Head of Service Transition

JD Sports Fashion; Bury; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a strategic leader for the Head of Service Transition role. This pivotal position involves overseeing the smooth transition of technology services into operations, ensuring excellence through effective change management, release management, and knowledge management practices. You'll collaborate with IT and business leaders to align service activities with organizational goals, driving continuous improvement. Join a dynamic team that values innovation and operational excellence, and play a key role in shaping the future of service delivery in a fast-paced retail environment.

Benefits

Staff Discount on qualifying purchases

Discounted Gym membership

Personal development opportunities

Access to Apprenticeships and accredited qualifications

Qualifications

• 10+ years in IT service management with 5+ in leadership roles.
• Proven experience in change management and service transition.

Responsibilities

• Lead service transition activities ensuring quality and timely delivery.
• Manage contracts with third-party providers for service execution.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Thinking

ITIL Processes

Change Management

Release Management

Knowledge Management

Configuration Management

Contract Management

Vendor Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology

Relevant certifications (e.g., ITIL Expert, PMP)

Tools

Service Reporting Tools

Configuration Management Database (CMDB)

Job description

JD Sports- Head Office, Warwick House, Bury, Bury, United Kingdom Req #92

24 March 2025

Established in 1981 with a single store in the Northwest of England, the JD Group is a leading omni-channel retailer of Sports Fashion, Outdoors and Gyms with our colleagues working in stores across several retail fascias in many markets around the world.

JD Sports Fashion Plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1996 and has been a FTSE100 publicly quoted company since 2019 and continues to grow in the UK and internationally.

We want to be the leading global omnichannel retailer in the sports and outdoor industry. To be a part of this successful company and help us to achieve this you will have the desire to ingrain our strategic goals of being a people-led, innovative and customer-focused organisation which provides operational excellence whilst identifying new areas of growth as part of our day to day objectives.

The Head of Service Transition is a critical leadership role responsible for ensuring the smooth transition of Group Technology services into the operational environment.

This role encompasses change enablement, release management, knowledge management, CMDB (Configuration Management Database), service reporting, and contract management for the execution layer.

You will oversee the planning, coordination, and execution of service transition activities, ensuring services meet quality standards and are delivered on time and within budget. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong leadership skills and a deep understanding of ITIL processes and best practices.

As the Head of Service Transition, you will lead the service transition team, managing processes and frameworks necessary for effective service transitions. Your responsibilities will include developing and implementing strategies for change management, release management, knowledge management, CMDB, configuration management, and service reporting.

Additionally, you will manage contracts with third-party providers responsible for the execution layer, ensuring they meet performance standards and integrate seamlessly with our workflows.

The role demands collaboration with various IT and business leaders to align service transition activities with organisational goals, driving continuous improvement and fostering a culture of excellence within the service transition team and across the organisation.

Job Title – Head of Service Transition

Working hours – 40

What You'll Be Doing:

• Develop and implement change management strategies to ensure smooth and controlled transitions of services.
• Oversee the change enablement process, ensuring changes are reviewed, approved, and implemented with minimal disruption.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to assess the impact of changes and ensure readiness for implementation.

Release Management:

• Plan and manage the release of new services and updates, ensuring coordination across teams and adherence to schedules.
• Develop release policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and compliance requirements.
• Oversee the deployment of releases, ensuring successful implementation and addressing any issues that arise.

Knowledge Management:

• Establish and maintain a knowledge management framework to capture, store, and share information across the organisation.
• Ensure knowledge resources are up-to-date, accessible, and effectively utilised by IT and business teams.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning and improvement through effective knowledge sharing practices.

CMDB and Configuration Management:

• Oversee the management and maintenance of the Configuration Management Database (CMDB).
• Ensure the accuracy and completeness of configuration data, supporting effective service management and decision-making.
• Develop and enforce configuration management policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with industry standards.

Service Reporting:

• Develop and maintain service reporting frameworks to provide insights into service performance and compliance.
• Produce regular reports on key performance indicators (KPIs), service level agreements (SLAs), and other metrics.
• Present findings to senior management and stakeholders, providing recommendations for improvement.

Contract Management:

• Oversee the management of third-party provider contracts responsible for the execution layer of service transition activities.
• Ensure adherence to service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) as outlined in the contracts.
• Lead negotiations for contract renewals and amendments, securing favourable terms and conditions.
• Monitor vendor performance and manage relationships to ensure high-quality service delivery.
• Ensure third-party providers are integrated seamlessly into the organisation's workflows and align with the overall strategic vision.

Leadership and Collaboration:

• Lead and develop a high-performing service transition team, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with other IT and business leaders to ensure alignment of service transition activities with organisational goals.

Act as a point of escalation for service transition issues, ensuring timely resolution and effective communication.

What We're Looking For:

Required Skills and Experience:

Leadership and Management:

• Proven leadership abilities with experience in mentoring, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong strategic thinking and planning skills to drive continuous improvement and foster a culture of excellence.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to build strong relationships with technical and business stakeholders.
• Effective collaboration skills to work with various IT and business leaders, ensuring alignment of service transition activities with organisational goals.

Technical Expertise:

• In-depth knowledge of ITIL processes and best practices, particularly in service transition areas such as change enablement, release management, and configuration management.
• Strong understanding of Configuration Management Database (CMDB) and its role in service management.
• Proficiency in knowledge management frameworks and service reporting tools.
• Experience in managing the end-to-end lifecycle of IT services, from development to operations.

Contract and Vendor Management:

• Experience in managing third-party provider contracts, including negotiating terms, monitoring performance, and ensuring compliance with SLAs and KPIs.

Experience:

Professional Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in IT service management, with at least 5 years in a leadership role overseeing service transition activities.
• Experience in the retail industry or a similar fast-paced environment is a plus.

Service Management:

• Practical experience in developing and implementing strategies for change management, release management, knowledge management, CMDB, configuration management, and service reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to manage the planning, coordination, and execution of service transition activities, ensuring they meet quality standards and are delivered on time and within budget.

Educational Background:

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, or a related field.

Relevant certifications (e.g., ITIL Expert, ITIL Service Transition, PMP) are highly desirable.

The Company:

The JD Group is a leading omnichannel retailer of Sports Fashion, Street & Premium Fashion, Outdoors and Gyms with over 90,000 colleagues over 4,500 stores across several retail fascia's in over 36 countries around the world.

We are an equal opportunities employer who embraces and values differences. We recognise the importance of an inclusive workplace culture in which everyone can thrive irrespective of their background or identity.

To be a part of this successful and continuously growing company, you will have the desire to ingrain our strategic goals of being a people first, a digital leader and customer focused organisation which provides operational excellence and is continuous with identifying new areas of growth into our day-to-day.

We know our employees work tirelessly to make JD Sports the success it is today and in turn, we offer them some amazing benefits:

• Staff Discount on qualifying purchases across Group retail stores and online
• Discounted Gym membership
• Personal development opportunities to learn and develop at work
• Access to Apprenticeships and accredited qualifications

Interested?

If you are interested in this position, then press the Apply Now button.

Due to the high volumes of applications our opportunities attract, it takes time to review them all. If you don't hear back within two weeks of your application, please consider your application to have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Applications that meet the skills criteria will be contacted for a 1st stage meeting with the talent team. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to interview with the hiring manager.