Service Transition Manager

Experis UK; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Experis UK is seeking an experienced Service Transition Manager to ensure smooth transition of new or changed technology services into operations. You will define acceptance criteria, establish support models, coordinate readiness activities and support go-live with clear governance across business, technology and suppliers.

You will work across delivery teams and operational support to ensure service readiness, documentation and stable handover.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering service transition within large-scale technology or digital transformation programmes.
• Strong understanding of IT service management principles and operational readiness.
• Experience establishing support models, SLAs, governance processes and service acceptance criteria.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement service transition strategies and plans for new/enhanced technology services.
• Establish support models, acceptance criteria, SLAs and operational processes.
• Ensure documentation, knowledge transfer and service artefacts are completed before go-live.
• Lead service acceptance reviews and readiness assessments.
• Coordinate early life support and warranty periods; monitor service performance and stability.
• Handover services from delivery to business-as-usual operations.

Skills

Service transition management

IT service management

Stakeholder management

Documentation & knowledge transfer

Risk & RAID handling

Cross-functional coordination

Job description

Location

Manchester (1 day per week onsite, remainder remote/hybrid)

Contract Type

Permanent

Salary

Competitive + Benefits

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Service Transition Manager to play a key role in delivering successful technology and digital transformation initiatives. This position will be responsible for ensuring that new or changed technology services transition smoothly from project delivery into operational support, with clear service ownership, support processes and governance in place.

Working across business, technology and third-party suppliers, you will establish service acceptance criteria, define support models, coordinate operational readiness activities and ensure services are fully prepared for go-live and beyond.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and implement service transition strategies and plans for new and enhanced technology services.
• Establish support models, service acceptance criteria, SLAs and operational processes.
• Ensure all documentation, knowledge transfer and service artefacts are completed before go-live.
• Lead service acceptance reviews and readiness assessments.
• Coordinate early life support and warranty periods, monitoring service performance and stability.
• Ensure smooth handover from delivery teams into business-as-usual operations.

Programme & Project Engagement

• Develop and maintain detailed transition plans, milestones and deliverables.
• Manage service transition risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies (RAID).
• Provide regular progress reporting to programme and project stakeholders.
• Support go/no-go decision making and contribute to project stage gate reviews.
• Ensure operational requirements are embedded throughout the project lifecycle.

Stakeholder & Supplier Management

• Act as the primary link between project delivery teams and operational support teams.
• Build effective relationships with business stakeholders, technical teams and third-party partners.
• Facilitate resolution of transition challenges and operational readiness issues.
• Work with managed service providers to define support models, escalation paths, resolver groups and service levels.
• Support business teams during hypercare and post-implementation periods.

Essential

• Proven experience delivering service transition activities within large-scale technology or digital transformation programmes.
• Strong understanding of IT service management principles and operational readiness.
• Experience establishing support models, SLAs, service acceptance criteria and governance processes.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Strong organisational and documentation capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to manage risks and maintain service quality during periods of change.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams and multiple workstreams simultaneously.

Desirable

• Experience supporting CRM, ERP, cloud-based platforms or other enterprise applications.
• Background working with managed service providers and outsourced support models.
• Experience within complex, multi-site organisations.
• ITIL certification or equivalent service management qualifications.

Personal Attributes

• Delivery and outcomes focused.
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced environments.
• Able to manage competing priorities effectively.
• Collaborative and relationship-driven.
• Proactive, organised and detail-oriented.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.

What’s on Offer

• Opportunity to join a major technology transformation programme.
• Hybrid working with one day per week in Manchester.
• Exposure to senior business and technology stakeholders.
• A collaborative environment with opportunities to influence service excellence and operational maturity.