment of application initiatives with organizational strategy and digital transformation goals
• Ensure compliance with testing and quality assurance frameworks, including SIT and UAT processes
• Enforce defect management, resolution processes, and adherence to quality gates prior to production release
• Ensure all solutions comply with enterprise architecture standards and integration frameworks
• Govern application integrations using APIs and middleware platforms
• Promote reusability, scalability, and standardization across application environments
• Manage external development vendors and partners to ensure delivery against SLAs and KPIs
• Monitor vendor performance and drive continuous improvement in delivery outcomes
• Ensure adherence to secure coding practices, IT security policies, and regulatory requirements
• Identify and mitigate application-related risks and vulnerabilities
• Drive adoption of DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and automation to improve delivery efficiency
• Evaluate and implement modern technologies to enhance application capabilities and reduce time to market

4. KEY TECHNICAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCY LEVELS

5. COMMUNICATIONS AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Internal:
Business Stakeholders, PMO, Enterprise Architecture, IT Operations, IT Security, Quality Assurance Teams

External:
Managed Service Providers, Development Vendors, Technology Partners

6. CONTEXT, WORK ENVIRONMENT AND DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY

Operates within a structured IT governance environment, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture, quality standards, and security frameworks. The role requires balancing multiple development priorities, managing internal and external teams, and delivering solutions in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Exercises decision-making authority over application design approaches, development standards, backlog prioritization, and vendor management within established IT governance frameworks.

7. FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Supports management of application development budgets, including vendor contracts and resource utilization. Ensures cost-effective delivery of solutions while maintaining quality and performance standards.

8. SELECTION CRITERIA

Qualifications and Experience (Essential):
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field
• 5–7 years of experience in application development and delivery
• Proven experience managing enterprise applications and development lifecycle
• Experience in team leadership and vendor management
• Strong understanding of software development frameworks, integration, and delivery models

Desirable:
• Certifications in Agile, Scrum, or SAFe methodologies
• ITIL Foundation or equivalent
• Cloud certifications (e.g., Azure, AWS)
• Experience in enterprise environments within UAE/GCC

Note:

This job description provides a broad indication of the role and responsibilities of the position. The position holder may be required to perform additional tasks and responsibilities not listed here, in line with organizational needs and evolving business priorities.

Our Values 

At Wasl, we are more than just a real estate company. We are active contributors to Dubai's thriving economy, fostering enduring relationships with our valued stakeholders. Our customer-centric approach is rooted in trust, respect, and a relentless pursuit of innovation in every aspect of asset management.