Head of Application Development experts in Germany
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Meet FRATCH Heads of Application Development in Germany
Gavrilo Olah
Last position:
Head of Software Development at Davidsmeyer & Paul GmbH
- Strategic project development, realisation, and implementation with internal and/or external development team
- Multi stakeholder management
- Planning new projects, cost calculation, risk calculation
- AI project for the electrical components production
- Building management systems integrations (BACnet, Modbus, etc)
- Inhouse BACring system architecture and development (control system for fire protection and smoke extraction systems)
- Inhouse MES system architecture and development
- Project management
- Agile-SCRUM project development
- Solution architecture and processes analytics (UML)
- Business application development
- Jira project management
- Reporting and documentation
- Recruitment process for the IT staff
- Software architecture, project development, costs, risks
- Education IT staff (internal and external)
- Responsibility for 5 development/DevOps/QA teams
Carlos Medina
Last position:
Implementation in Pimcore/Shopware
- Consulting, design, analysis, software architecture and development
- Designing, developing, and implementing a Pimcore environment and connecting multiple external API systems in a Kubernetes environment, as well as various PIM and ERP systems
- Technologies: Unix environment, design, Symfony development, PHP 8+, software architecture, MySQL/SQL, shell scripting, Git DevOps tasks, AI coding support, Pimcore 12, Shopware 6
- Team size: >10 people
Michael Schleier
Last position:
Head of IT Project Management and Software Development DACH at Webhelp Holding Germany GmbH
- Established and developed the IT organization in the DACH region (including Poland and the Balkans)
- Directly reporting to the CTO, handling various special tasks (e.g., GDPR, communication with the works council, data protection support and CISO)
- 9 years of disciplinary and technical leadership of project management teams (internal and external clients) and software development in the DACH region
- 4 years of disciplinary and technical leadership of the IT Service Desk for the DACH region (1st level)
- Defined strategy and developed roadmaps in collaboration with the CTO (infrastructure renewal, digitalization, security, BCM)
- Derived projects from the roadmap, prioritized, planned and executed them
- Team leadership (managing project teams up to 50 people; disciplinary and technical leadership of 12 people)
- Data center build/relocation (one build, three relocations/mergers)
- GDPR implementation (initial registration, maintenance process, procedure directories)
- Managed ISO27001 initial certification and two recertifications (ITSM, IT processes, hardware and software inventory, development guidelines)
- Established and took responsibility for IT requirements management
- Responsible as system owner for in-house developments (automation platform, tracking and security tools)
- Process analysis (gathering, alignment, analysis, improvement, design)
- 6 months as interim CTO (due to the CTO's illness)
Ilja Weber
Last position:
Software Expert at Siemens Betriebskrankenkasse
- Technical consulting and support for business units
- Strategic consulting and development of the overall software landscape
- Product ownership
- Onboarding and mentoring of junior developers
- Advising non-technical management
- Analysis and evaluation of existing systems
- JavaScript code reviews
- Development in the Java tech stack with Spring Boot and Clean Code
- Docker
- OpenShift & GitLab as CI/CD
Maksym Shvaykovskyy
Last position:
Head of System Integrations at TAKKT AG
- Lead high-performing teams to enhance enterprise system efficiencies, specializing in ERP and PIM systems within AWS, Azure, and proprietary datacenter infrastructures
- Ensure seamless alignment with stakeholder visions through strategic tech integration and dynamic leadership
- Build Generative AI solutions using platforms such as Azure/OpenAI, Google, Claude, and Ollama
- Develop intelligent system integrations and advanced data strategies leveraging AI and machine learning models
- Champion Agile methodologies (SCRUM) and mentor team in roles such as Team Lead, Scrum Master, and Product Owner
- Deliver robust, scalable solutions that power strategic business growth and operational excellence
Manfred Höhn
Last position:
Team Lead / Project Manager Software Development SAFe/Scrum at UTA Edenred
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Heads of Application Development statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
25 years
Position duration
2.3 years
Positions per freelancer
15
Top business areas
Information Technology, Product Development, Project Management
Top industries
Information Technology, Manufacturing, Professional Services
Certification focus areas
Information Technology, Quality Assurance
Bachelor's degree or higher
75%
Master's degree or higher
50%
Certifications per freelancer
2
Most common languages
German, English, Russian
Speak two or more languages
83%
Based on our profile pool as of 30 Aug 2026.
Daily rate distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this role in Germany are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range.
