Service Operations Manager

Service Management is the guardian of end-to-end technology service performance and compliance for the Partnership. It ensures that IT services are operated successfully, are aligned with business requirements and therefore support the achievement of the Partnership Plan.

Within this area, the critical purpose of this role is to own, lead and assure the design, execution and quality of the incident, problem, change, request, event processes alongside leadership of the service desk and operations bridge functions, providing first and second line support for the whole business.

This role is also accountable for the ownership of the JL Customer Care Support Team providing IT support for the JL Customer Contact Centres. In doing this the role is accountable for operational service management and through the process teams and Service Operations Leads and the Service Delivery Managers, assures operational activity and intervenes where necessary to support the return to appropriate levels of service.

At a glance

• Expected Salary: £75,000 - £115,000 (depending upon experience)
   

• Hybrid Working - This is a hybrid working role, therefore your time will primarily be split between working from home and the Bracknell Head Office. However, there will also be an expectation to visit other locations as the need arises including our Head office in London. 
   

• Our team currently works from the office around twice a week to connect and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings, but again the frequency is dependent on the business needs.
   

• Contract type - Permanent.
   

Key Responsibilities

• IT Process Ownership: Own, design, and take full accountability for the execution and performance of Incident (including Major Incident Management), Problem, Change, and Request management processes.
   

• Operational Leadership: Lead and assure the operational performance of the Service Desk, Operations Bridge, and the JL Customer Care Support Team for contact centres.
   

• 3rd-Party Provider Management: Direct the relationship with strategic third-party vendors to maximise value and ensure delivery of service obligations.
   

• Operational Assurance & Intervention: Monitor operational service alongside Service Delivery Managers and Service Operations Leads, intervening whenever necessary to restore service to target levels.
   

• Process Integration & Maturity: Drive process integration across the Service Integration and Management (SIAM) framework while establishing and achieving process maturity target goals.
   

• Senior Escalation Point: Act as the primary escalation point for major incidents requiring direct engagement with senior business and IT leadership.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• Senior IT Leadership: Proven track record of leading IT operations at a senior level.
   

• ITIL Specialist: Demonstrable experience working with ITIL v3 and/or v4 frameworks.
   

• Outsourced Capability: Strong experience operating and managing teams in large-scale outsourced environments.
   

• Executive Communication: Proven track record of communicating and reporting on IT performance to senior leadership within and outside of IT.
   

• Stakeholder Engagement & Influence: Excellent communication skills to win "hearts and minds," translate complex messages empathetically, and adapt style to achieve win-win decisions.
   

• Critical Thinking: Ability to leverage data and evidence to analyse operational issues and form reasoned judgments.
   

• Outcome Focus: High resilience and persistence in overcoming operational barriers to reach targeted goals.
   

• Continuous Improvement: A proactive mindset dedicated to continuously refining and improving operational service delivery.
   

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Retail Sector Expertise: Practical understanding and experience with Retail industry operations and retail technology patterns.
   

• Modern Delivery Frameworks: Direct experience working or operating within DevOps and Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) environments.

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We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.  

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.   

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. 

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. 

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.  

Important points to note:  

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.  

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.