Service Owner – Operational Excellence

Role Overview

The Head of Operational Excellence will lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of service delivery frameworks across the GCC. This role will be accountable for service management, governance, process excellence, and operational maturity aligned with global enterprise standards.

The position will drive ITIL-led service management processes and maturity, ServiceNow platform optimization, service portfolio definition, project governance, and enterprise-wide reporting, while also playing a key role in capacity planning, talent strategy, and operational scalability for the GCC.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong expertise in ITIL framework and ITSM practices
• Deep experience with ServiceNow platform (ITSM, ITOM, CMDB, ITAM)
• Proven track record in GCC setup/scale and operational leadership
• Strong program/project management governance expertise
• Experience in defining service catalogs, SLAs, KPIs
• Excellent analytical, reporting, and dashboarding capabilities
• Strong people leadership, stakeholder management, and influencing skills
• Exposure to automation, AI/ML in IT operations (preferred)
• Lean / Six Sigma certification (preferred)

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering / IT / Computer Science
• MBA or equivalent (preferred)
• ITIL Certification (Expert/Managing Professional preferred)
• PMP / Prince2 / Agile Certifications (preferred)
• 15-20 years of Industry experience

Success Metrics

• Service delivery performance (SLA adherence, CSAT, quality metrics)
• ServiceNow adoption and maturity
• Efficiency gains and cost optimizations
• Talent retention, capability growth, and internal mobility
• Quality of reporting, insights, and decision enablement
• Project delivery success rates

Leadership Expectations

• Strategic thinker with execution excellence
• Ability to build and scale GCC capabilities
• Strong collaboration with global IT and business leaders
• Focus on innovation, transformation, and continuous improvement

Key Responsibilities

1. IT Service Management & ITIL Governance

• Lead and institutionalize ITIL-based service management processes (Incident, Problem, Change, Release, Service Request, etc.).
• Ensure process standardization, compliance, and continuous improvement across all GCC service streams.
• Define, monitor and report service KPIs, SLAs, OLAs, and operational metrics in collaboration with Service delivery function
• Establish governance forums and drive service review cadence with stakeholders.

2. ServiceNow Platform Ownership

• Own and evolve the ServiceNow platform strategy, roadmap, and adoption.
• Ensure optimal utilization across ITSM, ITOM, CMDB, Asset Management, and workflow automation.
• Collaborate with global teams to implement enhancements, integrations, and automation initiatives.
• Drive data quality, platform governance, and user experience improvements.

3. GCC Service Portfolio & Offering

• Define and maintain the GCC service catalog and service offerings aligned to enterprise needs.
• Establish clear service scope, delivery models, pricing constructs (if applicable), and engagement frameworks.
• Create standardized service documentation, playbooks, and onboarding frameworks.
• Drive alignment with global IT and business stakeholders.

4. GCC Project & Program Management Oversight

• Oversee project management discipline within GCC, including governance frameworks, PMO standards, and execution rigor, and collaborate with functional project managers and Global portfolio team
• Ensure consistent delivery methodologies (Agile/Waterfall/Hybrid).
• Track project portfolio health, risks, dependencies, and value realization.
• Establish reporting and steering mechanisms for leadership visibility.

5. Asset & Configuration Management

• Drive end-to-end IT Asset Management (ITAM) strategy including lifecycle management, compliance, and optimization.
• Ensure robust CMDB governance and accuracy across IT landscape.
• Optimize asset utilization, cost control, and vendor alignment.

6. Resource Planning, Hiring & Capability Building

• Own workforce strategy and capacity planning aligned to GCC growth roadmap.
• Lead hiring strategy, talent acquisition, and onboarding for delivery teams.
• Establish competency frameworks, training programs, and career progression models.
• Build a high-performance culture focused on continuous improvement and innovation.

7. KPI, Reporting & Insights

• Define and own enterprise-level dashboards and reporting frameworks across all GCC towers.
• Provide actionable insights through data analytics, trends, and performance indicators.
• Drive transparency and executive reporting for leadership and global stakeholders.
• Enable data-driven decision-making and operational excellence.

8. Continuous Improvement & Transformation

• Champion Lean, Six Sigma, and automation-driven improvements.
• Identify opportunities for process optimization, cost efficiency, and service quality improvement.
• Drive digital transformation initiatives within service delivery.