Service Manager jobs

The general tasks that come under the responsibilities of the IT department have altered very little in recent years, but their importance to the overall success of the organisation has changed dramatically. In the contemporary business world, corporations of all sizes and in all sectors place so much reliance on these departments, and the IT Service Manager is often where the buck stops. 

In any given working week, the IT Service Manager will have a wide range of duties, including: 

• Creating, developing and managing projects within the department 
• Taking ownership of budgetary arrangements 
• Formulating goals and targets for the department 
• Recruiting, disciplining, coaching and promoting team members 
• Having a strong familiarity with both current and future developments in hardware and software products 
• Developing mutually beneficial working relationships with external clients, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders 
• Successfully networking with others via exhibitions, trade shows and related industry events 
• Effectively communicating with senior management and reporting on progress and developments 

This is an extremely hectic role at times, and there will be occasions when key figures within the organisation will be looking for the IT Service Manager to provide quick, effective solutions to major problems. The ability to remain calm and unflustered while others may be losing their heads is therefore going to be crucial. 

Qualifications needed for an IT Service Manager 

IT Service Managers are generally highly experienced and have a strong academic history. A bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject – such as computer engineering, information technology, computer science or data science – is often a must, allied to experience in related roles. They can include: 

• Service Level Manager 
• Change Manager 
• Service Desk Technician 
• Cloud Engineer 
• Application Manager 
• IT Auditor 
• IT Project Manager 
• Network Administrator 

Personal qualities needed for IT Service Manager jobs 

As an IT Service Manager is often dealing with people with a range of technical knowledge, good communication skills will be of major importance for such a role. Previous experience within a management position will be advantageous, as will the ability to lead a team from the front. Critical thinkers and proven problem solvers tend to achieve great success. 

The best IT Service Managers combine a close eye for detail with a good understanding of the overall picture. It’s important to be able to work well under pressure and to have highly developed time management skills. Keeping projects within the allocated time framework and in line with the relevant budgetary requirements can be crucial. 

And of course, the IT Service Manager will need to remain focused on the successful adoption, implementation and continuing usage of a number of highly technical hardware products and software applications. IT systems within the organisation will be utilised by a significant proportion of employees across several departments, and any subsequent outages can be extremely damaging. 

There are a number of technical tools that can help an IT Service Manager, so experience with at least some of them will be a requirement. They include the likes of: 

• Zendesk Support Suite 
• ServiceNow IT Service Management 
• HaloITSM 
• SolarWinds Service Desk 
• Freshservice 
• Jira 
• SysAid 
• Hubspot 

Discover more about the role of IT Service Manager