Acceptance into Service Portfolio Lead

Background
Our Central Government Client is currently recruiting for an Acceptance into Service Portfolio Lead for a 5 month contract based in London. You will be required to contribute to the implementation and ongoing development of the service acceptance strategy to ensure the provision of a consistent and rigorous framework for evaluating service capability and risk profile before new or changed service is released or deployed. Within a specific business community you will. Ensure all organisational policies and procedures are followed throughout service acceptance and minimise impact on the live environment, operations and support organisations.. Manage a team responsible for assuring the supplier community adhere to best policy on service acceptance.. Help to identify efficiency and productivity improvements

Main Duties/Responsibilities
Within a specific business community. Identify strategic best practice in service acceptance and be responsible for service acceptance strategy and periodically audit the processes to ensure compliance to policy and standards.
Ensure service compliance and future service requirements are considered and accounted for post implementation.
Act as prime interface for senior management in terms of service acceptance planning and reporting and gatekeeper on behalf of the business for acceptance decisions making final recommendation to the business and ITSM regarding decisions to release and deploy into production. Ensure the best interests of the business are identified during critical Go/No Go decisions.
Set overall approach, team objectives and key targets and monitor the effectiveness of the portfolio team.
Ensure regular project board meetings are held and that requisite assessment, analysis, planning and design of release packages, including assessment of risk is undertaken.
Assure authorisation of support documentation, change and release processes and supplier preparations for live support and that final delivery meets the agreed business and stakeholder requirements as specified in the service Design.
Assure compliance to testing and go live criteria and ensure relevant liaison between business and IT partners on release scheduling and communication of progress.
Assure post operational release reviews (ORR) including confirmation that all fixes and changes have been successfully applied.

Skills/Experience Required
ESSENTIAL
The successful candidate will be an experienced IT professional.
Working knowledge of IT infrastructure architecture and its management with focus on Service Level, IT Finance and contracts management.
Understanding of ITIL principals or other accredited support framework.
Understanding of the principals of Prince 2 project methodology.
Understanding of the Customer Value Chain Concepts, ie the complete sequence of activities within a process, from receipt of a requirement or request to delivery of a product or service.
Good understanding and able to demonstrate knowledge of Service Level management. Specifically Service Level definition and negotiation within a 3rd party outsource or partnership arrangement.
Has practical knowledge of Release management systems, including the monitoring of strengths and weaknesses. Demonstrates good working knowledge of own organisation's policy framework, management structures and reporting procedures for the Release management environment and evidence of practical involvement in all stages of the information systems life cycle, from feasibility through to support.

DESIRABLE
Familiarity with the Government IT Profession and cross government IT policies. Demonstrated awareness of the social, environmental and corporate impact of ICT;
Familiarity with relevant national and international legislation pertaining to the Government/Public Sector IT - eg Data Protection Act, Information Assurance policy.
Probably educated to degree level or equivalent practical experience.
ITIL advanced qualifications or equivalent experience

Additional Comments
We are looking for an experienced AiS manager who has previous experience of working in an outsourced environment. Good stakeholder management and experience of managing third party suppliers is essential. Ideally the candidate should be ITILv3 qualified.

Capita Resourcing welcome applications from all suitably qualified people regardless of gender, race, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Capita Resourcing is a trading name of Capita Resourcing Ltd. Services offered are those of an Employment Agency and Employment Business. Applicants will be required to register with us.