ESM Platforms Engineering Manager

JLL; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

JLL is seeking an ESM Platforms Engineering Manager to lead engineering across Moveworks, ServiceNow, and AI agent development on internal platforms. You will own end-to-end delivery, set engineering standards, and mentor a blended team of direct staff and contractors.

This role drives the transformation of ITSM into a value-adding platform for the business, leveraging guardrails, AI capabilities, and scalable automation while collaborating with Platform Leads and governance bodies.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on automation and software-engineering skill.
• Experience with AI agent development and enterprise platforms.
• Expertise in ITSM/ITIL at large-enterprise scale.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end engineering delivery across Moveworks, ServiceNow, and AI development on internal platforms.
• Design and ship AI agents and multi-agent orchestration for ITSM workflows.
• Lead a blended team of direct employees and contractors with a unified engineering standard.
• Manage sprint planning, code reviews, mentoring, hiring, and performance management.
• Ensure governance alignment with Vendor & Service Excellence and change management.
• Establish SDLC, CI/CD, testing, and documentation practices across teams.
• Report progress and platform health to ESM leadership.

Skills

Automation

Software engineering

AI agent development

ITSM/ITIL expertise

Critical thinking

Tools

Moveworks

ServiceNow

Job description

JLL empowers you to shape a brighter way .

Our people at JLL are shaping the future of real estate for a better world by combining world class services, advisory and technology for our clients. We are committed to hiring the best, most talented people and empowering them to thrive, grow meaningful careers and to find a place where they belong. Whether you've got deep experience in commercial real estate, skilled trades or technology, or you're looking to apply your relevant experience to a new industry, join our team as we help shape a brighter way forward.

ESM Platforms Engineering Manager

Purpose of the Role

JLL's Enterprise Service Management (ESM) team is hiring an ITSM Engineering Manager to lead the engineering teams responsible for the three platforms that power JLL's intelligent automation and virtual-agent capability: Moveworks (JLL's enterprise virtual agent / reasoning-engine platform), ServiceNow (JLL's ITSM system of record, including its native AI Agent Studio, AI Agent Orchestrator, and Now Assist capabilities), and general agentic AI development on JLL's other internal platforms. This role sits within the ITSM Platform & Automation function and is accountable for both hands-on engineering delivery and the people leadership of a blended team of JLL direct employees and managed-service / staff-augmentation contractors.

The mandate goes beyond keeping the lights on. This manager is expected to help transform ESM from a traditional IT support function into a value-providing capability for JLL - one that supports modern application development teams, not only IT operations, and that uses AI and agentic AI to widen who can participate in, and benefit from, enterprise service management. That means designing and shipping agents, integrations, and self-service capability that make ESM's data, workflows, and services consumable by other engineering and business teams, not just the service desk.

Three qualification pillars were requested for this hire and are reflected in every section below: (1) strong, hands-on automation and software-engineering skill - including coding ability for web applications and AI agent development; (2) deep ITSM/ITIL expertise at large-enterprise scale, paired with a proven, demonstrable record of using AI and agentic AI to modernize IT Service Management; and (3) critical thinking - the judgment to apply industry frameworks, standards, and vendor claims appropriately to JLL's business rather than adopting them by rote.

Key Responsibilities

Own end-to-end engineering delivery across three platforms: Moveworks (virtual-agent / reasoning-engine configuration, skill and workflow development, and enterprise search integration), ServiceNow (platform engineering, Flow Designer / Integration Hub development, and native AI Agent Studio, AI Agent Orchestrator, and Now Assist capability), and general agentic AI development on other internal JLL platforms.

Design, build, and ship custom AI agents and multi-agent orchestration that automate ITSM and adjacent enterprise workflows, applying guardrails, human-in-the-loop controls, and audit logging appropriate to each use case's risk.

Lead and develop a blended engineering team of JLL direct employees and staff-augmentation contractors, holding both groups to one engineering standard for code quality, testing, documentation, and delivery practice regardless of employment type.

Manage day-to-day team operations - sprint/iteration planning, code review, technical mentorship, hiring, and performance management for direct reports - while partnering with Vendor & Service Excellence governance on contractor performance, staffing changes, and statement-of-work scope.

Identify and build the automation and AI capabilities that let modern application development teams - not only traditional IT operations - consume ESM services (self-service provisioning, developer-facing agents, API-first integrations), advancing ESM's shift from a support function toward a value-providing platform for the business.

Evaluate vendor and platform capability claims with a critical eye - distinguishing genuine agentic reasoning from rules-based automation marketed as "agentic" - to guide build-vs-buy and platform-investment decisions.

Partner with the ServiceNow Platform Lead, Intelligent Automation Lead, Change Enablement Process Owner, and other ESM process owners to ensure automation and AI development stays aligned with change, release, and configuration-management governance.

Establish and maintain engineering practices - SDLC, CI/CD, source control, automated testing, and technical documentation - appropriate for ITSM and agentic AI development, and apply them consistently across the in-house and contractor workforce.

Report engineering roadmap progress, automation coverage, deflection / self-service metrics, and platform health to ESM leadership, and represent engineering considerations in ESM governance forums (e.g., the Platform Release Board).

Require