Mainframe CICS System Programmer - Banking

Contract Role: CICS System Programmer - Banking Project - Inside IR35

Location: UK (Remote) or Denmark (Hybrid - 10 days/month onsite)

Day Rate: £400-£600 (Inside IR35, via umbrella)

Duration: 6 months+

Start: ASAP

Client: Global Consultancy, End Client in the Banking Sector

Salt is working with a global consultancy delivering critical infrastructure and platform services to a leading banking client. We are recruiting a CICS System Programmer to join their Mainframe engineering team, responsible for maintaining a large-scale z/OS environment used for 24/7 operations.

This is a specialist role for an experienced CICS contractor who can support both BAU and transformation activity across high-availability platforms.

Key Responsibilities:

• Install, configure, and support CICS software (v5.6) across large data-sharing SysPlex environments
• Perform software upgrades, system tuning, and performance optimisation
• Support cloning, sunsetting, and management of CICS regions
• Participate in incident and problem resolution, including diagnostics and dump analysis
• Collaborate with global teams and vendors to ensure platform stability
• Contribute to automation initiatives and document operational best practices

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Minimum 10 years' experience supporting or customising CICS in Mainframe environments
• Minimum 5 years' experience with CICSplex and CICS Explorer
• Strong working knowledge of:
  • Omegamon, Fault Analyzer, IPCS
  • RACF and SMF 110 records
  • SDSF, RMF, and other core z/OS tools
• Experience automating CICS events using CICSplex RTA or similar tools
• Comfortable working in ITIL-aligned, production-critical environments
• Strong problem-solving capability across both infrastructure and application layers

Additional Experience (Desirable):

• Cobol, REXX, Assembler, or PL/1
• Experience supporting MQ or DB2 in CICS environments
• Prior background in banking or financial services projects

Working Model & Compliance:

• UK-based contractors: Remote only. Inside IR35 - umbrella engagement required
• Denmark-based contractors: Hybrid model - 10 working days/month onsite at client office
• Background checks will be conducted post-onboarding

*Rates depend on experience and client requirements