Application Packager

Application Packager
6 months
Reading - onsite
Inside IR35 - Umbrella
Must hold active DV clearance

Role overview:
We are looking for an experienced Application Packager to join the Software Discovery and Packaging Team, working fully onsite within a secure, business-critical defence environment. The successful candidate will be customer-focused, technically strong and comfortable working within formal security, change and release controls.
The team is responsible for the end-to-end delivery of applications, from discovery and intake through packaging, testing, deployment, updating and retirement, and supports the Operating System gold build process. The environment combines current Windows 10/11 and MECM-based delivery with a number of long-lived and specialist applications, so candidates must be comfortable working across both modern and Legacy packaging technologies.
You will work closely with application owners, desktop engineering, infrastructure, security and service management teams, and deal directly with customer stakeholders. You must be able to take ownership of packaging requests, manage priorities and explain risks, options and progress clearly.

Responsibilities:

• Manage packaging requests from discovery and intake, including requirements gathering, licensing checks, dependency analysis and rationalisation of duplicate or obsolete versions.
• Create, test and maintain application packages using MSI, MST transforms and scripted installs, using tools such as Flexera AdminStudio, InstallShield and ORCA.
• Package complex and specialist applications (eg Autodesk, Microsoft Office, engineering and scientific software), including Legacy applications that remain in service.
• Build and deploy applications through MECM Current Branch using the application model, including detection methods, requirements, dependencies, supersedence, uninstall and rollback.
• Apply packaging standards and quality assurance, including naming conventions, clean-build testing, peer review and documented sign-off evidence.
• Coordinate application compatibility testing and user acceptance testing with application owners and business users.
• Handle installation media securely within a controlled, disconnected environment, following agreed processes for media import, scanning and software provenance.
• Maintain packaged applications through their life cycle, including version updates, security patches and vulnerability remediation, and retirement.
• Support Windows 10/11 migration and desktop transformation projects, including large-scale deployments and contribution to OS gold builds.
• Provide third-line support for packaging and deployment issues, diagnosing failures using installer logs and troubleshooting tools.
• Work within Change, Release and Configuration Management processes, maintaining accurate records, package documentation and working instructions.
• Produce deployment and application estate reporting to support decision-making and life cycle planning.
• Contribute to continual improvement, automation and standardisation of packaging and desktop engineering processes.
• Work within the contractual scope and Statement of Work, raising any out-of-scope or locally agreed requests through the appropriate route.

Experience Required:

• Proven enterprise packaging for Windows 10/11, ideally in a desktop transformation or managed-service environment, including complex applications with dependencies, drivers, licensing or custom configuration. Legacy experience (Windows 7, App-V, BAT/VBScript) is an advantage.
• Expert MSI knowledge (transforms, custom actions, repair, verbose logging) using Flexera AdminStudio/InstallShield, ORCA or equivalent tools.
• Strong MECM Current Branch deployment experience (application model, collections, DPs, detection methods, troubleshooting), with working knowledge of AD and Group Policy. OS deployment, task sequences and gold builds are an advantage.
• PowerShell Scripting, ideally PSADT, and structured troubleshooting with Process Monitor, installer logs and capture tools. C# or similar for custom actions or tooling is an advantage.
• MSIX, Intune Win32, co-management, App Volumes, Citrix or VDI delivery experience is an advantage.
• Experience working within Change and Release Management in a controlled environment, with clear documentation, working instructions and reporting. ServiceNow, ITIL Foundation and agile/waterfall delivery are an advantage.
• Defence, government or air-gapped environment experience, including secure media handling, is an advantage, as are networking and cloud fundamentals and vendor certifications (eg Flexera, Microsoft).
• Strong communicator, confident with stakeholders, well organised and able to prioritise competing requests.

If you receive suspicious outreach claiming to be from us, please contact us via the ManpowerGroup website.