Application Portfolio Owner

About Us

Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate, architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firm. With $7.6 billion in revenue for 2024, Clayco is one of the nation’s largest privately-owned real estate, architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firms. We provide fast-track, efficient solutions for clients across North America, delivering projects with speed, innovation, and integrity.

The Role We Want You For

The Application Portfolio Owner (APO) manages a portfolio of enterprise software applications to ensure alignment with business strategy, delivery of measurable value, and effective oversight of cost, performance, and risk. The APO serves as a key partner to business leaders, IT teams, architects, vendors, and managed service providers, guiding application decisions and the long-term direction of the portfolio. This role focuses on the People Operations and Financial Operations portfolios, which include applications supporting core people, financial, and operational functions across the organization. The portfolio includes platforms such as Deltek, Cornerstone, Concur, LinkedIn Talent Solutions, and Laserfiche. Reporting to the Application Portfolio Manager, the APO acts as a liaison between business and technical teams to ensure the portfolio supports the company’s strategic objectives.

The Specifics of the Role

• Maintain and evolve a strategic roadmap for the People and Financial Operations Portfolio aligned with business objectives and IT strategy.
• Lead application rationalization efforts to reduce redundancy, minimize technical debt, and improve return on investment.
• Define and enforce application governance standards, including ownership, support models, performance metrics, and accuracy of CMDB/system of record.
  
• Facilitate structured reviews of applications with expiring contracts
• Evaluate functional fit, adoption, licensing levels, training needs, and future requirements.
• Partner with Enterprise Business Architecture to define capabilities and requirements for potential successor applications.
• Lead risk mitigation planning related to application exits, including data retention, business continuity, and timing constraints.
• Work with vendors to evaluate renewal options and support contract negotiations.
• Maintain accurate contract and service agreement documentation for all portfolio applications.
  
• Forecast and manage costs related to licensing, maintenance, support, and upgrades across the portfolio.
• Facilitate annual application reviews with stakeholders to identify enhancement, optimization, or retirement opportunities.
• Collaborate with vendors and internal IT teams to develop cost estimates and forecasts.
• Ensure application spending aligns with approved budgets, business priorities, and IT strategy.
  
• Manage enhancement and demand backlogs for applications within the portfolio.
• Oversee version upgrades, module deployments, disaster recovery testing, and technical debt remediation.
• Partner with Application Portfolio Support Engineers and managed services teams to ensure clear requirements, testing readiness, and successful delivery.
• Ensure compliance with licensing, contractual, security, and data governance requirements.
• Coordinate deployment activities including unit testing, user acceptance testing, go-live execution, rollback planning, and hyper care support.
  
• Support evaluation of successor applications in collaboration with Enterprise Business Architecture.
• Remain engaged throughout implementation of replacement platforms to ensure continuity and alignment.
• Lead decommissioning of legacy applications and ensure data is retained or archived in accordance with company policies.
  
• Collaborate with business units to understand operational needs, pain points, and future requirements.
• Communicate application health, performance, risks, and roadmap status to IT and executive stakeholders.
• Work closely with security, compliance, and data governance teams to ensure policy alignment.
  
• Stay informed of emerging technologies and assess their potential impact on the Enterprise Operations Portfolio.
• Identify opportunities to consolidate, modernize, automate, or integrate applications within the portfolio.
• Collaborate with application/software support engineers to evaluate new functionality/enhancements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5+ years of experience in application management, IT portfolio management, or enterprise systems ownership
• Experience managing SaaS and enterprise platforms across finance, HR, operations, and compliance domains
• Strong understanding of application lifecycle management, vendor management, and IT governance
• Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with business stakeholders and technical teams
• Experience with financial, recruiting, or talent management platforms
• Familiarity with enterprise architecture practices, application rationalization, and TCO analysis
• Experience working in regulated or compliance-focused environments
• Strong communication, documentation, and change management skills

Some Things You Should Know

• No other builder can offer the collaborative design-build approach that Clayco does.
• We work on creative, complex, award-winning, high-profile jobs.
• The pace is fast!
  

Why Clayco?

• 2025 Best Places to Work – St. Louis Business Journal, Los Angeles Business Journal, and Phoenix Business Journal.
• 2025 ENR Midwest – Midwest Contractor (#1).
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Design-Build Firms – Design-Build Contractor (Top 5).
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Green Contractors – Green Contractor (Top 3).
• 2025 ENR Top 25 Data Center Builders - Data Center Contractor (Top 3).
  

Benefits

• Discretionary Annual Bonus: Subject to company and individual performance.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package Including: Medical, dental and vision plans, 401k, generous PTO and paid company holidays, employee assistance program, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, disability coverage, learning & development programs and more!

Compensation

• The salary range for this position considers a wide range of factors in making compensation decisions including but not limited to: Education, qualifications, skills, training, experience, certifications, internal equity, and location. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.