Service Operations Manager

Title: Service Operations Manager

Contract Type: Permanent, Full-Time, 35 hours

Salary: Starting from £76,034 per annum (London weighted salary) or £66,380 per annum (Regional salary), dependant on experience

Grade: 12

Reporting Office: London, Stratford or Manchester, Trafford

Persona: Agile Worker: 20% - 40% of contractual hours to be worked from reporting office/working location (hybrid working)

Closing Date: 10th March 2026

Interview Dates: 30th March -1st April 2026 *Please note that in person interviews will be held for this vacancy.

Please click here for the role profileService Operations Manager Role Profile.docx

Benefits include: Excellent pension plan (up to 6% double contribution), 28 days Annual Leave rising to 31 days with length of service + Bank Holidays, Westfield Health Cash Plan, non-contributory life assurance, up to 21 hours volunteering paid days, lifestyle benefits, Employee Assistance Programme and many more…

Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to close the advertisement and interview earlier than stated

Join our Service Management Team at L&Q:

We’re entering the next phase of our service maturity journey — and we’re looking for a Service Operations Manager who wants to help shape it.

This is a pivotal leadership role within our Service Management Senior Leadership Team, reporting into the Head of Service management. It is responsible for leading and evolving our First Line Support (Service Desk) and Identity & Access Management (IAM) functions.

You’ll play a central role in strengthening operational excellence, embedding robust access governance, and developing high-performing teams that deliver secure, efficient and customer-focused services across L&Q.

If this sounds like you, we would love for you to apply!

Your impact in the role:

• You will transform the Service Desk from a predominantly triage-based model into a confident, diagnostic-led function — building technical capability, structured troubleshooting approaches and stronger knowledge management practices. You’ll drive shift-left strategy, reduce avoidable escalations, and foster a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.

• You will lead the IAM function as a critical security control point — ensuring robust Joiner, Mover and Leaver processes, adherence to least-privilege principles, audit readiness and continuous automation of access workflows.

• You will champion trend analysis and effective Problem Management, using operational data to identify recurring issues, understand root causes and improve overall service stability. Your focus will be on reducing repeat demand and embedding long-term improvements.

• As L&Q continues its transformation journey, you will ensure the smooth transition of new systems and services into Business-as-Usual (BAU) support — strengthening operational readiness, team capability and service resilience.

• As a member of the Service Management SLT, you will contribute strategically to workforce planning, service design, governance and performance oversight — influencing direction and shaping the future of IT service delivery at L&Q.

What you'll bring:

• Demonstrable experience operating in a Service Operations or IT Service Management leadership role, with responsibility for service performance and team delivery (Service Desk, IAM, technical support or applications support) performance and team delivery (Service Desk, IAM, technical support or applications support)
• Strong understanding of ITSM principles and service performance management.
• Experience improving processes and embedding structured problem-solving approaches.
• A track record of supporting or contributing to transformation initiatives.
• A data-driven approach to service performance, trend analysis and continuous improvement.
• The ability to lead, mentor and develop teams through change.

If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage during this process, including application stage, please email lqcareers@lqgroup.org.uk

About L&Q:

We’re one of the UK’s leading housing associations and developers. We were founded on a simple belief: high quality housing is vital for people’s health, happiness and security. Everyone deserves a quality home that gives them the chance to live a better life.

250,000 people call our properties ‘home’, and we’re proud to serve diverse communities across London, the South East and North West of England.

People are at the heart of our business and our success depends on employing the best people and getting the best from them. The foundation of everything that we are is built on our corporate values and behavioural framework, which outlines our core expectations and should be demonstrated at all times, and all levels, when representing L&Q.

At L&Q, we know that diversity and inclusion make us stronger – and they’re at the heart of everything we do.

When we recruit, we look at what really matters: your skills, experience, and potential. We’re proud to be recognised for creating an inclusive workplace. We’re a Disability Confident Leader (Level 3) and we’ve introduced our own Recruitment Advocate scheme to make sure every step of our hiring process is fair, transparent, and consistent. It’s all part of our commitment to ending discrimination and making L&Q a place where everyone feels welcome. Find out more here.

Sustainability is also at the heart of what we do. We recognise the responsibility we hold as one of the UK’s largest housing associations.

Click here to find out more about L&Q and why you should join us!

#TJ