Application Development Manager Jobs in California
Application Development Manager jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in enterprise software, fintech, healthcare technology, and defense contracting, with openings at every level from newly promoted team leads through senior director-equivalent roles. The heaviest hiring is in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where established employers like Salesforce, Kaiser Permanente, and Northrop Grumman consistently maintain application development manager headcount. The most in-demand specialties are cloud-native application development, Agile delivery leadership, and enterprise systems modernization. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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URGENT HIRING – Sr. Manager, Application Development (Workday)
Location: Santa Clara, CA – Onsite 5 Days/Week
Employment: 1+ Year Contract | Open to Full-Time/Permanent Opportunity
Experience: 8–10+ Years of Deep Workday Experience Preferred
Work Authorization: USC Only
Flexibility: 50 Remote Days/Year + Federal Holidays + Remote Week During Christmas/New Year
TOP MUST-HAVES
Deep Workday Experience – 8–10+ Years Preferred
Workday HCM + Finance experience
Broad Workday ecosystem knowledge
HCM, Payroll, Recruiting, Time Tracking & Finance
Strong Technical / Application Development background
AWS – Very Important
Java / Application Development experience
Strong people & technical leadership experience
Executive & senior business stakeholder communication
ROLE OVERVIEW
- Lead technical teams supporting the HR & Finance Workday ecosystem
- Provide technical direction and challenge architecture/design decisions
- Partner with HR, Finance, IT and senior leadership on major initiatives
- Track deliverables, identify risks and resolve delivery issues
- Lead application development and technology strategy across the Workday environment
- Mentor technical teams and establish engineering best practices
IMPORTANT WORKDAY REQUIREMENT
Candidates should have deep, hands-on Workday experience throughout their career and broad knowledge across the Workday ecosystem.
Workday administration alone is not sufficient
Experience in only one Workday module is not sufficient
One-time Workday implementation experience is not sufficient
Simply working for an organization that uses Workday is not sufficient
Candidates should be able to confidently lead technical teams, evaluate Workday solutions and communicate technical decisions with senior leadership.
Pay: $100,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
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Find JobsApplication Development Manager Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Application Development Manager Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Electronics & Hardware
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in application development manager jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field
- Five or more years of software development experience with at least two in a management role
- Demonstrated experience leading Agile or Scrum teams through full software development lifecycles
- Proficiency overseeing cloud-based application development on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform
- Strong stakeholder communication skills with experience partnering with product and business teams
- Familiarity with California consumer privacy requirements such as CCPA compliance in application design
Application Development Manager Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a application development manager in California?
The path into an application development manager role in California typically starts with a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or information systems, followed by several years as a software developer or engineer. California employers generally promote from within or hire candidates who have led small development teams informally before stepping into a formal management title. Certifications such as PMP or SAFe Agilist strengthen candidacy, and no state-issued license is required for this role.
How much do application development managers make in California?
Application development managers in California earn a median of about $218,290 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $129,970 for the lowest 10% to over $325,970 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire application development managers in California?
Employers hiring application development managers in California right now include Amphenol, Amazon, and Keysight Technologies, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. California's concentration of enterprise software companies, large health systems, and defense contractors means demand is spread across multiple industries rather than tied to a single sector.
Which California cities have the most application development manager jobs?
Santa Clara, Los Angeles, and San Francisco have the most application development manager openings in California. The Bay Area leads because it is home to a dense cluster of enterprise software firms and technology headquarters, while Los Angeles draws demand from media technology, fintech, and aerospace employers, and San Diego's openings are driven largely by biotech firms and defense contractors with substantial software engineering operations.
Are there remote application development manager jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 83% of application development manager openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, reflecting how naturally this role translates to distributed team leadership. The responsibilities most commonly performed remotely are sprint planning, code review oversight, and stakeholder reporting, while on-site presence is more often required during product launches or infrastructure transitions.
How can I get hired as a application development manager in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into a team lead or technical lead role at a mid-size California software company before pursuing a formal manager title. Employers like Kaiser Permanente, Salesforce, and large California defense contractors run associate manager or development lead programs that prepare senior engineers for people management. Building a portfolio of cross-functional projects, earning a SAFe or Scrum Master certification, and transitioning from a senior developer or technical project manager role are the moves that California hiring managers respond to most consistently.
Where can I find and apply to application development manager jobs in California?
You can find and apply to application development manager jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across industries and experience levels. Search the listings to see roles that match your background, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 16 Application Development Manager Jobs in California
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