At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the transition of IT services, ensuring they are ready and supportable.
- Company: Join AQA, a diverse and inclusive workplace in Manchester.
- Benefits: Enjoy a flexible hybrid working model, 25 days annual leave, and excellent pension contributions.
- Other info: Opportunities for professional development and continuous improvement in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on high-profile IT programmes while developing your skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in service transition and strong communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 54300 - 60700 £ per year.
The Service Transition Lead ensures that new or changed IT services are introduced in a controlled, secure, and fully supportable manner. By working closely with project and programme teams, you will confirm that all support models, documentation and stakeholder readiness are in place before services go live.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead service transition across projects, ensuring services are ready, supportable and aligned at go-live.
- Collaborate with project teams to define and secure service acceptance criteria, including running readiness checkpoints.
- Coordinate with Enterprise Technology teams to prepare support teams and stakeholders for live service.
- Engage early with programmes and initiatives to assess transition requirements and estimate effort.
- Provide recommendations on go-live readiness, early-life support and service acceptance.
- Confirm service acceptance criteria and secure sign-off at appropriate delivery stages.
- Schedule and chair Go-Live Readiness and Acceptance checkpoints to obtain necessary approvals.
- Ensure knowledge transfer and documentation updates are completed as part of each transition.
- Communicate progress, risks and issues to stakeholders and senior leadership.
- Support continuous improvement of the Service Transition function, identifying opportunities for process and tooling enhancements.
Qualifications
- Experience in service transition, service management or IT project delivery, or a similar governance role.
- Good understanding of ITIL principles (ITIL Foundation certification required; higher level certifications are a plus).
- Strong stakeholder influence and communication skills, with the ability to handle challenging conversations.
- Experience working across multiple teams or suppliers in an IT environment.
- Calm and pragmatic approach, able to deliver outcomes under pressure.
- PRINCE2, Agile or other recognised project management certification is desirable.
- Experience in large-scale or regulated IT environments is a plus.
Benefits
- 35-hour working week with flexible, hybrid working.
- 25 days’ annual leave (rising to 30 plus Christmas closure days).
- Excellent pension scheme (up to 11.5% employer contribution).
- Opportunity to work on high-profile, business-critical programmes.
- Professional development and learning opportunities.
Diversity and Inclusion
At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. Our EDI strategy ensures that everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background—is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive.
Service Transition Lead in Manchester employer: AQA Recruiting
AQA is an exceptional employer located in Manchester, offering a dynamic work environment that prioritises flexibility and employee well-being. With a strong commitment to professional development, a generous benefits package including an excellent pension scheme, and a focus on diversity and inclusion, AQA empowers its employees to thrive while working on impactful projects that shape the future of education.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Service Transition Lead in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at local meetups. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that Service Transition Lead role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by practising common questions related to service transition and ITIL principles. We suggest doing mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to get comfortable with your responses.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your experience! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, highlight your past projects and how you’ve successfully led service transitions. We want to see your impact!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Service Transition Lead in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Service Transition Lead role. Highlight your experience in service transition and IT project delivery, and don’t forget to mention your understanding of ITIL principles!
Showcase Your Communication Skills:Since strong stakeholder influence is key for this role, use your application to demonstrate your communication skills. Share examples of how you've handled challenging conversations or collaborated with multiple teams.
Be Clear About Your Experience:When detailing your work history, be specific about your experience in large-scale or regulated IT environments. This will help us see how you can contribute to our projects right from the get-go.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at AQA Recruiting
✨Know Your ITIL Inside Out
Since the role requires a solid understanding of ITIL principles, make sure you brush up on your ITIL knowledge. Be ready to discuss how you've applied these principles in past roles, and think of specific examples where you ensured services were supportable and aligned at go-live.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Skills
This position involves strong stakeholder influence and communication skills. Prepare to share experiences where you successfully managed challenging conversations or coordinated with multiple teams. Highlight your ability to engage stakeholders early and keep them informed throughout the transition process.
✨Demonstrate Your Project Management Acumen
With experience in service transition and project delivery being crucial, be prepared to discuss your familiarity with methodologies like PRINCE2 or Agile. Share examples of how you've led service transitions across projects, focusing on your approach to securing service acceptance criteria and managing readiness checkpoints.
✨Emphasise Continuous Improvement
The role calls for supporting continuous improvement of the Service Transition function. Think about times when you've identified opportunities for process enhancements or tooling improvements. Be ready to discuss how you implemented these changes and the positive impact they had on service delivery.
