Operations Head - IT Services

Role Overview:

We are looking for an experienced Operations Head - IT Services to lead and manage large-scale IT service operations, ensuring operational excellence, service quality, customer satisfaction, and business continuity.

The role will be responsible for overseeing IT service delivery, managing operational teams, driving process improvements, and establishing strong governance across technology operations.

The ideal candidate should have strong experience in IT service management, operations leadership, service delivery, stakeholder management, and managing large and complex IT environments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead end-to-end IT service operations across infrastructure, applications, support, and enterprise technology services.
• Define and execute operational strategies aligned with business objectives and organizational technology goals.
• Own service delivery performance, operational KPIs, SLAs, OLAs, availability, reliability, and customer satisfaction.
• Manage and mentor large, cross-functional IT operations and service delivery teams.
• Establish effective IT service management processes covering incident, problem, change, request, configuration, and service-level management.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance service quality, operational efficiency, productivity, and cost optimization.
• Monitor critical incidents and ensure timely resolution through effective escalation and crisis-management processes.
• Develop operational governance frameworks, dashboards, reporting mechanisms, and performance reviews.
• Work closely with senior business stakeholders to understand technology requirements and translate them into effective operational solutions.
• Manage relationships with technology partners, managed service providers, vendors, and external service providers.
• Oversee vendor performance, contracts, SLAs, service quality, and commercial governance.
• Ensure robust IT risk management, business continuity, disaster recovery, security, and compliance practices across operations.
• Identify operational risks and implement appropriate mitigation and contingency plans.
• Drive automation, standardization, and modernization initiatives to improve operational effectiveness.
• Establish capacity planning, resource planning, workforce management, and succession planning for IT operations.
• Track operational budgets, identify cost-saving opportunities, and ensure efficient utilization of technology resources.
• Lead service reviews and operational governance meetings with internal stakeholders and customers.
• Ensure adherence to organizational policies, IT governance standards, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
• Support technology transformation initiatives by ensuring operational readiness, transition, and stabilization of new services.
• Build a culture of accountability, service excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the operations organization.

Required Skills & Experience:

• 12-16 years of experience in IT operations, IT service delivery, infrastructure operations, technology services, or a related domain.
• Proven experience leading large-scale IT operations and service delivery functions.
• Strong understanding of IT Service Management and ITIL processes.
• Experience managing SLAs, KPIs, operational governance, incident management, problem management, and change management.
• Strong leadership and people-management skills with experience managing large and diverse teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, including experience working with senior leadership.
• Experience managing IT vendors, service providers, contracts, and commercial relationships.
• Strong understanding of enterprise IT infrastructure, applications, cloud environments, networks, databases, cybersecurity, and end-user services.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to make data-driven operational decisions.
• Experience in service improvement, process optimization, automation, and operational transformation.
• Strong understanding of business continuity, disaster recovery, risk management, and IT governance.
• Excellent negotiation, escalation management, and conflict-resolution skills.

Key Performance Areas:

• IT service availability and reliability
• SLA and KPI achievement
• Customer and stakeholder satisfaction
• Incident and problem resolution
• Operational efficiency and productivity
• Vendor and service-provider performance
• Cost optimization
• Process standardization and continuous improvement
• IT risk and compliance management
• Team performance, capability development, and retention