Lead IT Service Manager

Job summary

Do you have hands-on leadership experience in IT Service Management within complex, large‑scale organisations?

Do you have the ability to lead the work of engineering teams in maintaining and improving critical services through high‑pressure operational and strategic challenges?

Are you able to communicate effectively at senior levels with business and technical stakeholders alike?

If so, we would love to hear from you.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Job description

As a Lead IT Service Manager at DVLA, you will provide senior leadership and accountability for all aspects of IT Service Management (ITSM) across one of DVLA’s three major service towers: Drivers, Vehicles or Core (underpinning services or those spanning Drivers and Vehicles). You will act as the senior focal point for your tower, ensuring services are delivered effectively, efficiently and in line with industry best practice.

You will be accountable for IT service ownership across a large and diverse portfolio of services, including responsibility for the effective and efficient operation of fourteen distinct ITSM practices / functions, ensuring continual alignment to evolving industry best practice.

For the most business‑critical and complex services, you will act directly as the IT Service Manager, providing hands‑on leadership and expert judgement. You will lead major cross‑functional activities involving engineering teams, delivery teams, operational and non‑operational business areas, and third‑party suppliers.

You will lead and mentor senior ITSM professionals within your tower, building a strong, multi‑skilled capability with a culture of accountability, collaboration and continual improvement. You will also act as a senior escalation point for service risks and issues, representing ITSM at senior forums across the Agency and externally.

This role is at the heart of ensuring the availability, performance, security and continual improvement of DVLA’s IT services, many of which are business‑critical, public‑facing and nationally significant.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Provide direct, hands-on leadership for the most business critical and / or highest complexity ITSM activities arising from all work across your service tower. This includes major cross-functional / matrix leadership of resources spanning all ITS capabilities, other DVLA directorates (operational and non-operational) and external partner / supplier organisations.
• Be accountable for the overall line management and mentorship of all resources within your service tower. Work with other Lead IT Service Managers to re-assign resources between the services towers as required, according to both day-to-day operational ITSM demands, e.g. Incident and Change, alongside strategic, longer-term work such as Service Architecture and Transition.
• Ensure that your team holds holistic knowledge of all services within its tower, i.e. their business purpose and context, underpinning technology, support model and stakeholders. For the most business critical services, hold this knowledge yourself.
• Hold and proactively maintain expert level knowledge of ITSM industry best practice, staying abreast of evolving industry trends including how ITSM interfaces with other modern industry philosophies adopted at DVLA, such as DevOps and Agile. Be accountable for disseminating and ensuring application of this throughout all work within your service tower.
• Hold a thorough understanding of technical concepts, sufficient to lead major cross-functional efforts involving lead / senior engineering resources, making effective ITSM decisions based on significant levels of technical information.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills they need. We aim to empower line managers to create teams where people can flourish and deliver excellent outcomes for the public.

For further information on the role, please read the attached role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

Required experience:

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Senior‑level experience in IT Service Management, with expert knowledge of modern industry best practice and a strong track record of applying it pragmatically within a complex organisation.
• Managing portfolios of IT services, including leading critical incidents, complex change and service improvement initiatives. You will be comfortable operating as a senior decision maker, balancing technical risk, service availability, customer impact and organisational priorities.
• An experienced leader who can inspire, develop and mentor ITSM teams, while also exercising strong cross‑functional leadership across engineering, delivery, business and supplier communities.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the confidence to influence decisions at senior leadership and Executive level, and to clearly articulate service risks, impacts and options to technical and non‑technical audiences alike.

Additional Information

The following qualifications should be held, or willing to work towards once in post:

• ITIL v5 Foundation
• Certified Agile Service Manager
• DevOps Institute: DevOps Foundation
• DevOps Institute: Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) Foundation

Working for the DVLA Digital Team

At DVLA, licensing is just the start. Every project you implement, touch and deliver has a ripple effect that’ll wash across the nation. Here the work you’re doing has the capacity to change the way 53 million people interact with our services. As we aim to keep our roads some of the safest in the world, our innovative, transformative digital-led services help optimise a nation of individuals and business every single day.

To see how our people are transforming our digital services, head over to our DVLA Digital Services Blog and, to understand more about the great opportunities and benefits of working at DVLA read our Inside DVLA blog.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week. Part time and/or flexible working may also be available subject to the needs of the business.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Licence sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate rights to work in the UK before application.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Service Management Framework Knowledge - Expert
• Stakeholder Relationship Management (IT Operations) - Expert
• Technical Understanding - Practitioner

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £69,501, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency contributes £20,134 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Passionate, reliable and always willing to push yourself and those around you, you’ll continue to seek improvement in your own role and challenge us too. Because we pride ourselves on how we approach your development. From training courses to specialist skills workshops and opportunities to grow your expertise, we thrive when you thrive. You can find out more about all of the above here alongside a full list of our benefits:

• Best in class learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues
• Generous employer contribution of 28.9%, depending on chosen pension scheme
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
• Digital communities with clear career frameworks
• On-site gym plus personal training available (membership applies)
• On-site nursery, restaurants and coffee bar
• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays), increasing by 1 each year (up to 30) & 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff
• Free parking

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies (opens in a new window).

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How to apply:

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

Stage 1: Sift of CV and personal statement

Stage 2: Interview

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (1,000-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following essential criteria:

• Senior, hands‑on experience in IT Service Management, including service ownership and leadership across a portfolio of IT services with reference to modern industry best practice.
• Proven experience of leading and developing multi‑disciplinary ITSM teams and providing effective cross‑functional leadership across engineering capabilities.
• Strong ability to influence and build effective relationships with senior stakeholders, acting as an escalation point for critical service issues and decisions.
• Evidence of strong technical understanding, applied through leadership of significant ITSM activities such as major incidents, complex change or service transitions.

The sift will take place week commencing 18th May 2026.

Stage 2: Interview

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours: Leadership, Managing a Quality Service
  
  
• Experience: Demonstrating hands-on ownership of business critical or highly complex services
  
  
• Technical:

- Service Management Framework Knowledge – (Skill Level: Expert)

- Stakeholder Relationship Management (IT Operations) – (Skill Level: Expert)

- Technical Understanding – (Skill Level: Practitioner)

The interviews will take place week commencing 1st June 2026.

This interview will be conducted in person at our Swansea office (Longview Road, Morriston). Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window).

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

Further information on the selection process

Feedback on your application can only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

We will also hold a12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit theHow We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service within the last 12 months, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : ITS Recruitment Team
• Email : itsrecruitment@dvla.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click here (https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/) to visit Civil Service Commission

Attachments

Role Profile Opens in new window (pdf, 245kB)DVLA Digital Job Brochure - V1 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 2074kB)