Head of Service Operations and Support - #2185163

Head of Service Operations & Support

Business Unit: ABM Technical Services

Location: Glasgow / Scotland, with UK-wide travel

Reporting to: Head of Operational Performance

Direct Reports: Service Desk and Contract Support management teams, subject to the agreed operating structure

Contract: Full Time: 40 hours per week

Shift Pattern: Monday to Friday

Salary: Competitive

Role Overview

The Head of Service Operations & Support is responsible for the strategic leadership, operational performance and continued development of the service support function across ABM Technical Services.

The role provides leadership across customer service, operational coordination, workforce planning, service governance and business support, ensuring consistent and effective support to the delivery of hard Facilities Management services across a diverse national contract portfolio.

Working closely with senior operational and commercial leadership, the role will drive service performance, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction, while developing a scalable operating model that supports business growth, digital transformation and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Service Operations
• Lead the national Service Operations & Support function, establishing a consistent and professional service delivery model across Technical Services. Direct line management of the team leaders and supervisors within the service support teams (contract support, helpdesk and business support)
• Develop and implement the service strategy, operating model and performance standards aligned to business objectives.
• Provide leadership and oversight of customer contact, reactive maintenance coordination, work management and operational support activities.
• Ensure appropriate operational arrangements are in place to support contractual requirements, including 24/7 service provision where required.
• Work collaboratively with Divisional Directors and Contract Managers to improve service delivery, resolve operational challenges and support contractual performance.
• Operational Performance & Governance
• Establish and maintain effective service governance, performance management and quality assurance frameworks.
• Drive achievement of relevant contractual SLAs, KPIs and internal service standards.
• Oversee operational risk management, service escalations, incident coordination and service recovery.
• Use performance data and operational insight to identify trends, address recurring issues and implement sustainable improvements.
• Ensure consistent application of policies, procedures and service standards across the support function.
• People Leadership & Organisational Development
• Lead, develop and motivate a multi-disciplinary service support organisation through effective management of team leaders and managers.
• Establish a workforce strategy that ensures appropriate capability, capacity and resilience to meet operational demand.
• Drive performance management, leadership development, succession planning and employee engagement.
• Develop consistent role profiles, competency frameworks and training standards across the function.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, customer focus and continuous improvement.
• Financial & Commercial Performance
• Own and manage the service support operating budget, ensuring effective financial control and resource utilisation.
• Develop resource models and productivity measures to optimise workforce efficiency and service delivery costs.
• Identify opportunities to reduce duplication, avoidable costs, operational inefficiencies and service failures.
• Work with Commercial and Operational teams to understand and mitigate the financial impact of contractual performance.
• Support business development and contract mobilisation through service solution design, resource planning and cost modelling.
• Business Transformation & Continuous Improvement
• Lead the development and transformation of the Technical Services support operating model, driving standardisation and integration across existing teams.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve service efficiency, customer experience and operational resilience.
• Support the implementation and optimisation of enterprise systems, including IBM Maximo, and associated digital tools.
• Champion automation, process improvement and data-led decision-making to improve productivity and service quality.
• Establish a structured continuous improvement programme with measurable operational and financial benefits.
• Stakeholder Management & Business Growth
• Build effective relationships with senior operational leadership, customers and internal support functions.
• Act as the senior escalation point for service support matters, ensuring effective resolution and appropriate stakeholder communication.
• Support strategic customer reviews and operational governance forums where required.
• Ensure the service support function is capable of supporting new contract mobilisations and business growth.
• Represent the service support function in wider Technical Services strategic and operational initiatives.
  
  

Person Specification

Essential Experience & Skills

• Significant leadership experience within Facilities Management, engineering services, service operations or a comparable multi-contract environment.
• Proven experience managing multi-disciplinary operational support teams, including management-level direct reports.
• Strong understanding of reactive and planned maintenance operations, service coordination and contractual performance requirements.
• Demonstrable experience managing operational budgets, workforce resources and service performance.
• Experience leading organisational change, operational transformation and continuous improvement.
• Strong analytical, commercial and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent leadership, communication and senior stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working with CAFM systems and operational performance reporting.
  
  

Desirable

• Experience leading a national or multi-site FM service operation.
• Knowledge of IBM Maximo or comparable enterprise asset management systems.
• Experience of contract mobilisation, service integration and operating model development.
• Relevant qualification in Facilities Management, Business Management, Service Management or Leadership.
• Experience delivering technology-enabled operational improvements.
  
  

Key Success Measures

Performance will be assessed against:

• Achievement of service-related contractual SLAs and KPIs.
• Customer service quality, responsiveness and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Operational productivity, resource efficiency and budget performance.
• Service quality assurance, process compliance and reduction in avoidable failures.
• Workforce capability, engagement, retention and operational resilience.
• Successful implementation of service transformation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Standardisation and adoption of operational processes and systems.
• Effective support of new contract mobilisations and business growth