IT Operations Manager

Currently on the market for an IT Operations Manager to join one of our largest clients within the retail space.

About the Role

The Operations Manager is accountable for the performance, capability and continual improvement of Service Desk and Field Services globally. The role ensures the organisation has scalable, consistent and responsive support capability across retail, distribution centre and corporate environments in all supported regions.

The role is accountable for service performance through set KPls and customer outcomes delivered through internal teams and/or third-party providers (on and/or offshore}, including workforce and capacity planning, support coverage, escalation effectiveness, vendor and commercial performance, financial management and forecasting, knowledge capture, capability uplift, and the successful delivery of projects and improvement initiatives within the function. Work may be delivered by team members, project teams or partners; accountability for the performance and KPI outcomes of the Service Desk and Field Services function remains with the Manager.

The role operates in a complex, fast-moving environment and is expected to make sound operational decisions with incomplete information, identify and escalate service risks early, and work across Service Management, Workplace Services, Infrastructure, Applications, other Support and Delivery functions and service owners to ensure issues are progressed through the appropriate support pathways.

Key responsibilities:

• Accountable for the end-to-end performance of global Service Desk and Field Services across supported regions and locations, including agreed service levels, quality, responsiveness and customer experience
• Develop and execute medium term support plans, capacity and workforce models, and coverage arrangements aligned to business growth, trading cycles and the needs of a 24x7 operating environment.
• Ensure Service Desk intake, triage, remote resolution, request fulfilment and Field Services activities are delivered consistently across retail, distribution centre and corporate environments
• Ensure global Field Services/ hands and feet capability has appropriate geographic coverage, skills, dispatch arrangements and escalation pathways to support the organisation's operational requirements.
• Drive standardisation, shift left, self service, automation and knowledge reuse to improve first contact outcomes, reduce avoidable hand offs and improve service efficiency. Use support data, customer feedback and recurring patterns to identify service improvement opportunities and ensure problems or systemic issues are referred to the appropriate Service Management or service owner process.

About You:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Business, Service Management or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant industry experience
• Minimum 10 to 15 years' relevant experience in IT support or service delivery within complex, multi-site environments, including demonstrated people leadership responsibility
• Proven experience leading Service Desk operations and/or Field Services/ hands and feet support capability across geographically dispersed locations.
• Strong knowledge of Service Desk and Field Services operating models, including remote support, dispatch, onsite hands and feet support, escalation and multi site coverage
• Strong working knowledge of IT service management practices including Incident, Request, Major Incident participation, Knowledge, Problem escalation and Change awareness
• Demonstrated ability to define and manage service levels, operational KPls, queues, backlogs, workforce capacity and service quality
• Strong commercial, vendor and contract management skills, including service level management, performance governance, cost control, corrective action and vendor escalation.