Job Description

Mainframe Programmer Analyst

Location: Leuven, Belgium (Hybrid)
Start Date: ASAP / Flexible
Contract Type: Freelance / Contract
Duration: Long-Term Assignment
Work Arrangement: Hybrid (3 days onsite, 2 days remote)

We are seeking an experienced Mainframe Programmer Analyst to join a complex and business-critical IT environment. This role places a strong emphasis on functional and technical analysis within a mainframe ecosystem, with development activities supporting the analysis work.

The successful candidate will act as a key link between business stakeholders and technical teams, translating business requirements into high-quality technical solutions while ensuring the stability and maintainability of core applications.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct detailed functional and technical analyses of business requirements.
• Translate business needs into clear:
  • Functional specifications
  • Technical designs
• Perform impact assessments and risk analyses on existing mainframe applications.
• Analyze incidents and contribute to root cause analysis and long-term solutions.
• Develop and modify applications based on completed analyses.
• Collaborate closely with business users, analysts, and technical teams.
• Create and maintain comprehensive technical and functional documentation.
• Identify opportunities to simplify, optimize, and improve existing application logic.
• Support application maintenance and continuous improvement initiatives.

Technical Environment

• IBM Mainframe / z/OS
• COBOL
• DB2
• JCL
• Batch Processing
• Online Processing
• CICS (advantageous)

Required Skills & Experience

• Proven experience as a Technical and Functional Analyst within an IBM Mainframe environment.
• Strong knowledge of:
  • COBOL
  • DB2
  • JCL
  • z/OS environments
• Experience with batch and online processing systems.
• Experience conducting impact and risk analyses on existing applications.
• Strong analytical, conceptual, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to clearly document complex technical and business processes.
• Quality-driven, detail-oriented, and capable of working independently.
• Excellent communication skills with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Willingness to continue developing expertise in COBOL.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of CICS.
• Experience with Mega (or similar enterprise architecture/documentation tools).
• Previous experience within the banking or financial services sector.

Language Requirements

• Fluent Dutch (mandatory).

What We Offer

• Long-term freelance opportunity.
• Challenging role within a highly critical enterprise environment.
• Significant focus on analysis, architecture, and business engagement.
• Hybrid working model with flexibility.
• Opportunity to contribute to the modernization and optimization of core business systems.