Lead Service Manager

Summary

Join Appfire as a Service Manager and oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of IT services, ensuring effective delivery, performance, and continuous improvement. You will maintain high service availability, optimize operational processes, and foster strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. This remote position requires daily global collaboration, with Eastern time zone availability preferred. You will define and monitor SLAs/SLOs, proactively identify service gaps, and collaborate with various teams for seamless service transitions. Lead process augmentation initiatives, develop best practices, and act as a liaison between IT, business units, and external partners. Establish communication channels during disruptions, track key metrics, and develop comprehensive BCP strategies. Work cross-functionally to understand IT needs and assist with compliance programs. Actively manage service contracts and ensure alignment with business objectives.

Requirements

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams and support IT needs across all departments
• Strong understanding of IT infrastructure, cloud platforms, and modern application architectures
• Strong influential leadership capabilities with a focus on team development and performance
• Experience working in a global corporate environment, managing IT operations across multiple geographies and time zones
• Proficiency in service management tools (we use Jira Service Management, OpsGenie)
• 7+ years of progressive IT experience
• Experience with ITIL, DevOps, Agile methodologies, and other IT best practices in a corporate environment. Knowledge in Lean and/or Six Sigma is a plus
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, capable of influencing and collaborating effectively across all levels of the organization

Responsibilities

• Define, monitor, and report on SLA/SLO (Service Level Agreements/Objectives) for all critical IT services, ensuring adherence and driving initiatives to meet or exceed targets
• Proactively identify service delivery gaps and implement corrective actions to maintain high service quality and availability
• Collaborate with IT Operations, DevOps, and development teams to ensure seamless service transitions and effective incident, problem, and change management
• Lead initiatives for Process Augmentation, identifying opportunities to streamline workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and introduce efficiencies within IT Operations and DevOps. Drive continuous improvement cycles
• Develop and implement best practices for service management processes, leveraging ITIL frameworks and adapting them to a fast-paced DevOps environment
• Act as a primary liaison between IT Operations, DevOps, business units, and external partners regarding service performance and issues. Ensure transparent reporting on service health, performance, and improvement initiatives to all relevant stakeholders
• Establish and maintain effective communication channels during service disruptions, including setting up and coordinating WAR Rooms for critical incident resolution
• Establish and track key Operations Metrics, including MTTR (Mean Time to Restore) and other relevant KPIs to measure operational efficiency and effectiveness. Monitor and analyze service sentiment and eNPS (employee Net Promoter Score) related to IT services, using feedback to drive user experience improvements. Implement robust reporting mechanisms to provide actionable insights into service performance and identify areas for optimization
• Develop, maintain, and regularly test comprehensive Business Continuity Planning (BCP) strategies for critical IT services to minimize downtime and ensure rapid recovery in the event of major disruptions
• Work cross-functionally with every department at Appfire to understand their IT needs, assess improvement opportunities in the processes, ensure alignment of IT operations with business objectives, and find synergies where possible
• Assist compliance re-certification programs such as ISO & SOC (currently) and NIST & FedRAMP (future)
• Actively manage service contracts to ensure timely renewals and alignment with business objectives while collaborating with service owners and vendors

Preferred Qualifications

• Relevant certifications (e.g., ITIL, PMP, CISSP, LSS, AWS, or Azure certifications)
• Experience in corporate digital transformation and cloud migration projects
• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field; or equivalent experience
• You are dedicated to elevating client and co-worker experiences , knowing that exceptional work centers on serving others
• You adapt swiftly to new business demands , understanding that change fuels collective and individual growth
• You excel in communication, effectively connecting in remote/hybrid environments using tools like Slack, Zoom, and G Suite and through occasional in-person events
• You have exceptional coaching , mentoring , and people development skills

Benefits

• Salary Ranges: Perm (UoP) 20 000 - 24 000 PLN gross/month
• Every Appfire employee is eligible for company equity
• Home Office allowance – 200 PLN/month to cover your electricity and internet bills
• MyBenefit Platform – 150 PLN/month to spend on shopping, culture and entertainment, Multisport, travel, and more
• Lunch Card – 300 PLN/month to spend on groceries/restaurants (excluding alcohol and other excise duties items)
• You can apply for a 50% tax-deductible cost on creative works (AKUP/IP tax-deductible costs)
• Access to the Appfire University learning platform – a hub of knowledge, interactive resources, and engaging instructor-led courses designed to fuel your learning journey with unparalleled depth and accessibility
• English language courses
• 26 working days of paid annual leave, regardless of years of experience
• Wellness Days – additional time off each month to recharge and take care of yourself
• Private healthcare
• Life Insurance
• 3 fully paid days each year to participate in Appfire Town, Appfire’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program
• Indefinite Employment contract from day one, no trial periods