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About the role:

The Service Introduction Manager will engage with project managers and Project Management Office, to ensure correct products are produced and signed off in a timely fashion. Evaluates the quality of specified project outputs associated with Service Transition standards and policies, these standards are supported by approved criteria.

This role is required to ensure that the achievement of formal confirmation that service acceptance criteria have been met, and that the team receiving delivery of the said new or changed service is ready to operate the new service when it has been deployed. (Service acceptance criteria are used to ensure that a service meets the defined service requirements, including functionality, operational support, performance and quality requirements).

In this role, you will:

Provide Service Introduction support to Digital Delivery projects/programmes (this will result in supporting multiple projects where the level of complexity allows or a single project/ programme if the complexity and impact was sufficiently high).

As part of projects you will ensure all Service Introduction activities within Digital Projects/Programmes are included and planned with the relevant Project Manager.

Ensure Service Introduction risks and issues are identified, and mitigating actions are proposed to relevant Digital Project / Programme Manager(s) to overcome challenges presented.

Identify, own and manage risks and issues relating to the Service Introduction function, ensuring that mitigating actions are agreed and executed.

Engages with project management to confirm that products developed meet the service acceptance criteria and are to the required standard. Feeds into change management processes.

Act as the main contact into the Service Introduction function for the assigned project manager within Digital Delivery. Collaborating with stakeholders from all levels and disciplines to ensure effective alignment of Service Introduction practices and delivery of Service Introduction activities throughout project/programme phases.

Maintain activity/effort records that will inform the on going assessment of resource requirements for future Introduction effort and detailed Service Introduction Plans.

Ensure Service Introduction activities are executed and completed to plan, reporting of progress to the project manager and practice lead, taking corrective pro-active action where required.

Acting as the authority on Digital Delivery Service Introduction for projects, taking accountability for Service Introduction project deliverables and quality of.

Engages with technical design and project managers or Project Management Office, to ensure correct products are produced, in a timely fashion. Evaluates the quality of project outputs against agreed service acceptance criteria.

Establishing and maintaining relationships with internal and external customers, suppliers and partners at a peer level, with the aim to meeting expectations within the scope of Service Introduction.

Performing highly complex Digital Delivery Service Introduction work activities covering technical, financial and quality aspects, absorbing complex information and understanding the implication of new technologies and the role / impact of technology within Thames Water.

Case study:

Mick Gray – Mick has been in IT for several years, he has held many posts across all aspects of IT up to and including Head of IT for a leading Re-Insurer in the City of London. 11 years ago, he had the opportunity to sit back and consider ‘what next’. He decided to take the skills he had accrued over the years and offer his services as a consultant covering all aspects of IT management, performing IT operational reviews as well as holding various Interim positions focused in the Service Management areas. In September 2018 he was approached by Thames Water as they looking to introduce a number of new disciplines, specifically around Service Readiness. This resulted in Mick joining Thames to lead the creation and setup of the now Service Introduction Practice.

Mick has spent many years assisting companies improving their service operations capabilities and the Thames opportunity was of special interest as it was looking to create a team that was new to Thames Digital, so required a broad understanding not only of the function to be set up but how it fits within the wider organisation.

As part of setting up the capability Mick would need to look for a permanent leader to take it forward, however during the new year of 2019 Mick was asked if he would consider joining Thames as that Practice lead, which he did from April 2019.

Mick decided to join Thames for a number of reasons, a leader in its field, recognised as a major employer in the areas it operates in, has a passionate workforce throughout, going through a significant change in terms of its IT organisation and capability which in itself offers a number of challenges that were of specific interest as Mick has always been recognised as an ambassador for change where ever he has worked.

Mick leads the team; currently we have two people in position and they are actively involved in a number of projects, projects that range from simple to complex and wide reaching. We have developed a set of strategies and standards which they follow, however as we all know not all projects are the same, so we have to be adaptable, pragmatic and creative to be successful.

To be successful you will have the following skills and experience:

  • Foundations in Prince 2 and/or Agile PM.
  • You will be an ITIL v3 Service Introduction / Transition / Service Design certification practitioner.
  • Proven experience in operating within a Service Introduction capability.
  • Proven experience of managing digital Service Introduction activities.
  • You will have Digital Service Introduction experience across all facets of Service Introduction (e.g. specifying service / support requirements, defining and implementing support models, managing and defining service acceptance criteria, managing Early Life Support period, defining / agreeing SLAs, etc) across major projects within a multi-vendor ecosystem.

What’s in it for you:

As part of setting up a new Service Introduction Practice, this newly created role is pivotal to the successful outcome of new or changed business service coming online. The role is vital to ensure that all changes delivered by Digital Delivery are managed into the Live environments, ensuring no impact to operational services.

The Service Introduction function within Digital Delivery takes responsibility for the delivery of operational readiness for new or changed services, ensuring that changes introduced by programmes and projects into live service have no impact on the availability and performance of these services.

Our competitive salary package includes an excellent contributory pension, 26 days holiday per year increasing to 30 with length of service and a wider benefits scheme. This includes an annual pay review, season ticket loans, voucher scheme giving you money off in major retail outlets, loyalty awards for continuous service plus much more, including our refer-a-friend bonus, where you can receive up to £1,000 for helping someone get a permanent position within the company. 

We’re also proud to be here for our local community around Reading, offering all of our teams two days paid volunteer leave a year, as well as proudly supporting a lot of local events and charities.
 
Click here to view our full list of Rewards and Benefits

About us:

Thames Water is the UK’s largest water and wastewater company. We make a daily difference to millions of customers by supplying 2.7 billion litres of world-class water to around 10 million homes.  

As our world changes, the need to take care of our most precious resource is greater than ever, both locally and globally. That’s why, at Thames Water, every one of our actions, big and small, matters every day. Water is essential to daily life, and that means our business is always open. We’re passionate about providing world-class tap water, now and for the future. 

We’re also turning poo into power, self-generating 20% of the energy we use and, in turn, doing our bit for the planet. We’re reducing plastic waste by celebrating our tap water and rolling out an ambitious water fountain project. We’re using our voice to lobby for change and partnering with WaterAid to provide clean water to the world’s poorest communities.

Together, we’re building a better future for our customers, our region and our planet.

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding and diverse place to work. If you join our team, you’ll enjoy fast-tracked career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and unparalleled benefits. We’re also proud to be an equal opportunity employer, Stonewall Diversity Champion and Disability Confident Leader, welcoming individuals from all walks of life and leading the way with an award-winning mental health and wellbeing strategy.