Operations Director

Kerv; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 100,000 - GBP 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A high-growth technology firm in the UK seeks a hands-on leader responsible for defining service strategy and operational delivery. This role will manage a team, drive ISO20000 certification, and enhance service innovation. The ideal candidate has experience in Network MSP or ISP environments, proven service operations management, and a strong commercial mindset. The position requires collaboration with senior leadership to align business objectives with day-to-day service delivery and continuous improvement efforts.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading transformation projects.
• Hands-on approach to drive change.
• Experience managing complex teams.

Responsibilities

• Define service offerings with CTO and Sales.
• Drive ISO20000 certification journey.
• Manage and develop a service leadership team.

Skills

Network MSP or ISP experience

Service operations experience

ITIL/IT service management best practices

Stakeholder management

Vendor and supplier management

Commercial mindset

Job description

Kerv is a high-growth technology services and software business operating at the intersection of digital transformation, cloud, data, AI and customer experience. Backed by Bridgepoint, one of Europe’s leading private equity investors, Kerv has entered an exciting new phase of accelerated growth following recent investment.

Bridgepoint’s backing provides both capital and strategic support to scale the platform, drive operational excellence and execute on an ambitious growth agenda, including organic expansion, transformation initiatives and potential M&A.

This is a broad, hands‑on leadership role responsible for defining and executing service strategy, operational delivery, and continuous improvement across Kerv Connect. The role acts as a bridge between strategic business objectives and day‑to‑day service delivery, while driving transformation initiatives that enhance operational maturity and capability. This position interfaces closely with the Kerv Group central functions (Transformation, GovOps, GroupService, HR, IT) and leads cross‑functional collaboration with the CTO and Sales leadership on business development and service innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Define service offerings in collaboration with CTO and Sales leadership, ensuring alignment with market demand and delivery capabilities.
• Drive ISO20000 certification journey, establishing ITIL-based governance frameworks and service management processes to enhance operational maturity.
• Establish and monitor service SLAs, ensuring consistent delivery quality and customer satisfaction.
• Participate in monthly business reviews to report on practice achievements
• Attend monthly risk meetings to assess service health, identify issues, and drive continuous improvement.
• Support the GovOps function through weekly governance meetings to maintain compliance and risk management standards.
• Develop and present business cases for strategic decisions, seeking senior team approval on major initiatives.
• Actively define scope and requirements for ServiceNow platform optimisation with the central development team, ensuring alignment with business unit needs.
• Oversee implementation of roadmap prioritising: contract management (in progress), contract P&L, project management, CMDB, and ticket management modules.
• Sign‑off on final delivery of ServiceNow enhancements to ensure quality and compliance with business requirements.
• Work with Transformation and Group Service teams to align platform capabilities with evolving operational needs.
• Work with CTO to define and implement strategic platform initiatives, incl. Logicmonitor

Operational Delivery & Team Management

• Manage and develop a team covering service leadership, project management, consulting and engineering functions (currently 9 people).
• Conduct weekly 1-2-1s with direct reports to ensure alignment, identify issues, and provide coaching.
• Oversee client project delivery through Project Management team.
• Handle high‑level customer escalations and resolution coordination.
• Support Sales team in scoping managed services by advising on delivery capabilities and scalability limits.
• Maintain weekly coordination with Sales leadership on pipeline and delivery readiness.
• Manage critical hardware and services supplier relationships (HWBF), ensuring SLA compliance at 90% and above.
• Lead supplier transitions and negotiations to improve service quality and cost‑effectiveness (recently completed transition to new HWBF partner).
• Establish clear performance metrics and remediation plans with suppliers.

Strategic Initiatives & Planning

• Collaborate with CTO on service strategy initiatives, including automation for tooling platforms and capability expansion.
• Support budget planning and P&L accountability working with Managing Director on resource allocation and investment decisions.
• Advise on technical service design and capacity constraints to inform business strategy.
• Strategic input defining and maintaining our practice culture, ensuring alignment with Kerv Group values and fostering a high‑performance environment.

People Leadership & Recruitment

• Responsible for all technical staff recruitment across the Practice, ensuring talent acquisition aligns with operational and cultural objectives.
• Drive talent development, succession planning, and skills enhancement initiatives.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive culture that supports innovation and continuous improvement

Background, Skills & Experience Required

• Previous Network MSP or ISP experience is essential
• Proven experience in service operations and ITIL/IT service management best practices.
• Track record of leading transformation and systems implementation projects.
• Hands‑on approach with a willingness to roll up sleeves and drive change forward, e
• xperience managing complex teams and driving continuous improvement.
• Strong stakeholder management across technical, sales, and transformation functions.
• Vendor and supplier management experience.
• Budget and P&L accountability.
• Ability to balance strategic initiatives with day‑to‑day operational delivery.
• Understanding of managed services delivery models and scaling challenges.
• Commercially minded, resilient and comfortable operating in a fast‑paced, evolving environment