Service Manager reference: 0000069891

Opportunity Review: Service Manager (Knutsford)

This Service Manager position at Barclays presents a compelling opportunity for seasoned IT professionals looking to take significant ownership within a global financial institution. The role demands a proactive and strategic approach to managing critical IT services, ensuring their resilience, scalability, and consistent delivery to meet demanding client expectations, including major players like Amazon and Apple. If you thrive on bridging the gap between technology, business, and external partners, and are driven by continuous improvement and risk mitigation, this could be your next career step.

Key Advantages for Candidates:

• Significant Ownership and Impact: You will have direct accountability for end-to-end service performance, allowing you to make a tangible impact on the organization's operations and client satisfaction. This is an opportunity to truly own critical IT services.
• Strategic Influence: The role is central to setting the strategic direction for the IT Services department. You'll have the chance to influence decision-making, contribute to policy development, and shape the future of IT service management within Barclays.
• Client Exposure to Leading Brands: Working to meet the stringent service level agreements (SLAs) of prominent clients like Amazon and Apple provides invaluable experience and demonstrates a high standard of operational excellence.
• Holistic Service Management: This role encompasses a broad spectrum of IT Service Management disciplines, from incident and problem management to capacity, change, and configuration management. This offers a well-rounded development path.
• Career Growth in Financial Services: Previous experience within the financial services or banking technology sector is highly valued, indicating a pathway for those looking to deepen their expertise in this domain.
• Exposure to Modern IT Architectures: Experience with multi-platform service management, including cloud services like AWS and hybrid environments, positions you at the forefront of contemporary IT infrastructure.
• Leadership and Team Development: The Assistant Vice President expectations highlight opportunities for leadership, team management, coaching, and performance appraisal, fostering growth in people leadership skills.

Key Considerations for Your Career Path:

• ITIL Expertise is Crucial: A strong foundation in ITIL (v3 or v4 certification or extensive practical experience) is a non-negotiable requirement. If your knowledge is not current, investing in ITIL training and certification should be a priority.
• Demonstrated Stakeholder Management: The ability to communicate effectively across all levels, translate technical complexities into business impacts, and influence stakeholders is paramount. Candidates should be ready to showcase their successes in this area.
• Proven Track Record of Improvement: Success in this role hinges on your ability to drive service improvements and deliver measurable operational outcomes. Be prepared to articulate specific examples of your achievements.
• Risk and Controls Acumen: A deep understanding of risk management, controls, and compliance within a regulated environment is essential. This role requires vigilance in identifying, mitigating, and managing IT service risks.
• Strategic and Business Acumen: Beyond technical skills, the ability to think strategically, understand the business context, and contribute to the organization's broader objectives will be key to excelling.
• Adaptability to Complex Environments: The role involves managing complex issues, collaborating across various functions, and analyzing data from multiple sources. A candidate who is comfortable with complexity and ambiguity will find this role rewarding.

This Service Manager position offers a significant platform for professionals to leverage their expertise, drive impactful change, and advance their careers within a prestigious financial institution. If you possess a strong IT service management background, excellent communication skills, and a passion for operational excellence, this opportunity in Knutsford is certainly worth exploring.