Average rates for Heads of Application Development in Germany
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 30 Aug 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
About the role
What they lead A Head of Application Development shapes how software gets built, maintained, and improved across teams. The role sits between product needs, architecture, and delivery. It is common in companies that run business-critical web apps, internal tools, mobile apps, or enterprise systems.
Typical work
- Set the application roadmap and align it with business goals
- Guide engineering teams on design, delivery, and quality
- Review architecture choices, releases, and technical debt
- Coordinate with product, operations, security, and infrastructure
- Improve development standards, tooling, and team routines
Skills that matter A strong Head of Application Development combines technical judgment with clear leadership. Common backgrounds include software engineering, engineering management, or application architecture. Searchers also look for an application development manager, software development manager, or engineering lead when they need this kind of profile.
- cloud-native delivery and API-driven systems
- modern development stacks and release processes
- code review, testing, and observability practices
- stakeholder management and team coordination
- support for legacy modernization and platform change
Tools and stacks This role depends on the stack in place. In many companies, that means Java, .NET, Python, JavaScript, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines, Git-based workflows, and cloud services such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. In Germany, the best fit often understands enterprise IT, regulated environments, and the need to work closely with internal business units.
When companies bring one in Freelance support makes sense when a team needs leadership fast, a gap must be covered during a transition, or a program needs outside structure. It also helps when a company is modernizing a legacy application landscape, separating a monolith, or setting new engineering standards without waiting for a permanent hire.
What strong leaders deliver
- Clear decisions on priorities, scope, and technical direction
- Stable delivery across several applications or squads
- Better collaboration between business and engineering
- Practical improvements to code quality and release flow
- A team that can keep shipping after the engagement ends
Frequently asked questions
Need clarity? These are the questions we hear most often about Heads of Application Development.
A Head of Application Development leads the people and process behind software delivery. They steer priorities, support technical decisions, and make sure applications are built and maintained in a way that fits the business. In practice, that can mean guiding several development teams, setting standards, and removing delivery blockers.
A freelancer works well when the need is urgent, temporary, or tied to a specific change program. That includes interim leadership, a restructuring phase, a modernization project, or a gap while a permanent search is still open. It also helps when you need senior judgment before committing to a long-term setup.
Look for a mix of software leadership, architecture awareness, and delivery control. A good Head of Application Development should understand team setup, release management, testing discipline, and how to work with product, operations, and security. Strong communication matters just as much as technical depth.
Not always. An engineering manager usually focuses more on people management, while an application architect focuses more on system design. This role often combines both, plus responsibility for delivery, priorities, and coordination across teams.
This role fits projects where application work affects many teams or has real business impact. Common examples are platform modernization, API integration, cloud migration, application portfolio cleanup, and improving delivery practices across a mixed stack. It also suits organizations that need structure around several parallel software streams.
Yes, often. Remote collaboration works well when the role mainly needs coordination, decision-making, and review of delivery work. On-site time can still help at the start of an engagement, during workshops, or when the team needs close alignment with local stakeholders in Germany.
Ask for concrete examples of how they improved delivery, handled technical trade-offs, and led through change. A strong application development manager can explain decisions clearly, show how they supported teams, and describe the results of past restructures or modernization efforts. References and past project context matter more than job titles alone.
Freelancers should expect to work across business, product, and engineering, not just manage code delivery. The role often includes coaching, prioritization, and occasional hands-on technical review. In many cases, the real value is bringing order to a complex application landscape and helping the team move faster with less friction.
The average hourly rate for Heads of Application Development in Germany is 125 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 999 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers working as Heads of Application Development in Germany, 75% hold at least a Bachelor's degree and 50% hold at least a Master's degree.
On average, freelancers working as Heads of Application Development in Germany have 25 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 2.3 years.
The most common languages among freelancers working as Heads of Application Development in Germany are German (100%), English (83%), and Russian (33%).
The most common industries among freelancers working as Heads of Application Development in Germany are Information Technology (100%), Manufacturing (83%), and Professional Services (67%).
The most common business areas among freelancers working as Heads of Application Development in Germany are Information Technology (100%), Product Development (83%), and Project Management (83%).
FRATCH Heads of Application Development main locations
Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.
Berlin Hamburg Munich Cologne Frankfurt Stuttgart Dusseldorf Leipzig Dortmund Essen Bremen Dresden Hanover Nuremberg Request a free demo
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Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
