🌐SERVICE ASSURANCE MANAGER 

Ready to champion service excellence and keep mission‑critical IT running at its best?

As our Service Assurance Manager, you’ll be the driving force behind high‑quality, reliable, and well‑governed IT services. You’ll work closely with the business, suppliers, and delivery teams to ensure every change is controlled, every issue is resolved, and every service performs exactly as it should. If you thrive on improving systems, strengthening relationships, and making sure technology truly empowers the business—this role is your next big move.

🕰️Hours: 35hours per week

📅Shift pattern: Monday - Friday 09:00-17:00

💸Salary: £50-60,000per annum dependant on experience

📍Location: Hybrid New Milton 1-2 days per month

🎓Training : Initial few weeks in office

📆Start Date : March /April 2026

🌍This role is a UK based role and any hybrid/remote work must also be within the UK.

😎Appello Perks

• 175 hours holiday pa plus bank holidays

• Private Medical Insurance - Individual Cover

• We offer you discounts on everything from groceries and shopping through to holidays, insurance, days out, restaurants and more

• 24/7 employee assistance programme with an easily accessible app!

• Family and friends’ discounts on our services & products

• Pension Scheme, up to 4% Company matched

• Free on-site parking

🧩 ABOUT YOU

You’re a confident, people‑focused IT leader who knows how to bring structure, calm, and clarity to fast‑moving, multi‑sourced environments. You thrive on building great relationships, supporting teams, and turning complex challenges into well‑managed, high‑quality services. You communicate clearly, think strategically, and you’re always looking for smarter, more efficient ways to deliver change.

You’re curious, proactive, and passionate about continuous improvement — always learning, always evolving, and always pushing services to be better than yesterday.

⭐WHAT YOU WILL BRING(Essential)

Experience & Expertise

• Extensive experience managing IT services in multi‑sourced environments with a strong customer‑service focus.

• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with stakeholders at all levels.

• Confident communicator who can translate complex IT concepts into clear, business‑friendly language.

• Solid background working within ITIL‑based service management environments.

• Clear commitment to continuous service improvement and optimisation.

• Strong leadership capability — coaching, developing, and guiding teams to success.

• Collaborative, proactive team player who works seamlessly across the organisation.

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong release management skills and ability to manage full release lifecycles.

• Ability to own and define Service Transition processes and controls.

• Excellent communication and teamwork mindset.

• Great organisational and time‑management skills.

• Curious about automation and new technologies.

• Experience with CI/CD methodologies.

• Strong influencing skills with the ability to take decisive action when needed.

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker with the ability to turn strategy into practical delivery.

• High‑energy, resilient, and confident decision‑maker — especially under pressure.

• Strong negotiator, able to handle sensitive issues with diplomacy.

• Comfortable working both independently and collaboratively.

• Exceptionally organised with strong attention to detail.

• Customer‑focused and driven to deliver high service standards.

• Calm, adaptable, and able to juggle multiple priorities.

• Analytical mindset with strong problem‑solving skills.

• Clear, confident communicator with both technical and non‑technical audiences.

Qualifications

• ITIL certifications (or equivalent experience).

🌟 NICE TO HAVE (Desirable)

• Experience in DevOps‑related release management.

• Technically curious, proactive, and committed to continuous learning and improvement.
  

🎯ABOUT THE ROLE

If you're the kind of person who loves transforming complexity into calm, guiding changes safely into production, and making sure IT services perform exactly as the business needs — then this role has your name on it.

As our Service Assurance Manager, you’ll be the steady hand that keeps our end‑to‑end IT services reliable, resilient, and ready for the future. You’ll play a central role in shaping how changes happen, how problems get solved, and how services continue to improve day after day. From nurturing strong stakeholder relationships to steering major releases and coordinating problem resolution, you’ll be right at the heart of service excellence.

You’ll collaborate closely with suppliers, SaaS partners, product owners, delivery teams, and business leaders — acting as the link that ensures everyone is aligned, informed, and working towards the same high standards of quality, governance, and performance.

🔄 Change, Release & Transition

• Lead the Change Management process and chair CAB meetings with confidence.

• Ensure every change is thoroughly assessed, tested, and risk‑managed before going live.

• Plan and manage releases, making sure scope, quality, and timing are under control.

• Own Service Transition and ensure new or changed services land smoothly and safely.

• Spot risks early and resolve issues that could impact stability or customer outcomes.

🧠 Problem Management

• Identify recurring or high‑impact incidents and turn them into structured problem investigations.

• Drive root cause analysis and make sure corrective actions stick.

• Maintain known errors and workarounds to minimise disruption.

• Oversee vulnerability management to prevent issues before they start.

• Work with tech teams and suppliers to implement long‑term, permanent fixes.

📈 Service Assurance & Continuous Improvement

• Assure the quality, performance, and resilience of end‑to‑end IT services.

• Build strong, collaborative relationships with business stakeholders.

• Handle escalations calmly and effectively.

• Drive service enhancements through well‑structured CSIPs.

• Ensure critical service knowledge is captured, maintained, and shared.

📣 Communication & Collaboration

• Keep the business updated with clear release plans, risks, and timelines.

• Work closely with product owners, developers, and service teams to ensure changes meet business expectations.

• Ensure communication around service impact is timely, transparent, and easy to understand.

📚 Knowledge & Process Excellence

• Produce and maintain documentation across service knowledge, processes, and controls.

• Ensure ITSM processes are consistently applied across Change, Release, and Transition.

• Promote knowledge sharing and operational readiness across teams.

🤝 Supplier & Vendor Partnership

• Manage supplier performance and service levels in collaboration with Supply Chain.

• Work with partners, SaaS providers, and internal teams to support service assurance goals.

• Ensure supplier services align with governance standards, quality expectations, and organisational strategy.

👥 People Leadership

• Provide clarity, direction, and purpose to your team.

• Hold regular 1:1s with meaningful coaching and feedback.

• Delegate effectively to keep work flowing smoothly.

• Develop team members through training, mentoring, and performance reviews.

• Foster an inclusive, supportive, and positive team culture.

READY TO APPLY ✅

If you are interested in this role please upload your CV and answer a few questions about yourself

OTHER INFORMATION

This is an exciting time at  the Appello group - we are a company on the move and now is a perfect time to join our team. You’ll gain exceptional career opportunities and will be part of a company that is continuing to expand.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applicants regardless of religious beliefs, political opinion, race, sex, marital status, age or disability.

If you require assistance to participate in the recruitment process, for example due to disability, please contact the careers Team on 01425 626337.