Job summary
The Head of Service Management is a pivotal leadership role at GSTT, responsible for driving excellence across Service Desk, ITSM, Information Security & Risk, and IT Training. You will operate at executive level, shaping strategy, improving service performance, and modernising how digital services are delivered across one of the UK's most complex healthcare environments.
To succeed, you'll need to bring deep service management expertise, strong commercial acumen, and the ability to lead transformation at scale. You'll be a cultural leader as much as a strategic one--building high-performing teams, influencing senior stakeholders, and embedding innovation, automation, and continuous improvement into every layer of service delivery.
You will be joining a leadership team that is bold in ambition. I am a dynamic and transformational leader, driving GSTT toward the highest standards of digital delivery in the NHS and beyond. This role offers the freedom to shape strategy, deliver real impact, and set a national benchmark for operational excellence. If you want a role where you can build, transform, and leave a legacy--this is it.
This is more than a job. It's a mandate to modernise, to innovate, and to lead. Are you ready to set a new national benchmark for digital service excellence?
Main duties of the job
As Head of Service Management, you will:
- Lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of the service management strategy.
- Oversee IT Training, Information Security & Risk, and all Service Management disciplines.
- Manage large and complex third-party and outsourcing arrangements.
- Act as Senior Responsible Officer for major technology-led programmes.
- Drive operational performance, ensuring services are fit for purpose and aligned with Trust requirements.
- Lead on information security, risk management, and regulatory compliance.
- Develop and embed benchmarks and metrics for continuous improvement.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- Lead, motivate, and develop high-performing teams, fostering a culture of excellence and inclusivity.
Key skills and qualities sought:
- Extensive senior leadership experience in large, complex environments.
- Deep expertise in service management, strategic planning, and transformation.
- Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills.
- Highly developed communication, influencing, and leadership abilities.
- Ability to analyse complex data, drive performance, and deliver innovation.
- Commitment to Trust values: Caring, Ambitious, Inclusive.
About us
You'll join a dynamic, forward-thinking team within the DT&I Directorate, working alongside technical and service delivery experts who are passionate about enabling patient-facing colleagues and delivering outstanding digital services. The team culture is collaborative, supportive, and driven by a shared commitment to continuous improvement and innovation. You'll benefit from a positive, inclusive atmosphere where professional development is encouraged, and your contributions are valued. The Trust is committed to flexible working, equality, diversity, and supporting staff wellbeing. You'll have the opportunity to work across multiple sites and with partner organisations, contributing to a culture that puts patients first and values every team member's input.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key responsibilities include:
- Deputising for the Director of Technology Service and Delivery as required.
- Developing and delivering the Service Management strategy, aligned with Technology Services Strategy.
- Leading Trust-wide strategic programmes and initiatives.
- Overseeing policy development, governance, and performance reporting.
- Managing budgets (circa £810m revenue, 70 WTE staff) and capital investment for service improvement.
- Leading risk management, information security, and compliance with regulatory bodies.
- Building effective relationships with Clinical Directors, General Managers, Heads of Nursing, and corporate leads.
- Managing direct reports: Service Management Lead, Head of Information Security & Risk, Head of IT Training.
- Representing the Trust at national and sector-wide forums.
- Driving cultural and process change, embedding continuous improvement.
- Ensuring robust financial management and delivering value for money.
- Promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion across the directorate.
Key relationships:
- Internal: Director of Technology Services and Delivery, Clinical Directors, General Managers, Heads of Nursing, Corporate leads, DT&I senior leadership, and Trust Senior Leadership.
- External: NHS Digital, NHS England, partner Trusts, professional networks, third-party suppliers, and clinical influencing networks.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key responsibilities include:
- Deputising for the Director of Technology Service and Delivery as required.
- Developing and delivering the Service Management strategy, aligned with Technology Services Strategy.
- Leading Trust-wide strategic programmes and initiatives.
- Overseeing policy development, governance, and performance reporting.
- Managing budgets (circa £810m revenue, 70 WTE staff) and capital investment for service improvement.
- Leading risk management, information security, and compliance with regulatory bodies.
