Interim Head of Service
Initial 6 month contract, Rate c. £600-£700pd inside IR35, Hybrid - Scotland 2 days per week
Overview:
We are seeking a senior-level interim Head of Service to support the uplift of our client's live service operations in preparation for a new Target Operating Model launching in April. This advisory role will work closely with senior technology leaders to review and enhance operational maturity across key areas such as live running, ITIL best practice, business continuity, and disaster recovery.
Key Responsibilities:
* Provide strategic guidance on ITIL-aligned service operations
* Drive improvements in operational resilience, including business continuity and disaster recovery planning
* Advise on readiness and improvements for the future operating model
* Embed service management best practices across teams
* Identify skills and capability gaps within service teams, and coach senior leaders to take full ownership of enterprise-scale services
* Explore and advise on service resilience strategies and assess the organisation's ability to respond swiftly to major service outages
* Offer insight and leadership in refining digital operations and service delivery models within complex environments
Note: This is an advisory position with no direct line management or budget responsibilities
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Requirements:
* Proven experience operating at a senior level in complex digital or technology-led organisations
* Extensive expertise in ITIL, service operations, and business continuity planning
* Demonstrable experience running and supporting live services at scale, ideally within a government, public sector, or financial services context
* Strong ability to coach and develop senior stakeholders, helping them mature into accountable leaders of critical national services
* Experience identifying and addressing skills, capability, and process gaps
* Deep understanding of service resilience and the requirements of high-availability, citizen-facing digital services
* Exceptional advisory, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills