Head of Service Operations — Unified Service Desk

Softcat; Marlow; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Softcat is seeking a Head of Service Operations to lead the Unified Service Desk and to build the Service Operations team from a standing start. You will own the operational control model for live services and drive end-to-end incident, change and major incident processes across multiple towers and locations.

You will establish cross-location governance, set clear ownership and priority criteria, and work with senior stakeholders to maintain high service levels, performance and continuous

Qualifications

• Extensive senior operational leadership experience in live service delivery, managed services or IT service provider environments.
• Proven experience owning operational control across multi-tower/multi-team/multi-partner estates, incl. prioritisation and escalation.
• Strong major incident command experience, including communication with senior stakeholders and customers.
• Track record of building a function, capability or operating model from a standing start.
• Ability to present a clear, evidenced position to senior technical/commercial stakeholders to reject unjustified escalations.
• Experience establishing decision rights, operating rhythms and quality standards in busy environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Service Operations function, building the coordination team from a standing start with a culture of flow, evidence, accountability and operational discipline
• Own the operational control model for live services
• Lead the Unified Service Desk through its own management line, accountable for service levels, workforce and handoffs to technical teams
• Own incident, problem, change and major incident management practices and monitoring across live service
• Establish the control plane across towers, partners and locations
• Build an operating standard that holds across time zones and delivery locations
• Ensure every live work item has a named owner and risk-based priority set by Service Operations
• Set prioritisation rules and apply them consistently across teams, with exceptions documented
• Reprioritise engineering backlogs by customer impact, risk and ageing, in collaboration with tower leadership

Skills

Senior operational leadership

Operational control ownership

Major incident command

Building operating model

Stakeholder management

Governance & standards

Job description

Softcat is seeking a Head of Service Operations to lead the Unified Service Desk and to build the Service Operations team from a standing start. You will own the operational control model for live services and drive end-to-end incident, change and major incident processes across multiple towers and locations.

You will establish cross-location governance, set clear ownership and priority criteria, and work with senior stakeholders to maintain high service levels, performance and continuous