- Building effective relationships with Clinical Directors, General Managers, Heads of Nursing, and corporate leads.
- Managing direct reports: Service Management Lead, Head of Information Security & Risk, Head of IT Training.
- Representing the Trust at national and sector-wide forums.
- Driving cultural and process change, embedding continuous improvement.
- Ensuring robust financial management and delivering value for money.
- Promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion across the directorate.
Key relationships:
- Internal: Director of Technology Services and Delivery, Clinical Directors, General Managers, Heads of Nursing, Corporate leads, DT&I senior leadership, and Trust Senior Leadership.
- External: NHS Digital, NHS England, partner Trusts, professional networks, third-party suppliers, and clinical influencing networks.
Person Specification
Qualifications/ Education
Essential
- Master's degree, and additional in-depth professional training and knowledge of financial management, performance management, transformation and service improvement, to doctorate or equivalent level, acquired through training and experienced over an extended period
- Formal qualification in a Technology or Services discipline
- Evidence of continued professional and managerial development
Desirable
- MBA qualification, or equivalent professional qualification or experience
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience of leadership and achievement at a senior level in a relevant field in a large, complex environment.
- Extensive, in-depth experience of formulating long term, organisation-wide strategic plans and development of projects resulting in positive value for money outcomes, adjusting plans and strategies in anticipation of complex environmental and political changes
- Extensive experience of delivering successful transformation in operational services and implementing innovation in practice.
- Excellent in-depth understanding and specialist knowledge of improvement methodology, tools and techniques
- Highly developed communication skills, with ability to communicate highly complex and sensitive information where barriers to understanding and acceptance exist and exceptional influencing skills are required.
- Highly developed leadership skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand the Trust-wide and local performance expectations.
Skills & abilities
Essential
- Track record of effective engagement and partnership working with senior internal and external stakeholders. Highly developed negotiating skills within complex, challenging and at times antagonistic environments.
- Ability to analyse, synthesise and interpret highly complex data, filtering and interpreting often conflicting information to develop Trust-wide policy
- Intellectual flexibility with the ability to cut through ambiguity and complexity and to shape and implement a vision that looks beyond existing structures, ways of working, boundaries and organisations to produce more effective and innovative service delivery models.
- Independent self-starter, able to work with a very high level of autonomy
- Flexible and resilient approach, able to work under pressure
- Team player, able to motivate and inspire
Person Specification
Qualifications/ Education
Essential
- Master's degree, and additional in-depth professional training and knowledge of financial management, performance management, transformation and service improvement, to doctorate or equivalent level, acquired through training and experienced over an extended period
- Formal qualification in a Technology or Services discipline
- Evidence of continued professional and managerial development
Desirable
- MBA qualification, or equivalent professional qualification or experience
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience of leadership and achievement at a senior level in a relevant field in a large, complex environment.
- Extensive, in-depth experience of formulating long term, organisation-wide strategic plans and development of projects resulting in positive value for money outcomes, adjusting plans and strategies in anticipation of complex environmental and political changes
- Extensive experience of delivering successful transformation in operational services and implementing innovation in practice.
- Excellent in-depth understanding and specialist knowledge of improvement methodology, tools and techniques
- Highly developed communication skills, with ability to communicate highly complex and sensitive information where barriers to understanding and acceptance exist and exceptional influencing skills are required.
- Highly developed leadership skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand the Trust-wide and local performance expectations.
Skills & abilities
Essential
- Track record of effective engagement and partnership working with senior internal and external stakeholders. Highly developed negotiating skills within complex, challenging and at times antagonistic environments.
- Ability to analyse, synthesise and interpret highly complex data, filtering and interpreting often conflicting information to develop Trust-wide policy
- Intellectual flexibility with the ability to cut through ambiguity and complexity and to shape and implement a vision that looks beyond existing structures, ways of working, boundaries and organisations to produce more effective and innovative service delivery models.
- Independent self-starter, able to work with a very high level of autonomy
- Flexible and resilient approach, able to work under pressure
- Team player, able to motivate and inspire
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
