IT Service Delivery Manager

Designation: IT Service Delivery Manager

Experience: 15-20 Years

Location: Noida (with regular collaboration with U.S.-based teams)

Work Model: On-site / Hybrid - Global 24x7 Coverage Required

POSITION SUMMARY:

The IT Service Delivery Manager is a senior leadership role responsible for the end-to-end delivery and performance of IT Service Desk outsourcing engagements across global regions. Operating at the intersection of client service excellence and operational execution, this individual leads multidisciplinary teams distributed across geographic time zones - ensuring continuous 24x7 service delivery in full compliance with contractual Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

A critical dimension of this role is the ability to bridge communication between U.S.-based solution strategy, architecture, and client relationship teams and the delivery workforce based in India. The ideal candidate brings deep familiarity with how U.S. enterprise clients communicate, escalate, and define success - and is skilled at translating that context into actionable guidance for in-country delivery teams.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Service Delivery & SLA Governance:

- Own end-to-end delivery accountability for IT Service Desk outsourcing engagements, ensuring all contractual SLA and KPI targets are consistently met or exceeded.

- Lead the operational cadence across 24x7 global shifts, including escalation protocols, incident response, and service continuity planning.

- Drive continuous improvement initiatives - analyzing ticket trends, CSAT data, and operational metrics to optimize team performance and reduce service failure risk.

- Oversee SLA reporting, monthly/quarterly business reviews, and executive-level client communications related to performance and outcomes.

Team Leadership & Global Operations:

- Directly manage and mentor Service Desk Team Leads and shift supervisors across global locations, building a high-performance delivery culture.

- Serve as the operating authority across geographically distributed teams in India, ensuring seamless shift handoffs, knowledge transfer, and consistent quality standards.

- Define workforce planning strategies - including headcount modeling, scheduling, and cross-training - to maintain coverage across all contracted service windows.

- Lead talent development, performance management, and succession planning for delivery staff at all levels.

U.S. Client Interface & Communication Translation:

- Act as the primary operational liaison between U.S.-based client stakeholders, solution architects, and strategy teams - and the India-based delivery organization.

- Interpret and translate U.S. client communication styles, escalation sensitivities, and cultural expectations into clear, actionable direction for local delivery teams.

- Participate in U.S. client-facing meetings, including kick-off sessions, service reviews, escalation calls, and contract renewals, representing the global delivery organization.

- Proactively identify gaps in client understanding or expectation alignment and implement communication strategies to close them.

Outsourcing Contract & Stakeholder Management:

- Develop deep fluency in all active outsourcing contracts - understanding scope, SLA structures, penalty clauses, exclusions, and change management terms.

- Collaborate with sales, pre-sales, and solution teams in the U.S. during the pursuit and transition phases of new engagements.

- Manage risk escalations and governance processes with both the client and internal leadership, maintaining trust and transparency at all stakeholder levels.

- Support pricing, scope changes, and renewal discussions by providing delivery data, trend analysis, and operational insight.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience & Background:

- Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in the IT industry, with the majority in IT consulting, managed services, or IT systems integration environments.

- Demonstrated career progression from IT Service Desk Team Lead to Service Delivery Manager in an outsourcing context - with verifiable team lead tenure.

- Hands-on experience managing large-scale, global 24x7 IT Service Desk engagements with resources distributed across multiple geographies.

- Proven experience delivering against complex, multi-tiered outsourcing SLAs in enterprise-class client environments.

Technical & Domain Knowledge:

- Senior-level proficiency in ITSM frameworks including ITIL - particularly Incident, Problem, Change, and Service Level Management.

- Deep familiarity with Service Desk tooling platforms (e.g., ServiceNow, BMC Remedy, Jira Service Management) and workforce management systems.

- Strong command of outsourcing SLA structures - including design, measurement, reporting, and contractual interpretation.

- Experience with service transition and transformation - including knowledge of onboarding clients, building runbooks, and managing go-live risk.

Leadership & Communication:

- Exceptional ability to lead, influence, and develop geographically dispersed, multidisciplinary teams without direct co-location.

- Demonstrated cultural intelligence and communication adaptability - specifically in bridging U.S. enterprise client expectations with India-based delivery execution.

- Executive presence with the ability to present to and engage with senior stakeholders on both the client and internal sides.

- Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with experience in formal client reporting, RCA documentation, and executive briefings.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

- ITIL v4 Foundation certification or higher; PMP or PRINCE2 a strong plus.

- Experience working directly with IT consulting firms, IT staffing integrators, or systems integrators in a multi-client delivery capacity.

- Familiarity with pre-sales processes - including supporting solutioning, contributing to proposals, or participating in client discovery sessions.

- Prior experience in a role that required frequent collaboration with U.S.-based or globally distributed solution strategy and architecture functions.

- Exposure to AI-augmented service desk tools, automation platforms (e.g., RPA), or shift-left / self-service strategies.

SUCCESS PROFILE - WHAT SETS THE BEST APART:

- The ideal candidate is not simply an operations manager - they are a cross-cultural leader who understands that the distance between a client in the U.S. and a delivery team in India is not just geographic.

- It is contextual, communicative, and cultural. The best candidates will demonstrate:

- A track record of building delivery teams that consistently beat SLA targets while maintaining high CSAT scores.

- The ability to walk into a U.S. client QBR and earn credibility with C-suite stakeholders - then turn around and coach an India-based team lead on how to interpret and act on that feedback.

- An instinct for risk - knowing when to escalate, when to problem-solve quietly, and when to bring leadership in.

- A continuous improvement mindset backed by operational data - not intuition alone.