Mainframe Experts in Düsseldorf
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Meet FRATCH Experts in Düsseldorf, who have recently used Mainframe
Olaf K.
Last position:
CIO Advisor・IT Strategy・Tech/IT Due Diligence・Enterprise Architecture・IT Governance・AI Transformation・ex-BCG Platinion at Kiese IT
- -- ENGLISH Version (Deutsche Version unten) ---
Experience
- Ex-BCG Platinion: 14 years as Manager & Chief IT Architect, leading large-scale IT transformations in complex group structures
- 20+ years of C-level consulting across AI/IT strategy, enterprise architecture, IT organization, transformation, M&A due diligence, project recovery, and interim management
- IT leadership experience with cross-functional, intercultural teams of up to 100+ people
- Hands-on background in software engineering, IT architecture, and project management
- Fortune Europe 500 focus; numerous international projects; SME and start-up experience
Core services:
- IT strategy, enterprise architecture (EAM), target architectures and roadmaps
- PE/M&A/carve-out IT/tech due diligence, asset valuation, cost estimation
- GenAI transformation, process automation, and AI governance
- IT reorganization, target operating model (TOM), agile transformation
- IT governance, development and ITSM process optimization (BizDevOps, SAFe)
- Review and recovery of critical large-scale IT programs
- Planning and steering of transformation programs and IT project portfolios
- IT vendor and platform selection (RfI / RfP)
- Coaching & Interim management
Industries (selection): Insurance, financial services & banking, energy & utilities, telecommunications, retail & consumer goods, logistics, media, industry & engineering, healthcare, professional services
Projects (selection):
M&A Buy-side IT/Tech Due Diligence of an Acquisition in the Energy Sector (Utility, Smart Home) — AI-augmented with Anthropic Claude
AI Initiative for LLM-Based Optimisation and Automation of Sales and Billing Processes
Interim management Enterprise Architecture & group target architecture/roadmap development (METRO)
Reorganization: Design and introduction of agile IT target operating model at international wholesale group (METRO)
Design and implementation of agile BizDevOps target operating model (E.ON Grid Solutions)
Platform/vendor selection for renewal of core insurance solution of start-up (ELEMENT Insurance)
Establishment of project assurance capability and review/recovery of critical transformation projects (ERGO)
Enterprise architecture management and development of divisional/solution architectures (Deutsche Post DHL)
Strategic pricing architecture decisions in digital sales application landscape (E.ON Energie)
IT due diligence: Architecture evaluation and monetary valuation of IT assets (ProSiebenSAT.1 Media)
Interim management of group-wide security/compliance programme (ERGO)
Enabling an application landscape for different sales organizations and product structures (E.ON Energie)
Realignment of business/IT strategy and InsurTech platform selection (RfI, RfP) (nexible, ERGO Digital Ventures)
Stabilization/optimization of an agile/SAFe business/IT DevOps landscape transformation (Lufthansa AirPlus)
Process optimization and design/management of digitization and robotics introduction in power plants (RWE Nuclear)
BSS target architecture development for fixed/mobile networks convergence (Deutsche Telekom)
Optimization of IT organization model and methodology in application development and testing (Deutsche Telekom)
Evaluation of fulfillment of a general contractor agreement for run-off/migration of contract portfolios (ERGO)
-- DEUTSCHE Version (English version above) ---
Experience
- Ex-BCG Platinion: 14 years of strategy and implementation of large-scale IT transformations in complex corporate structures (Manager & Chief IT Architect)
- 20+ years of C-level-adjacent IT consulting: IT strategy, enterprise architecture, IT organization, transformation, due diligence, project recovery, and interim management
- IT leadership responsibility for cross-functional, intercultural teams of up to 100+ people
- Solid hands-on experience in software development, IT architecture, and project management
- Focus on Fortune Europe 500, numerous international projects; SME and start-up experience
Industries: insurance · financial services & banking · energy · telecommunications · retail & consumer goods · industry & engineering · logistics · media · healthcare
Services (focus areas):
- IT strategy, enterprise architecture (EAM), IT landscape target visions and roadmaps
- M&A/carve-out IT/tech due diligence, asset valuation, and cost estimation
- GenAI transformation, process automation, and AI governance
- IT reorganization, target operating model (TOM), agile transformation
- IT governance, development and ITSM processes (BizDevOps, SAFe)
- Review and recovery of critical large-scale IT projects
- Planning/steering of transformation programs and IT project portfolios
- IT service provider/platform selection (RfI, RfP)
- IT project management (agile, classic, hybrid)
- Coaching & interim management
Projects (selection):
