Recruitment Career Opportunities

Job Description

A leading commercial bank in Kenya are looking for a highly experienced and strategic Director IT Service Management to lead and optimize key areas of our IT operations. Reporting to the Group CIO, this role will oversee Vendor Management, Asset Management, Network Operations Center (NOC), and Service Management functions. The ITSM Director will drive the implementation of best practices, streamline processes, ensure service delivery excellence, and align IT operations with business goals. This position requires a combination of leadership, technical expertise, and strong vendor and asset management skills to ensure that our IT infrastructure and services are efficient, cost-effective, and aligned with business objectives.

Job Responsibilities

Vendor Management

• Develop and implement strategies for managing IT service providers, vendors, and third-party suppliers to ensure service excellence and adherence to SLAs.
• Lead vendor selection processes, negotiate contracts, and ensure the performance of service providers aligns with organizational goals.
• Manage relationships with external vendors to ensure timely delivery, issue resolution, and the fulfillment of service-level expectations.
• Monitor vendor performance, assess risk, and ensure compliance with contractual obligations.
• Collaborate with procurement, legal, and finance teams to manage vendor contracts, renewals, and performance audits.
• Address vendor-related issues, escalations, and disputes, ensuring they are resolved promptly and effectively.

Asset Management

• Oversee the lifecycle of IT assets, including hardware, software, licenses, and infrastructure, from procurement to disposal.
• Establish and enforce policies for asset tracking, inventory management, and optimization.
• Implement best practices for asset utilization, ensuring assets are effectively managed and aligned with operational and business needs.
• Lead efforts to track and manage software licenses, ensuring compliance with vendor agreements and audits.
• Work with IT operations, security, and finance teams to ensure accurate and up-to-date records for all assets.

Network Operations Center (NOC) Management

• Lead the operation of the Network Operations Center (NOC), ensuring effective monitoring, management, and resolution of network, infrastructure, and application issues.
• Ensure 24/7 NOC coverage, including incident detection, escalation, and resolution in line with defined SLAs.
• Collaborate with NOC engineers to maintain high levels of availability, performance, and security across networks, systems, and services.
• Implement automation tools and frameworks for proactive monitoring and incident response.
• Drive continuous improvement in NOC processes to optimize performance, reduce downtime, and increase operational efficiency.

Service Management

• Oversee the implementation and continuous improvement of ITSM processes (e.g., Incident, Change, Problem, and Service Request Management) to ensure alignment with industry best practices such as ITIL.
• Ensure seamless coordination between Service Desk, NOC, and other operational teams to address service incidents and requests in a timely manner.
• Manage the end-to-end lifecycle of IT service requests, from intake to resolution, ensuring customer satisfaction.
• Collaborate with business and IT teams to define and refine SLAs, service catalogs, and operational performance metrics.
• Develop and track KPIs to monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of service management processes, making data-driven recommendations for improvements.

ITIL and Process Governance

• Ensure ITSM processes adhere to ITIL best practices, continuously evaluating and improving process performance across all areas of service delivery.
• Define and enforce process governance to ensure standardized, repeatable, and measurable operations.
• Lead process design and re-engineering efforts to optimize workflows, reduce manual effort, and enhance service delivery outcomes.
• Conduct regular audits of ITSM processes to ensure compliance with internal policies and external regulatory requirements.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead a cross-functional team responsible for vendor management, asset management, NOC, and service management operations.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and mentorship to direct reports, fostering a high-performance team culture.
• Establish performance objectives and conduct performance reviews, identifying growth and development opportunities for team members.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and proactive problem-solving within the IT service management function.

Strategic Planning & Reporting

• - Develop and execute strategic initiatives related to ITSM, asset management, NOC operations, and vendor management, ensuring alignment with business and IT goals.
• - Provide regular reporting to senior leadership on service performance, vendor performance, incident trends, and asset management status.
• - Identify opportunities to optimize costs, improve service delivery, and align IT operations with evolving business requirements.
• - Ensure the development and management of budgets for IT service management, NOC, and asset management functions, ensuring effective allocation of resources.

Other Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field. Advanced degree or certifications (e.g., ITIL Expert, PMP) are a plus.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in IT service management, with at least 5 years in a leadership or director-level role.
• Proven experience in managing IT vendors, service delivery, and vendor contract negotiation.
• Strong knowledge of ITIL frameworks, service management processes, and NOC operations.
• Expertise in asset management processes, including hardware, software, and license management.
• Experience with leading and optimizing 24/7 operational teams in fast-paced environments.
• In-depth understanding of IT infrastructure, networks, cloud services, and IT monitoring tools.
• Strong leadership, project management, and communication skills, with the ability to manage cross-functional teams and engage with senior stakeholders.
• Proficient with service management tools (e.g., ServiceNow, BMC Remedy, Cherwell) and asset management platforms.
• ITIL Expert or ITIL v4 Managing Professional certification.
• Experience managing large, complex IT environments with multiple vendors and service providers.
• Strong understanding of IT procurement, contract management, and vendor governance.
• Familiarity with IT asset management tools (e.g., Ivanti, ManageEngine, Lansweeper).
• Experience with network monitoring and management platforms.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify trends and drive proactive solutions.