Service Operations Manager

Job Description

Job Req ID: 55252

Posting Date: 17th April 2026

Function: Service

Location: Cardiff

Salary: Competitive

Why this job matters

This role sits at the heart of live service delivery, leading highly technical 24x7 first-line teams that support around 500 customers across secure, commercial, and end-user environments. By proactively preventing incidents and rapidly restoring service across Mobile, LAN, WAN, ICT, and Voice platforms, the role directly safeguards customer experience, service continuity, and SLA performance. With accountability for end-to-end service assurance and major incident management for high-profile BT Ireland and BT UK customers, this role plays a critical part in protecting trust, reputation, and operational resilience at scale.

What you’ll be doing

• Owning end-to-end operational performance for a £30m+ managed service, delivering 24x7 global support to a top-tier customer while consistently meeting contractual SLAs and customer experience targets.

• Leading, coaching, and developing a team of 15–20 highly technical Service Desk Engineers, fostering a collaborative, customer-focused, and high-performing culture.

• Driving incident, major incident, and service assurance performance, working closely with internal global teams and senior customer stakeholders to maintain live service resilience.

• Designing, implementing, and governing ITIL-aligned operational processes, continuous improvement initiatives, and operational readiness for complex services and new designs.

• Managing risk, cost, and continuity through robust business continuity planning, financial governance, and contribution to wider service desk strategy and transformation.

Owning end-to-end operational performance for a £30m+ managed service, delivering 24x7 global support to a top-tier customer while consistently meeting contractual SLAs and customer experience targets.

Leading, coaching, and developing a team of 15–20 highly technical Service Desk Engineers, fostering a collaborative, customer-focused, and high-performing culture.

Driving incident, major incident, and service assurance performance, working closely with internal global teams and senior customer stakeholders to maintain live service resilience.

Designing, implementing, and governing ITIL-aligned operational processes, continuous improvement initiatives, and operational readiness for complex services and new designs.

Managing risk, cost, and continuity through robust business continuity planning, financial governance, and contribution to wider service desk strategy and transformation.

The skills you’ll need

What we'd like to see on your CV

• Experience in service operations or managed services, with a clear understanding of operating models, service assurance, and end-to-end delivery in complex environments.

• Demonstrated capability in people leadership, stakeholder engagement, and customer-facing roles, including working with senior and middle management across internal teams and client organisations.

• Knowledge of business strategy and performance drivers, including financial awareness, KPIs, and contributing to business cases and operational decision-making.

• Experience navigating competing priorities in live operational settings, applying analytical thinking, process discipline, and continuous improvement practices.

• Relevant technical or professional background within a large-scale service desk or support operation, including supplier engagement and collaboration across multi-tier technical teams.

Experience in service operations or managed services, with a clear understanding of operating models, service assurance, and end-to-end delivery in complex environments.

Demonstrated capability in people leadership, stakeholder engagement, and customer-facing roles, including working with senior and middle management across internal teams and client organisations.

Knowledge of business strategy and performance drivers, including financial awareness, KPIs, and contributing to business cases and operational decision-making.

Experience navigating competing priorities in live operational settings, applying analytical thinking, process discipline, and continuous improvement practices.

Relevant technical or professional background within a large-scale service desk or support operation, including supplier engagement and collaboration across multi-tier technical teams.

Benefits

Tailored benefits make a real difference. That’s why we offer a comprehensive range to support your growth, wellbeing, and everyday life. You can design the package to suit you and your lifestyle. Your core benefits include:

• 10% on target annual bonus
• Access to an online private GP 24/7 for you and your immediate family
• Market-leading paid carers leave with up to 2 weeks off
• Equalized maternity, paternity, and adoption leave – 18 weeks’ full pay and 8 weeks’ half pay
• Discounted EE and BT products, including mobile and broadband
• Market leading Pension scheme – 5% from you and 10% from us
• Holiday purchase scheme

You can select additional benefits, including healthcare, dental, gym memberships and more when you’re ready.

Flexible Working
This role offers a 3 together, 2 wherever working model. This means you are required to be at your contractual location 3 days a week with 2 flexible days per week.

With over 175 years of heritage, BT is now the flagship business brand of BT Group. We’ve brought together our best people and capabilities into a B2B powerhouse serving 1.2 million business customers internationally.

We’re a global leader for secure connectivity and collaboration platforms for businesses of all shapes and sizes, from big household names and government departments, right through to sole traders and new start-ups. But it’s not just the technology that matters, it’s what it can do to help them build stronger, smarter, more secure businesses.

We value diversity and inclusion and believe in making a positive impact. We connect for good by championing digital inclusion and equipping people, businesses, and communities with digital skills to thrive.

As a member of our team, you will be part of an organisation that celebrates difference, fosters innovation and provides you with opportunities to be your best. With millions of businesses relying on us daily, joining BT means you can be part of a diverse and multi-skilled team that makes a significant impact to society.

A FEW POINTS TO NOTE:

Although these roles are listed as full-time, if you’re a job share partnership, work reduced hours, or any other way of working flexibly, please still get in touch.

We will also offer reasonable adjustments for the selection process if required, so please do not hesitate to inform us.

DON'T MEET EVERY SINGLE REQUIREMENT?

Studies have shown that women and people who are disabled, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse or from ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification and criteria. We're committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace where everyone can be their best, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement on the Job Description, please apply anyway - you may just be the right candidate for this or other roles in our wider team.