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- Tasks: Lead strategic service continuity initiatives to ensure M&S services remain resilient during crises.
- Company: Join the innovative team at Marks & Spencer, a leader in retail transformation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 20% discount, competitive holidays, bonuses, and extensive wellbeing support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by safeguarding M&S's reputation and enhancing service resilience.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in IT service continuity and strong communication skills required.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to innovation and inclusivity.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
The Head of Service Continuity is a senior role within the D&T Service Management organisation, ensuring that there is an Enterprise approach to all Service Continuity activities that underpin the needs of the M&S Business. The Head of Service Continuity is accountable for ensuring that the availability and performance of all M&S services are maintained at sufficient levels in case of a disaster. The key outcome is to build organisational resilience with the capability of producing an effective response that safeguards the interests of our Stores and Colleagues, protecting the organisation’s reputation, brand, and value-creating activities.
This role requires regular engagement with Senior Business Leaders and D&T leadership to understand current challenges and risks to the continuity of M&S Services and to reinforce the value of Service Continuity planning and testing.
What you’ll do:
- Strategic leadership in ITSCM and resilience. Proven ability to lead enterprise-wide continuity strategies, develop robust ITSCM roadmaps, govern service continuity practices, and drive prevention, prediction, and recovery capabilities across a complex digital and retail environment.
- Deep expertise in continuity, incident management, and risk. Strong command of ITSCM, incident response, command-and-control models, regulatory considerations, business impact assessment, risk management, and the design of standardised response processes and testing programmes.
- Exceptional stakeholder influence and communication. Skilled at engaging senior leaders, cross-functional teams, business stakeholders, and partners; able to simplify complex concepts, guide decision-making during crises, and lead communications across colleagues, stores, D&T, and service providers.
- Operational excellence and data-driven improvement. Experienced in using metrics and analytics to enhance release quality, service availability, partner performance, and continuity readiness, while embedding best practice, automation, quality frameworks, and continuous improvement across the ITSCM lifecycle.
- People leadership and collaborative delivery. Demonstrated capability to lead and develop continuity professionals, build high-performing multi-disciplinary collaborations, ensure ITSCM integration across architecture, delivery, assurance, and operations, and support readiness for major trading periods and new initiatives.
Who you are:
- Strategic leadership and enterprise thinking. Able to operate at an enterprise level, set long-term direction for ITSCM, align service continuity with business goals, and balance immediate operational needs with future strategic improvements.
- Expertise in ITSCM, ITSM, and resilience practices. Deep understanding of ITSCM principles, ITIL/ITSM frameworks, incident and risk management, and experience building and leading continuity capabilities in large, complex organisations.
- Strong technical and analytical capability. Solid knowledge of IT infrastructure, applications, networks, and ITSM platforms (e.g., ServiceNow, BMC Helix), combined with data-driven decision-making skills to translate insights into meaningful improvements.
- Exceptional communication, influence, and stakeholder engagement. Skilled in partnering with senior leaders, cross-functional teams, and external providers; capable of conveying complex information clearly and fostering collaborative, high-trust relationships.
- Continuous improvement and innovation mindset. Proven ability to drive operational excellence through shift-left practices, automation, quality-first thinking, knowledge-sharing, and proactive risk mitigation to enhance service availability and resilience.
Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen. We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best.
Head of Service Continuity employer: Marks & Spencer
Contact Detail:
Marks & Spencer Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Service Continuity
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections on LinkedIn or at industry events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching the company and its culture. We want to show that we’re not just a good fit for the role, but also for the team. Tailor your answers to reflect how you can contribute to M&S's goals.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or use online platforms. We need to be confident in articulating our skills and experiences, especially when discussing continuity strategies and risk management.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A simple thank-you email can go a long way. It shows our enthusiasm for the role and keeps us fresh in the interviewer's mind. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate our interest in the position.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Service Continuity
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in service continuity and risk management. We want to see how your skills align with the needs of M&S, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: As a senior role, we’re looking for someone who can lead and inspire teams. Use your application to demonstrate your leadership style and any successful projects you've led in the past. This is your chance to shine!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and make sure your key points stand out. Remember, less is often more!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role right there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks & Spencer
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you have a solid understanding of IT Service Continuity Management (ITSCM) principles and practices. Brush up on your knowledge of incident management, risk assessment, and the specific tools mentioned in the job description, like ServiceNow or BMC Helix. This will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute to M&S's goals.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Prepare to discuss how you've successfully engaged with senior leaders and cross-functional teams in the past. Think of examples where you simplified complex concepts for decision-making during crises. This will show that you can effectively communicate and influence at all levels, which is crucial for this role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Be ready to share your experiences in leading and developing teams. Highlight any instances where you built high-performing collaborations or integrated ITSCM across various functions. This will demonstrate your capability to lead continuity professionals and ensure operational excellence.
✨Data-Driven Decision Making
Familiarise yourself with metrics and analytics that enhance service availability and continuity readiness. Be prepared to discuss how you've used data to drive improvements in previous roles. This will align with M&S's focus on operational excellence and continuous improvement.
