Senior Service Manager

AWE; Reading; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

9-day fortnight

Pension scheme

Maternity/Paternity pay

Professional development

Employee assistance

Life assurance

Discounts

Special leave

Job summary

AWE is seeking a Senior Service Manager to oversee IT services across the organisation from RG7 4PR. The role requires driving service excellence, incident resolution, and continuous improvement, while aligning IT with business goals.

AWE offers a 9-day fortnight and flexible working options. The Senior Service Manager will lead a team, manage SLAs, and report on service performance, with responsibilities across governance, budgeting, and compliance.

Qualifications

• ITIL foundation or equivalent
• Experience managing IT services
• Strong communication with stakeholders
• Knowledge of security and compliance requirements

Responsibilities

• Ensure IT services meet SLAs, KPIs and customer expectations.
• Monitor service performance and drive improvements.
• Act as primary contact for senior stakeholders on service matters.
• Oversee major incidents and root cause analyses.
• Lead service improvement initiatives and cost control.

Skills

ITIL

Leadership

Stakeholder mgmt

Incident management

Problem management

Change management

Education

Service management certification

Job description

Role: Senior Service Manager

Location: RG7 4PR, located between Reading and Basingstoke, with free onsite parking.

Package: Starting from £50,060p.a (depending on your suitability, qualifications, and level of experience)

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight. We will consider flexible working requests so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know your preferred working pattern on your application.

Let us introduce the role:

The Senior Service Manager is responsible for overseeing the delivery and continuous improvement of IT services across the organisation. The Senior Service Manager acts as a key liaison between technical teams and business units, driving service excellence and operational efficiency. This role ensures the reliable, efficient, and secure delivery of these services to meet the organisations business needs and objectives. By managing service levels, addressing incidents, and driving continuous improvement, the Senior Service Manager will contribute to the optimal performance and alignment of IT services with business goals.

Key Accountabilities:

• Ensure IT services are delivered in line with agreed SLAs, KPIs, and customer expectations.
• Monitor and report on service performance, identifying trends and implementing corrective actions.
• Act as the primary point of contact for senior stakeholders regarding service-related matters.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with business units to understand their needs and ensure service alignment.
• Oversee the resolution of major incidents and ensure root cause analysis is completed.
• Drive problem management processes to reduce recurring issues and improve service stability.
• Ensure changes are assessed, approved, and implemented with minimal disruption to services.
• Collaborate with technical teams to manage releases and deployments effectively.
• Identify opportunities to enhance service quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• Lead service improvement initiatives and track their impact.
• Manage and mentor service management staff, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Ensure the team is equipped with the skills and tools needed to deliver excellent service.
• Ensure services comply with internal policies, regulatory requirements, and security standards.
• Proactively manage service risks and escalation where appropriate.
• Support budgeting and cost control for service delivery functions.
• Monitor service-related expenditures and contribute to financial planning.
• Produce regular service reports for senior leadership and governance forums.
• Communicate service status, risks, and improvement plans clearly and effectively.
• Consistently uphold and advocate for exemplary standards in environmental stewardship, safety, health, security, and quality, while fostering a collaborative and high-performing team culture.

Essential Criteria:

• Strong understanding of relevant industry regulations (e.g., GDPR, ISO 27001, data protection regulations).
• Ability to manage and mitigate risks associated with service delivery.
• Relevant certifications in service management or operational technology.
• Further education in relevant fields i.e. Information technology - or equivalent experience
• Proven experience in managing OT and Communications services
• Practical experience in incident, problem, and change management.
• Experience with service reporting, risk management, and operational compliance.
• Strong leadership and team management skills in service-oriented environments.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong problem-solving skills, able to manage incidents and service disruptions effectively.
• Proficiency in service performance management and reporting.
• Solid understanding of ITIL processes (incident, problem, change management).
• Ability to manage service performance, KPIs, and SLAs.
• Willing to undertake overseas travel.

Work hard, be rewarded:

We ask a lot and set the bar high because our work truly matters. In return we offer balance, with award winning benefits including:

• 9-day working fortnight - meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
• Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
• Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

All candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the appropriate security clearance for this role.