Lead, Service Management

About the Role

Liberty is searching for an experienced and strategic Service Management Lead to take charge of the end-to-end service lifecycle for large, complex, and customer-facing business IT services. This pivotal role involves overseeing teams across various portfolios and geographical locations, ensuring robust and efficient service delivery. The successful candidate will be instrumental in providing comprehensive strategic and operational insights into service performance, generating actionable management information, and presenting recommendations directly to the CIO. A key aspect of this position is actively spearheading and driving service improvement initiatives across the organisation. This is an opportunity to shape the future of IT service excellence within a dynamic financial services environment.

The primary focus of this leadership position is to proactively manage the lifecycle of critical IT services, which encompass business services, applications, systems, external vendors, and their interdependencies. Your responsibilities will include:

• **Strategic Oversight:** Directing the comprehensive service lifecycle management for major IT services used by customers.
• **Team Leadership:** Guiding and mentoring teams operating across multiple business portfolios and diverse geographical regions.
• **Insight Generation:** Producing insightful strategic and operational analyses of service performance.
• **Reporting Excellence:** Developing clear and impactful management information to support executive decision-making.
• **Advisory Role:** Providing informed recommendations to the CIO based on service performance data and strategic objectives.
• **Improvement Driving:** Actively initiating and managing service improvement programmes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• **Financial Stewardship:** Overseeing aspects of financial management related to service delivery.
• **Risk Mitigation:** Managing IT-related risks and ensuring information security protocols are upheld.
• **Vendor Relations:** Evaluating and managing relationships with external technology vendors.
• **Service Level Adherence:** Ensuring that service level agreements (SLAs) are met and optimised.

What They're Looking For

Liberty is seeking a seasoned professional with a strong background in IT service management, particularly within complex organisational structures.

**Qualifications and Experience:**

• A first degree in Business Commerce or Information Technology is required.
• ITIL certification is preferred and highly advantageous.
• Between 8 to 10 years of experience leading service management processes, specifically within large and varied portfolios.
• Demonstrated and proven knowledge of ITSM best practices and their practical application.
• A solid understanding of domain-specific technology strategies.
• Extensive knowledge of domain operations, including ecosystems, supplier networks, and a broad technical grasp of technologies, solutions, and service catalogues used across various countries.

**Key Competencies:**

The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership and interpersonal skills, including:

• Exceptional communication and articulation abilities.
• A proactive approach to challenging ideas and exploring new possibilities.
• A commitment to continuous development of expertise.
• Strategic thinking and the ability to develop effective strategies.
• A talent for directing and empowering individuals within diverse teams.
• Skilled in establishing rapport and resolving conflict constructively.
• Composed under pressure and dedicated to upholding high standards.

In South Africa, a Service Management Lead in a large financial institution like Liberty could typically expect a competitive salary package, often ranging from R800,000 to R1,200,000 annually, depending on experience, qualifications, and the scope of the role. Key employers for such roles include other major banks (e.g., Standard Bank, FNB, Absa, Nedbank) and insurance companies (e.g., Old Mutual, Discovery). The career path for this role often leads to more senior IT leadership positions, such as Head of IT Operations, CIO, or other strategic management roles within technology divisions.

Type of Qualification: First Degree
Field of Study: Business Commerce or Information Technology
 

Preferred certification: ITIL 

Experience Required
Delivery Enablement
Technology
8-10 years
Experience in leading service management processes for large and diverse portfolio's. Proven knowledge and application of ITSM practice

8-10 years
Have good knowledge of domain appropriate technology strategies. Proven application of service management processes and framework

8-10 years
Have knowledge of domain operations, understanding of ecosystems, suppliers and broad technical knowledge of the technology, solutions and service catalogue consumed by countries.