Service Operations Manager

Service Operations Manager
Location: Stoke-on-Trent (Onsite - 5 days per week)
Salary: £45,000 per annum
Clearance: Eligible for SC Clearance

About the Opportunity
Sanderson Government & Defence is proud to be partnering with a specialist secure ICT provider delivering critical services into the UK Defence, Security, and Government sectors. Our client supports highly sensitive, mission-critical environments where service reliability and security are paramount.

We are looking for a capable and driven Service Operations Manager to join their team on a Full time onsite basis in Stoke-on-Trent. This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of core IT Service Management processes while leading a team within a secure and fast-paced operational environment.

The Role
As Service Operations Manager, you will be responsible for the day-to-day leadership of Service Operations, ensuring the effective delivery of IT services across live environments. You will play a key role in driving best practice across Incident, Problem, and Change Management, while acting as a deputy to senior leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop Service Operations team members through regular 1:1s and coaching

• Act as deputy to the Service Operations Lead, supporting operational and strategic initiatives

• Own and manage the Change Management process, ensuring all changes are assessed, approved, and delivered with minimal risk

• Coordinate customer-driven changes, ensuring clear communication, reporting, and stakeholder engagement

• Oversee Incident and Problem Management processes, including root cause analysis and post-incident reviews

• Analyse service performance data and KPIs to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement

• Support the ongoing development of IT Service Management (ITSM) tools and processes

• Work closely with Transition teams to successfully onboard new or updated services into live operations

About You

• Proven experience in a Service Operations or ITSM leadership role

• Strong knowledge of ITIL-aligned processes (Incident, Problem, Change Management)

• Experience managing KPIs and SLAs within a service environment

• Hands-on experience with ITSM tools such as ServiceNow or Jira

• Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and communication skills

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a secure, high-pressure environment

• ITIL v4 Foundation (essential); additional certifications (PRINCE2, PMP) advantageous

Security Requirements
Due to the nature of this role, candidates must be eligible for UK Security Clearance (SC). This typically requires British citizenship or a minimum of five years' continuous UK residency. Please note that sponsorship is not available for this role.

Why Apply?

• Opportunity to work within secure, high-impact Government and Defence programmes

• Join a collaborative and growing organisation

• Clear opportunity to shape and improve Service Operations processes

• Stable, Full time onsite role with strong long-term prospects

If you're an experienced Service Operations professional looking for your next challenge in a secure environment, apply now or contact Sanderson Government & Defence for a confidential discussion.

Reasonable Adjustments:

Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients.

If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason, please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.