IT Service Operations Manager

We are seeking an IT Service Operations Manager. The IT Service Operations Manager is accountable for ensuring the efficient operation and reliability of IT support and service delivery throughout the organisation. This role includes overseeing daily IT service desk activities, managing incident resolution processes, and maintaining service standards that meet or surpass customer expectations. The manager ensures that systems, networks, and applications perform effectively and align with both business goals and user requirements. Additionally, this position is instrumental in leading service improvement initiatives, providing guidance to junior team members, and handling escalations and major incidents through to resolution.

This is an office-based role, Monday to Friday, based in Hertford, Hertfordshire.

Key Responsibilities:
Overall Service Operations Management:

• Oversee the daily operations of the IT service desk, ensuring tickets are processed in accordance with established procedures and SLAs.
• Develop and implement best practices for managing tickets, including prioritising based on business impact, and maintaining accurate records for ticket status, types, and priorities.
• Manage escalations from 1st and 2nd line support teams, ensuring timely and effective resolution of complex issues interfacing with 3rd line across the wider business.
• Lead incident and problem management processes, including root-cause analysis for recurring incidents, working closely with internal teams and external vendors.
• Own and manage the organisation s IT Service Management (ITSM) platform (HALO), including administration, configuration, and continuous improvement of core modules such as Incident, Request, Change, Problem, and Configuration Management.
• Act as the internal lead for IT operations, providing oversight and accountability for IT systems and user experience.
• Collaborate with the Network & Infrastructure Manager and Level 3 engineers to ensure effective support and delivery of services, particularly around Microsoft 365 and infrastructure platforms.
• Support service reporting, governance, and compliance activities.

Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management:
• Monitor IT service performance to ensure compliance with SLAs, managing ticket queues and ensuring incidents are resolved in a timely manner.
• Proactively identify and mitigate potential SLA breaches through regular reviews of system performance and troubleshooting incidents.
• Develop and implement corrective actions for downtime or service unavailability, ensuring compliance with contractual obligations and maintaining uptime targets (e.g., 99.8% system availability).
Team Leadership and Development:
• Lead and mentor 1st, 2nd, and 3rd line support teams, providing technical guidance, coaching, and performance feedback.
• Conduct regular training sessions to improve team skills in troubleshooting, technical processes, and customer service.
• Foster a collaborative working environment that encourages knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.
Incident and Change Management:
• Act as the point of contact for major incidents, overseeing the resolution process and ensuring stakeholders are kept informed throughout the lifecycle of incidents.
• Manage the change management process, ensuring all planned changes are carefully evaluated, approved, and properly communicated to affected stakeholders.
• Ensure that all incidents, changes, and requests are tracked and properly documented for reporting purposes.
User Management and Security:

• Initially required to establish a working Security group for the business and subsequently to own the implementation and processes within ITSM.
• Oversee user account management processes for systems like Microsoft O365, ensuring proper account provisioning, modification, and deactivation.
• Ensure that security protocols such as Zero Trust are enforced and that sensitive information is handled in accordance with company policies and compliance requirements.
• Facilitate regular reviews of access controls, permissions, and security posture.

System Maintenance and Performance Optimisation:

• Manage the scheduling and execution of preventive maintenance activities, including updates, patches, and hardware replacements.

Project Management and System Configuration:

• Collaborate with the project teams to assist with resource planning and own the assignment of tasks relative to the department and to meet agreed delivery dates for clients.

Stakeholder Management:

• Work closely with internal and external stakeholders, to ensure service levels are met and improve overall service delivery.

Training and Documentation:

• Maintain up-to-date technical documentation for IT services and systems, including troubleshooting guides, best practices, and system configurations.

• Lead the development of user training programs, ensuring effective onboarding and knowledge transfer to end-users and staff.

Business Minded and Continuous Improvement:

• Actively drive improvements in IT service delivery, identifying areas of inefficiency or underperformance and implementing solutions.

• Participate in business initiatives contributing to revenue growth, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction.

• Keep up to date with new technologies and industry best practices, recommending their adoption to improve service quality and operational efficiency.

Qualifications:

• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and organisational skills.
• ITIL 4 Foundation or equivalent service management certification.
• A minimum of 5+ years of experience in IT support or service operations management.
• Good understanding of IT infrastructure, systems, and applications, as well as experience with security frameworks (e.g., Zero Trust).
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity principles (e.g., Cyber Essentials, CompTIA Security+).
• Ability to manage complex technical issues while maintaining a focus on customer service and business needs.
• An understanding and interest in audio-visual systems, including Digital Signage.
• Good knowledge of ISO 27001 and other relevant information security standards, with a proven track record of implementing and maintaining security management systems in compliance with ISO standards.
• Proven track record in managing SLA compliance and delivering results in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional organisational and multitasking abilities.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to identify trends, root causes, and implement solutions.

Desirable (Not Essential):

• CompTIA Network+ or equivalent to support effective collaboration with network teams.
• Foundation-level cloud certification (e.g., Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, AWS Cloud Practitioner)
• Service Desk Institute (SDI) certification or similar, to reinforce user-centric service delivery.
• Awareness of ISO9001 / ISO27001 or similar frameworks.
• Exposure to tools and project delivery methodologies (e.g., PRINCE2 Foundation, Lean practitioner, AgilePM Foundation).

Working Hours: Monday - Friday 08:30 - 17:30

Excellent company benefits