- M&A buyer-side IT/tech due diligence of an acquisition in the energy sector (utility, smart home) — AI-augmented with Anthropic Claude
- AI initiative for LLM-supported optimization and automation of sales and billing processes
- Interim management of Enterprise Architecture and development of group target architecture in wholesale (METRO)
- Reorganization: design and introduction of an agile IT target operating model (TOM) at an international wholesale group (METRO)
- IT reorganization: introduction of an agile BizDevOps target operating model (TOM) at an energy group (E.ON Grid Solutions)
- Platform selection / vendor selection for renewal of the core insurance solution of a B2B2C start-up (ELEMENT Insurance)
- Process optimization, digitalization, and introduction of robotics in power plants (RWE Nuclear)
- Assessment of fulfillment of a general contractor agreement for run-off/migration of life insurance portfolios (ERGO)
- Business/IT strategy and InsurTech platform selection for a digital insurer/start-up (nexible, ERGO Digital Ventures)
- Enabling an energy application landscape for multiple sales units (E.ON Energie)
- Strategic architecture decisions in price management of a digital sales application landscape at an energy group (E.ON Energie)
- Stabilization/optimization of an agile DevOps IT transformation in business travel and payment management (Lufthansa AirPlus)
- Interim management in a group-wide security and compliance program of a global insurer (ERGO)
- Building project assurance capability as well as review and optimization/recovery of critical IT projects in an insurance group (ERGO)
- Building enterprise architecture management and development of domain and solution architectures for a logistics group (Deutsche Post DHL)
- M&A IT due diligence – evaluation and valuation of IT assets in the media sector (ProSiebenSAT.1 Media)
- Development of BSS target architecture and roadmap for fixed/mobile convergence (Deutsche Telekom)
- Optimization of IT governance/organization and methodology in application development and testing at a telecommunications group (Deutsche Telekom)
Jürgen S.
Last position:
IT – Consultant / Analyst / Developer / Tester / Support at Automotive manufacturer
- Analysis, software development/adaptation and testing of various transaction and batch objects
- Execution of specialist integration and regression tests on TEST and QA platforms under z/OS for subsequent implementation in production
- Hardware / software / tools: IBM-MVS, z/OS, JES2/3, TSO-ISPF, JCL, DB2, SQL, SQL/PL, QMF, QMF for Work-Stations, SPUFI, FileAid, IMS-DB/DC, MFS, XPEDITER, COBOL, REXX, Windows-10, MS-Office-365, MS-Teams, batch job management via OPC, BETA92, RVS, BVB, ABL, DIALOGplus, PROBA, PRODPR (VW internal systems), JIRA, CONFLUENCE
Christian W.
Last position:
Software Engineer, cross-platform Application Manager at International major bank
- Creating interfaces between the legacy platform and the new container solution
- Coordinating required contributions from line units
- Moderating regular status meetings with the software vendor
- Minimally invasive conversion of TWS scheduling from the old to the new platform
- Environment: IBM Mainframe, DB2, CICS, MQ, Red Hat Linux, Oracle, Kubernetes, Kafka, Helm, GitLab, Jenkins
Dalia C.
Last position:
Oracle Developer at Freelance
- Design and implementation of an OCI-based DWH and ETL system to replace legacy mainframe applications
- Development of a database optimization strategy and planning the rapid conversion of JCL and COBOL routines to PL/SQL with the help of AI
- Development of an Oracle Apex-based app for internal administrative processes in the public sector (office equipment, employee training)
- Implementation of PL/SQL workflows for approval processes and creation of a responsive mobile version with JavaScript and CSS
- Use of Azure DevOps for backlog and documentation, as well as Git for version control
- Development of REST interfaces for CRM systems
- Replacement and reprogramming of Oracle Forms screens with Oracle Apex and upgrading to the latest Apex versions
- Design of a Git branching strategy and conducting code reviews
- Maintenance and further development of an EDI-based data exchange system based on Oracle Advanced Queuing for the public sector in Austria
- Data analysis and creation of charts in the Oracle Apex frontend; installation of standalone ORDS and Apex 23.1
- Agile working according to the Spotify Model; development of complex Apex screens with the support of Oracle JET
- New development and customization of existing PL/SQL packages, workarounds for database version differences and query optimization
- Development of Apex applications for broker pools to manage and optimize Oracle databases in the banking sector, including SSO-based authorization systems with OAuth2 and Keycloak
- Development of extensive Oracle Apex applications for BI and data mining modernization projects, as well as development of manual and automated projection methods in the frontend
- Implementation of data warehousing projects in the banking sector and use of Scrum and Kanban in team-oriented projects
Thorsten O.
