IT SSC Leader

Job description

Company Description We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 93,000 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world. Job Description The IT SSC Lead is accountable for the overall performance, stability, and effectiveness of the IT Shared Services Center (SSC), ensuring consistent service quality, operational efficiency, and adherence to the defined operating model across all service towers and support levels in the SSC. The role provides end‑to‑end leadership of SSC operations, maintaining alignment between service delivery objectives, capacity planning, and day‑to‑day execution. The IT SSC Lead should be aligned with the local Global Business Services (GBS) structure to ensure that the SSC operates under the appropriate structural, financial, and workforce conditions required to meet current and anticipated demand. In addition, the role reviews service performance on an ongoing basis and actively promotes continuous improvement to enhance service quality, operational efficiency, and overall SSC effectiveness. 1. Service Delivery & Operational Coordination a. Oversee day-to-day SSC operations to ensure adherence to procedures and priorities, and that activities progress as planned. b. Provide guidance to support leads (L1 and L2) on prioritization and task execution. c. Coordinate with L2 Leader to prevent cross-tower conflicts and assist on the resolution of complex incidents or recurring operational issues. d. Coordinate with L1 Lead to ensure proper triage and progressive uptake of first-level corrective activities. e. Ensure ticket escalations are managed consistently across the SSC. f. Facilitate resolution of cross-tower or cross-level operational dependencies impacting service delivery. 2. Governance & GBS Alignment a. Make operational decisions in complex or ambiguous situations affecting IT SSC delivery. b. Act as the main operational interface between IT SSC, GBS leadership and IT tower stakeholders. c. Hold operational reviews with GBS Leader and GBS Division Managers on local topics impacting SSC delivery (capacity, hiring plans, local constraints). d. Align medium-term capacity needs with GBS to ensure SSC sustainability. e. Act as the primary escalation point for major or recurring operational issues impacting service stability. 3. Service Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement a. Support regular performance reviews focusing on service delivery, capacity and operational efficiency. b. Track service performance analyzing SLAs, SLOs and other service stability indicators. c. Identify areas of improvement or optimization opportunities. d. Drive the evolution of the L1 operating model to increase first-level corrective resolution and reduce avoidable load on L2. e. Ensure knowledge Management practices are executed to build internal capability and reduce dependency on higher support levels. f. Identify operational performance trends, recurring issues and deviations which may impact service quality, and trigger corrective actions if needed. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree and/or Master’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field. · 10+ years’ experience in IT service delivery and IT operation, with a proven track record in leading teams and managing service delivery at scale. · Broad understanding of IT technologies and service landscapes, including exposure to Full Stack and/or Microsoft-based environments · Experience operating in multi‑cultural and geographically distributed environments. · Strong familiarity with ITSM tools such as ServiceNow, with focus on governance, reporting, and service performance management. Additional Information 1. Technical/Hard Skills a. Strong expertise in IT Service Management (ITSM) practices. b. Experience working with ServiceNow or other ITSM platforms for operational monitoring, reporting, and service management. c. Solid understanding of ITIL processes and service governance frameworks, with the ability to apply and scale them in complex environments. d. Ability to analyze operational data and service performance indicators (SLAs, SLOs, service stability metrics) to identify risks, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities. e. Ability to design, prepare, and interpret operational performance reports and dashboards. f. Strong analytical capabilities to assess complex operational scenarios and define corrective actions. g. Knowledge of application technologies, including Full Stack environments and Microsoft- based technologies, with understanding of their role in application support and operations. h. Experience in managing large-scale IT operations, including multi-team environments, service continuity, and performance management. i. Knowledge of IT financial management concepts (budgeting, cost control, chargeback/showback models) is a plus 2. Soft Skills & Behavioral Competencies a. Strong leadership and decision-making capabilities, with experience managing cross- functional teams. b. Excellent communication skills, with the ability to interact and build trusted relationships across different organizational levels. c. Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, including interaction with senior leadership (e.g., CIO-level). d. Ability to communicate effectively at executive level, including presenting operational performance, risks, and strategic initiatives. e. Ability to translate technical and operational topics into clear, business-oriented insights. f. Strong organizational and coordination capabilities to orchestrate teams, workloads, and capacity across multi-tier support models (L1, L2, L3). g. Ability to operate effectively in a multi-cultural environment. h. Fluent English (spoken and written) is mandatory.