Job Description:

Head of IT Service Management
Hybrid - 3 Days per Week in Hertfordshire
£110,000 - £130,000 + up to 30% bonus + strong benefits

We've been retained to hire a Head of IT Service Management into a complex, high-volume, customer-facing environment where service stability and resilience are critical to business performance.

Based in Hertfordshire (hybrid), you'll lead end-to-end service management across IT, logistics, fulfilment, and customer operations - owning major incident response, service performance, and continuous improvement at scale.

Key responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end IT service management (incident, problem, change, release, configuration) aligned to ITIL 4
• Own major incident management (P1/P2), acting as the senior escalation point with clear executive communication
• Drive root cause analysis and continuous improvement using service metrics (MTTR, trends, backlog)
• Oversee IT service delivery, 24/7 support operations, and ITSM tooling
• Coordinate cyber incident response with internal security teams and external partners
• Manage third-party suppliers, SLAs, and commercial performance
• Define and deliver strategy across automation, observability, and AIOps
• Lead and develop a high-performing team while influencing senior stakeholders

Key requirements

• Proven experience in a Head of IT Service Management / Service Delivery leadership role
• Strong ITIL 4 expertise and major incident management experience
• Background in complex, fast-paced environments (ecommerce, retail, logistics or similar)
• Experience managing suppliers, budgets, and cost optimisation
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, including C-suite interaction
• Data-driven approach with the ability to lead under pressure

Desirable

• Cyber incident response experience
• ServiceNow, Jira Service Management or similar ITSM tools
• Exposure to AIOps, observability, automation
• Advanced ITIL or relevant certifications

Package and benefits

• Base salary £110,000 - £130,000 (DOE)
• Up to 30% discretionary bonus
• Up to 7% matched pension
• Private medical insurance
• Strong holiday allowance + option to buy more
• "Work from anywhere" flexibility
• Additional perks including discounts and wellbeing support

This is a high-impact leadership role with real ownership of service performance across a critical, customer-facing operation.

Apply now for a confidential discussion.

If you've held any of these roles or used these technologies/skills, this role could be a great fit: Head of Service Management, Head of IT Service Delivery, IT Operations Director, Service Delivery Director, ITSM Lead, Major Incident Manager, ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, AIOps, ITIL 4.

Deerfoot Recruitment Solutions Ltd is a leading independent tech recruitment consultancy in the UK. For every CV sent to clients, we donate £1 to The Born Free Foundation. We are a Climate Action Workforce in partnership with Ecologi. If this role isn't right for you, explore our referral reward program with payouts at interview and placement milestones. Visit our website for details. Deerfoot Recruitment Solutions Ltd is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.