Service Readiness Manager

FTC for 12 months. The Service Readiness is responsible for the overall planning and coordination of Tech service requirements, readiness, design and transition including early life of a large transformation Programme. This role ensures that new or changed services are designed and transitioned efficiently and effectively into operational service, while aligning with the principles and practices of Agile methodologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and transition of new or changed Tech services into the production environment with minimal disruption.
• Plan and manage resources required for service readiness, design, transition, and early life ensuring alignment with Agile practices.
• Minimise impact to Tech services by engaging in the product lifecycle of all changes.
• Be responsible for functional and non-functional Tech requirements, and the process of their acceptance service acceptance criteria, including the definition of service (SLA) & operational level agreements (OLA), as well as other service performance indicators (PI).
• Ensure that service acceptance criteria are pre-defined, agreed, measured, and met, coordinating across Tech operations and development teams.
• Enable Tech Approval for go-live, early-life support, and service acceptance based on rigorous assessment.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to develop and document service readiness, service design, and transition and early life plans, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Facilitate Agile ceremonies and practices within the project lifecycle to ensure continuous improvement.
• Monitor and report on the progress within the project life cycle, providing regular updates to senior management.

Skills and Experience

• Asset and Configuration Management: Working level - Ability to manage and maintain accurate records of assets and configuration items.
• Service Design: Expert level - Proven experience in designing Tech services that meet business needs and align with Tech strategy, including SLA, OLA, and PI definition applied against complex end to end architectures and business services.
• Service Transition: Expert level - Extensive experience in transitioning Tech services into operational environments with minimal disruption.
• Service Readiness: Expert level - Proven experience in preparing Tech operations in receiving and onboarding services into operational support.
• Agile Methodologies: Expert level - Deep understanding and practical experience of Agile principles and practices, including Scrum and Kanban.
• Project Management: Advanced level - Strong project management skills, with the ability to plan, execute, and monitor complex projects.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey technical information to non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Problem-Solving: Proven ability to identify, analyse, and resolve issues in a timely and efficient manner.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Professional certifications in ITIL, Agile (e.g., Scrum Master), and Project Management (e.g., PMP) are highly desirable.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in service design and transition roles, with a focus on Agile environments.

Personal Attributes

• Proactive and results-oriented.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Adaptable and open to change.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders at all levels.

As a recognised Top 50 Inclusive Employer in the UK, we know that diversity means success and innovation. We want our workplace to reflect the communities and customers we serve. Being inclusive is part of our DNA; we are all 100% human, and we create a culture where you can truly be yourself. We’re also not your usual 9-5. We are a dynamic workplace and we want to talk to you about how you like to work.