Head of IT Service Delivery

National Express is recruiting an experienced Head of IT Service Delivery to join our team at our Head Office in Digbeth, Birmingham. The successful candidate will ensure the seamless, cost-effective, and efficient delivery of IT services to meet business needs, driving operational excellence and user satisfaction. This role involves leading a team of IT professionals, managing offshore teams and service providers, and driving service improvements. The role also requires managing key supplier relationships, ensuring contractual value and performance, and implementing ITIL best practices.

What you'll do:

• Develop and manage strategic relationships with IT suppliers: Negotiate contracts, monitor performance, conduct reviews, ensure compliance, and manage vendor risks within budget.
• Contribute to IT strategy: Align with business objectives, oversee service design considering user needs, cost, supportability, and scalability, and promote best practices and new technologies.
• Manage service transitions: Ensure minimal disruption during the deployment of new or changed services, conduct PIRs, and oversee change, release, and knowledge management processes.
• Lead daily IT operations: Ensure high availability and performance, manage incident, problem, request, change, risk, and asset management, and drive continuous improvement.
• Act as escalation point: Handle BAU incidents and problems, minimizing disruption and managing communication.
• Major Incident & Cyber Management: Coordinate and communicate major incidents, including out-of-hours 'On Call' duties.
• Document and assess risks: Maintain IT process documentation, develop mitigation strategies, ensure compliance with regulations and security policies, and contribute to risk management.
• Report on IT performance: Provide metrics and trends, communicate with stakeholders, and implement improvements based on analysis.
• Lead and develop team: Set goals, provide feedback, conduct reviews, and foster a collaborative and innovative culture.

What you'll need:

• Extensive experience in IT service delivery management with proven success.
• Deep understanding and experience with ITIL frameworks.
• Strong skills in supplier and contract management.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills.
• Proven team management abilities.
• Experience with ITSM tools and technologies.
• ITIL certification.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with cost efficiency improvements and stakeholder management.
• Experience working with in-house, managed, and offshore teams.

What we offer:

• Free bus and coach travel on the National Express network for employees.
• Complimentary travel for nominated persons or spouses/partners.
• Life assurance, pension, employee assistance, and private online GP services.

National Express is committed to diversity and inclusion. We are a Disability Confident employer and encourage applications from all sectors. Adjustments during recruitment are available upon request. We reserve the right to close this advert early if a high volume of applications is received. Our health and safety policy includes drug and alcohol testing, which may be conducted during the recruitment process and employment.