Operations Manager

Software Guidance & Assistance, Inc., (SGA), is searching for an Operations Manager for a remote opportunity with one of our premier clients.

Position Summary The Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing the performance and delivery of Application Managed Services (AMS) providers and strategic vendor partners. This role serves as the primary liaison between business stakeholders, IT leadership, and external managed service providers to ensure high-quality service delivery, adherence to Service Level Agreements (SLAs), timely issue resolution, and continuous operational improvement. The ideal candidate has experience managing global delivery teams, driving governance, overseeing vendor performance, and leading operational reporting while partnering with project teams to support strategic initiatives.

Key Responsibilities Application Managed Services (AMS) Leadership

• Serve as the primary point of contact for Application Managed Services (AMS) vendors.
• Manage the day-to-day operational relationship with managed service providers.
• Ensure consistent delivery of application support services across multiple business applications.
• Monitor application support performance and drive continuous service improvements.
• Oversee transition activities between project implementation and AMS support.

Vendor Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with strategic technology vendors and managed service partners.
• Hold vendors accountable for contractual commitments, deliverables, and service expectations.
• Conduct regular vendor performance reviews and recommend improvement plans when necessary.
• Track vendor KPIs, SLAs, and operational metrics.
• Collaborate with Procurement and Legal teams regarding Statements of Work (SOWs), contract renewals, and vendor performance.

Incident, Queue & Escalation Management

• Manage production support queues and ensure timely triage and assignment of incidents.
• Monitor aging invoicing/tickets and "On Hold " work items to ensure appropriate follow-up and resolution.
• Drive prioritization of incidents based on business impact.
• Lead major incident communications and executive escalations.
• Identify recurring issues and coordinate root cause analysis and permanent corrective actions.

SLA & Operational Performance

• Monitor and enforce Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Operational Level Agreements (OLAs), and key performance indicators.
• Develop action plans to improve SLA compliance and operational efficiency.
• Analyze trends related to incident volumes, response times, resolution times, and backlog management.
• Ensure service delivery meets agreed-upon performance targets.

Governance & Reporting

• Lead monthly operational governance meetings with vendors and business stakeholders.
• Prepare executive-level dashboards and operational scorecards.
• Present monthly service delivery metrics, SLA performance, backlog trends, aging reports, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Produce weekly and monthly operational reporting for IT leadership.
• Track risks, issues, action items, and vendor commitments.

Offshore Team Management

• Coordinate work across offshore, nearshore, and onshore support teams.
• Facilitate communication between global delivery teams and business stakeholders.
• Ensure work is appropriately distributed and executed across time zones.
• Foster collaboration and knowledge sharing across geographically dispersed teams.

Project Management & Continuous Improvement

• Partner with Project Managers to support application implementations, upgrades, and transition-to-support activities.
• Coordinate operational readiness activities for new projects.
• Manage project risks, dependencies, and cross-functional deliverables.
• Drive process improvement initiatives using ITIL best practices.
• Identify opportunities for automation, efficiency gains, and cost optimization.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Business, Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7+ years of experience in IT Operations, Application Support, Vendor Management, or Service Delivery.
• 5+ years managing Application Managed Services (AMS) providers.
• Experience managing third-party managed service partnerships.
• Strong experience with vendor governance and performance management.
• Demonstrated experience managing support queues, ticket backlogs, and aging incidents.
• Experience driving SLA compliance and operational excellence.
• Experience preparing executive dashboards and operational reporting.
• Strong project coordination or project management experience.
• Experience leading meetings with senior business and IT stakeholders.
• Experience working with offshore and global delivery teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting ERP, CRM, or enterprise applications (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Salesforce, JD Edwards, etc.)
• Experience with ServiceNow or other ITSM platforms
• Experience in manufacturing

SGA is a technology and resource solutions provider driven to stand out. We are a women-owned business. Our mission: to solve big IT problems with a more personal, boutique approach. Each year, we match consultants like you to more than 1,000 engagements. When we say let's work better together, we mean it. You'll join a diverse team built on these core values: customer service, employee development, and quality and integrity in everything we do. Be yourself, love what you do and find your passion at work. Please find us at https://sgainc.com/ .

SGA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of Race, Color, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Religion, National Origin, Disability, Veteran Status, Age, Marital Status, Pregnancy, Genetic Information, or Other Legally Protected Status. We are committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, and our services, programs, and activities. Please visit our company EEO page to request an accommodation or assistance regarding our policy.