Head of IT Service Management

Head of IT Service Management
Hybrid - 3 Days per Week in Hertfordshire
110,000 - 130,000 + up to 30% bonus + strong benefits

We've been retained to hire a Head of IT Service Management into a complex, high-volume, customer-facing environment where service stability and resilience are critical to business performance.

Based in Hertfordshire (hybrid), you'll lead end-to-end service management across IT, logistics, fulfilment, and customer operations - owning major incident response, service performance, and continuous improvement at scale.

Key responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end IT service management (incident, problem, change, release, configuration) aligned to ITIL 4
• Own major incident management (P1/P2), acting as the senior escalation point with clear executive communication
• Drive root cause analysis and continuous improvement using service metrics (MTTR, trends, backlog)
• Oversee IT service delivery, 24/7 support operations, and ITSM tooling
• Coordinate cyber incident response with internal security teams and external partners
• Manage third-party suppliers, SLAs, and commercial performance
• Define and deliver strategy across automation, observability, and AIOps
• Lead and develop a high-performing team while influencing senior stakeholders

Key requirements

• Proven experience in a Head of IT Service Management / Service Delivery leadership role
• Strong ITIL 4 expertise and major incident management experience
• Background in complex, fast-paced environments (ecommerce, retail, logistics or similar)
• Experience managing suppliers, budgets, and cost optimisation
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, including C-suite interaction
• Data-driven approach with the ability to lead under pressure

Desirable

• Cyber incident response experience
• ServiceNow, Jira Service Management or similar ITSM tools
• Exposure to AIOps, observability, automation
• Advanced ITIL or relevant certifications

Package and benefits

• Base salary 110,000 - 130,000 (DOE)
• Up to 30% discretionary bonus
• Up to 7% matched pension
• Private medical insurance
• Strong holiday allowance + option to buy more
• "Work from anywhere" flexibility
• Additional perks including discounts and wellbeing support

This is a high-impact leadership role with real ownership of service performance across a critical, customer-facing operation.

Apply now for a confidential discussion.

If you've held any of these roles or used these technologies/skills, this role could be a great fit: Head of Service Management, Head of IT Service Delivery, IT Operations Director, Service Delivery Director, ITSM Lead, Major Incident Manager, ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, AIOps, ITIL 4.

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