Head of Application Support

Mace; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Mace Consult seeks a Head of Application Support to govern the application estate, including SaaS platforms, legacy systems and integrations. The role focuses on stabilising services, driving ITSM maturity and coordinating internal and outsourced teams.

This is a 12 month fixed-term contract with hybrid UK-based work and travel as required. You will oversee service delivery, KPI tracking, and continuous improvement while ensuring compliance with ISO27001 and cyber essentials.

Qualifications

• Strong background in application support and IT service management (ITIL or equivalent).
• Experience managing complex application landscapes (SaaS and legacy systems).
• Clear understanding of integrations and cross-system processes.

Responsibilities

• Own and govern application support services across the consult application estate.
• Define and implement standardised support, monitoring and management processes across all applications.
• Ensure key service KPIs are defined, tracked and continuously improved.
• Drive service stability and incident reduction with improved user experience across business applications.
• Embed consistent service management disciplines across internal teams and the strategic outsource partner.
• Drive maturity of ITSM processes (incident, problem, change and release management).
• Oversee day-to-day performance of application services (reliability, availability, responsiveness).
• Identify service improvements and adopt best practices across teams.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, automation and service quality.
• Ensure documentation and knowledge management is maintained and up to date.
• Own relationships with key application vendors and outsourced partner; governance and contract alignment.

Skills

ITIL knowledge

SaaS & legacy

Vendor management

Service KPIs

ITSM monitoring

Leadership in IT operations

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Professional or technical qualifications

Tools

ITSM tools

Job description

Mace combines construction expertise with consultancy to unlock potential in every person or project and redefine the boundaries of ambition. Our values shape the way we consult and define the people we want to join us on our journey.

The head of application support is accountable for the governance, performance and continuous improvement of the application estate across Mace Consult, including SaaS platforms, legacy systems and integrations.

The role ensures application services are stable, secure, compliant and aligned to business needs by standardising support processes, managing third-party suppliers, and driving service excellence across internal and outsourced teams.

This role will play a key part in strengthening service maturity, improving operational performance, and supporting business change initiatives across the consult business.

Note: This role is a 12 month fixed-term contract (FTC) supporting the Mace Consult business, with potential opportunity for permanent opportunity beyond this subject to business requirements based in UK (London Head Office), with hybrid working and occasional travel as required.

You’ll Be Responsible For

• Own and govern application support services across the consult application estate.
• Define and implement standardised support, monitoring and management processes across all applications.
• Ensure key service KPIs are defined, tracked and continuously improved.
• Drive service stability, incident reduction and improved user experience across business applications.
• Embed consistent service management disciplines across internal teams and the strategic outsource partner.
• Drive maturity of ITSM processes, including incident, problem, change and release management, ensuring effective governance and control.

Operations, performance and continuous improvement

• Oversee day-to-day performance of application services, ensuring reliability, availability and responsiveness.
• Identify service improvements and drive adoption of best practices across internal and outsourced teams.
• Continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, automation and service quality.
• Ensuring documentation and knowledge management is maintained and up to date.

Third-party and supplier management

• Own and manage relationships with key application vendors and the strategic outsourced service delivery partner.
• Provide clear governance and oversight of outsourced services, ensuring alignment to contractual obligations, service scope and operating model.
• Ensure services are delivered in line with agreed SLAs, KPIs and underpinning ITIL processes (Incident, problem, change and service request management).
• Manage structured service reviews, performance reporting and escalation management with suppliers.
• Drive continuous improvement plans with the strategic partner to improve service quality, efficiency and user experience.
• Collaborate with commercial, procurement and legal teams on contract management, renewals and service optimisation.

Governance, risk and compliance

• Ensure application services meet digital, security and regulatory standards.
• Support compliance requirements including ISO 27001, cyber essentials and financial audit controls.
• Identify, manage and mitigate risks across the application portfolio.
• Work closely with IT security to strengthen security posture across applications.

Stakeholder engagement and business alignment

• Act as the senior point of contact for application support across Mace consult.
• Build strong relationships with business stakeholders and application owners.
• Translate business requirements into support, enhancement and service improvement activities.
• Support business change, transformation initiatives and application transitions into BAU support.

Leadership and strategy

• Provide leadership and direction across application support teams (internal and outsourced).
• Contribute to digital services strategy and operating model evolution.
• Shape future support structures, tooling and capabilities to support consult growth.
• Drive a culture of accountability, collaboration and service excellence.

You’ll Need To Have

• Strong background in application support and IT service management (ITIL or equivalent)
• Experience managing complex application landscapes (SaaS and legacy systems)
• Strong understanding of integrations and cross-system processes.
• Proven experience managing third-party suppliers and outsourced services.
• Good understanding of service monitoring, KPIs and operational performance management.
• Significant experience in application support, IT operations or service delivery leadership roles.
• Proven track record of operational service improvement and supplier management.
• Relevant professional or technical qualifications.
• Experience supporting global or multi-entity organisations.

Our values

Safety first - Going home safe and well: We champion a safe, diverse and inclusive working environment, understanding the importance of wellbeing in every team.

Client focus - Deliver on our promise: We own the quality of deliverables, strategic outcomes and build long term relationships with our clients.

Integrity - Always do the right thing: We influence positive outcomes within our industry, while always aligning with our compliance obligations.

Create opportunity - For our people to excel: We champion a continuous improvement culture throughout all activities, inspiring our people and teams to develop.

Mace is an inclusive employer and welcomes interest from a diverse range of candidates. Even if you feel you do not fulfil all the criteria, please apply as you may still be the best candidate for this role or another role within our organisation.

We are also open to discussing part time, flexible, and hybrid working options if suitable with-in the role.