Last position:
Workstream Lead (WS) at Bank-Verlag GmbH
- Introduction of giro card with Visa Debit card payment function (Combocard) for Commerzbank
- Support for the Card Processing Team (card processing; Clearing & Settlement incl. Dispute Management teams) in project work
- Creation of requirements for the Clearing & Settlement team, Authorization team (AZ) and Card Production team (KP) as part of a requirements catalog
- Requirements engineering (requirements management) with business contact person
- Participation in workstream meetings between VISA Inc., SRC Security Research & Consulting GmbH, Commerzbank AG and consulting firms (PwC and Senacor Technologies AG)
- Sprint planning with Jira tickets of type Task and use of Confluence
- Creation and presentation of weekly status reports for the Clearing & Settlement, Dispute Management and Reporting & GUI workstreams
- Coordination with network and file transfer teams for connection tests of new interfaces, e.g. setup of host keys, use of VPN or sipnet connections
- Coordination of the delivery of test files, e.g. exchange rates (FX rates; TC 56 of VISA rates), VISA Debit and Credit transactions (format Base II) and EANSS/ISS Base II clearing files to the Debit Clearing System (DCS)
- Conducting coordination meetings on the use of Visanet Settlement Service (VSS) and PSD2 reports and payment traffic statistics (ZVS)
- Organizing workshops with FiServ (First Data) on Dispute Management and complaint handling
- Setup and maintenance of Open Point List (OPL) in Confluence
- Technologies/methods: Jira, Confluence, giro card, VISA Debit card, payments, Kanban board, BIN, routing, CIQ, VPAY, ScalaTest, Dispute Management
Bernhard D.
Last position:
Enterprise Architect. And responsible for the cross-functional architecture as well as all domains with a focus on the sales at Süddeutsche Krankenversicherung
Creation of business and technical concepts as well as support for enterprise architecture management as part of the migration to the Adesso standard insurance solutions and the renewal of surrounding systems
Interface definitions
Business analysis and creation of the business concepts for input management and sales
Creation of architecture guidelines and processes
Processing technical and business decisions in the architecture board
Definition of service processes and system management aspects
Creation of the technical target operating model
Creation of an integration architecture for AI/LLMs from the providers Commasoft and Insiders
CommaSoft (Alan) webpages and web services
Insiders for Smartfix based on web services
Creation of a question catalog for a security/regulatory check.
Analysis of threats using threat modeling / STRIDE incl. creation of a set of measures to secure the systems
System environment: Jira, Confluence, Java, Enterprise Architect, VAIT/DORA, KritisV, GDPR, IT ServiceMgmt, Adesso Ecosphere and Insure Health, DoPIX and successor product, SmartFix, SmartFlow, Zabas, Kolumbus, Clarc archive, BiPRO, AI / LLM, MS Azure, AWS, TOM/FMO
Esmail S.
Last position:
Senior Load and Performance Tester at Deutsche Bahn (DB-Netz)
- Design, development, and execution of load and performance tests for the PRISMA project
- Use of Apache Jmeter, Gatling, Apache ActiveMQ, Jms/Tibco Ems, SikuliX, Jython, Amazon AWS, PAN-Client
- Methods: load tests, test automation
Rüdiger K.
Last position:
Data Analyst and Reporting Manager at Energieversroger
Implemented Power BI reporting for various departments at an energy provider. Agile project: responsible for organizing and coordinating with departments and IT, and regularly presented interim steps and results to project management.
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Statistics of experts using Mainframe
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
30 years
Position duration
2.3 years
Positions per freelancer
17 (Germany: 18)
Top business areas
Information Technology, Business Intelligence, Operations
Top industries
Information Technology, Banking and Finance, Retail
Certification focus areas
Information Technology, Project Management, Quality Assurance
Bachelor's degree or higher
100% (Germany: 73%)
Master's degree or higher
67% (Germany: 48%)
Doctorate
17% (Germany: 12%)
Certifications per freelancer
1 (Germany: 3)
Most common languages
German, English, Spanish
Speak two or more languages
88% (Germany: 96%)
Based on our profile pool as of 29 Oct 2026.
Daily rate distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of experts in this technology in Düsseldorf are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows the share of experts charging within that range.
Average rates of experts in Düsseldorf using Mainframe
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 29 Oct 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Mainframe experts industry focus
See which industries our matched freelancers work in most often — every figure is calculated live from the freelancers on FRATCH.
- Information Technology (100%)
- Banking and Finance (88%)
- Retail (75%)
- Automotive (50%)
- Insurance (50%)
- Government and Administration (50%)
- Education (38%)
- Energy (38%)
Please note that freelancers can work across multiple industries, so percentages overlap.
About the technology
What Mainframe Covers
Mainframe refers to high-performance enterprise systems built to process large transaction volumes with strong security, continuity and operational control. Most current work centers on IBM Z systems and z/OS, while COBOL, PL/I, JCL and DB2 remain central to many business applications. These systems support core processes where failure or data inconsistency is costly.
