Service Portfolio Manager in Manchester

Are you a forward-thinking Service Management professional with a passion for optimising technology services? Freshfields is seeking a talented Service Portfolio Manager to oversee and enhance our end-to-end service portfolio processes. In this pivotal role, you will ensure our technology requirements are clearly understood, and that all elements of our services – including cost, value, risk, SLAs/XLAs, design, and catalogue – are transparent and robust.

The Opportunity

As a Service Portfolio Manager, you will play a critical role in shaping how we deliver technology services across Freshfields. You will:

• Establish and maintain robust governance frameworks for service management.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships to drive service excellence and continuous improvement.
• Develop, oversee, and maintain a transparent service catalogue that clearly presents our IT services.
• Ensure the monitoring, tracking, and consolidation of service status and consumption, demonstrating clear business value.
• Own and optimise IT services across availability, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
• Drive lifecycle management for IT services within your portfolio, including design and implementation of SLAs/XLAs.
• Collaborate with experts to align our service portfolio with customer needs and firm policies, including compliance and ITSCM.
• Engage with vendors to ensure contracts support overall service design and requirements.
• Champion automation and customer service as forefront considerations in all service designs.

What We Are Looking For

We are seeking a service-oriented individual with outstanding organisational skills, exceptional communication abilities, and a keen attention to detail. The ideal candidate will bring:

• Proven experience as a Service Management professional, passionate about process improvement.
• Expertise in customer insight practices and deriving insights from diverse data sources.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and influencing skills.
• In-depth knowledge of Transition Management and modern automation-centric Service Management approaches, including Event and Incident management, Catalogue automation, ITOM, and XLAs.
• A collaborative, professional, accountable, and trustworthy approach.
• Experience with ITSM toolsets, ideally ServiceNow.
• Excellent Service Management process and lifecycle management knowledge, with experience in communication and interaction channels.
• Demonstrated team leadership and matrix management skills.
• The ability to present complex technical findings clearly and engagingly to all audiences, fostering involvement across change management processes.

While not mandatory, exposure to legal industry-specific technologies and tools, alongside ITIL Foundation qualifications, would be a distinct advantage.

What Freshfields Offers

Join Freshfields and become part of a global team that values innovation, collaboration, and a people-first culture. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where every voice is heard, and diverse perspectives drive our success. As a Service Portfolio Manager, you'll find ample opportunities for professional development, continuous learning, and career advancement within a leading international law firm. We believe in empowering our people, providing the tools and support you need to excel and make a tangible impact on our technology landscape.

If you are ready to make a significant contribution in a dynamic and supportive environment, we encourage you to apply.

Inclusion

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered by the firm on the basis of their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing. Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case by case basis and take a number of factors into account (eg the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.