Core Workloads
Mainframes run dependable transaction and batch workloads across banking, insurance, logistics, retail, healthcare and public services. They handle account processing, payment clearing, policy administration, inventory records and customer data. Specialists also expose trusted mainframe functions through APIs so newer applications can use established business rules without replacing them.
- Design and maintain COBOL and PL/I applications
- Schedule and monitor JCL batch processing
- Manage CICS, IMS, DB2 and MQ workloads
- Connect z/OS systems with APIs and distributed services
Ecosystem And Tools
Mainframe work spans application code, operating systems, databases, messaging and production operations. Relevant tools include IBM z/OS, CICS, IMS, DB2, MQ, JCL, TSO/ISPF, RACF and common source-control or DevOps workflows such as Git, Jenkins and IBM Dependency Based Build. Strong specialists understand both established tooling and controlled modernization paths.
When To Hire
Companies bring in freelance Mainframe experts during migration programs, platform upgrades, audit preparation, production incidents and periods of scarce internal capacity. They may need help documenting undocumented COBOL logic, reducing batch windows, improving release controls or integrating z/OS with cloud environments. In Düsseldorf, this expertise can support regional finance, insurance, logistics and industrial operations while teams work on-site, remotely or in a hybrid model.
- Knowledge is concentrated in a few internal specialists
- A critical application needs safe change or documentation
- Integration with APIs, cloud or distributed systems is blocked
- A merger or migration requires reliable data and process mapping
What Strong Experts Bring
A strong professional combines precise technical delivery with a careful view of business rules and operational risk. They can trace a transaction across COBOL, CICS, DB2, JCL and downstream systems, then explain the impact in clear terms. Useful adjacent skills include SQL, Java, REST APIs, security controls, automated testing, monitoring and release governance.
Evaluating Expertise
Ask for evidence of comparable workloads, production support responsibilities and successful changes to live mainframe systems. Review how the specialist handles testing, rollback plans, data integrity, access controls and knowledge transfer. Quality is visible in clear documentation, disciplined change management and the ability to improve a system without weakening its reliability.
Frequently asked questions
Need clarity? These are the questions we hear most often about Mainframe.
A mainframe is used for reliable, high-volume processing of transactions and batch jobs. Banks, insurers, retailers, logistics companies and public institutions use it for records, payments, claims, inventory and other core operations.
A mainframe is designed for centralized control, consistent transaction processing and predictable throughput, while cloud and distributed systems offer flexible scaling across networked services. Many companies use both, connecting established z/OS workloads with APIs, containers and cloud applications.
A strong Mainframe freelancer may also work with JCL, CICS, IMS, DB2, MQ, RACF and z/OS operations. SQL, REST APIs, Java, Git, automated testing, monitoring and migration planning are valuable when the work crosses into modern application estates.
The right level depends on the system and the risk of the change. A Mainframe specialist handling production transactions, complex COBOL logic or migration work should show relevant delivery history, strong testing discipline and an understanding of operational controls.
Many Mainframe tasks can be delivered remotely when secure access, documentation and communication routines are in place. On-site work may still help with restricted environments, workshops or critical cutovers, and teams in Düsseldorf may expect clear German or English communication depending on the organization.
Bring in a Mainframe specialist when internal knowledge is limited, a critical application needs change, or a migration cannot progress safely. Freelancers can also support incident recovery, documentation, batch optimization, release improvements and integration with cloud or API services.
Ask how the Mainframe professional approaches impact analysis, test coverage, rollback planning, data integrity and production support. Request examples of comparable systems and assess whether they explain technical risks in terms that business and operations teams can use.
Modern Mainframe work is not limited to maintaining COBOL programs. Professionals may contribute to API enablement, DevOps workflows, automated testing, observability, security improvements and gradual modernization while preserving essential business rules and transaction reliability.
The average hourly rate of freelancers in Dusseldorf, Germany who have used Mainframe in their recent projects is 106 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 849 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers in Dusseldorf, Germany who have used Mainframe in their recent projects, 100% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 67% hold at least a Master's degree, and 17% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers in Dusseldorf, Germany who have used Mainframe in their recent projects have 30 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 2.3 years.
The most common languages among freelancers in Dusseldorf, Germany who have used Mainframe in their recent projects are German (100%), English (88%), and Spanish (38%).
The most common industries among freelancers in Dusseldorf, Germany who have used Mainframe in their recent projects are Information Technology (100%), Banking and Finance (88%), and Retail (75%).
The most common business areas among freelancers in Dusseldorf, Germany who have used Mainframe in their recent projects are Information Technology (100%), Business Intelligence (75%), and Operations (63%).
Main locations of FRATCH Experts, who have recently used Mainframe
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.
Hamburg 
Munich 
Frankfurt Request a free demo
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FRATCH CEO
