Job Summary
The Director, Service Operations is a role within the Infrastructure area that successfully manages IT Service Management (ITSM) and cross-functional services delivered by one or more external service providers. This position works through a combination of internal resources and external service providers and establishes/uses a best-practice service management process to ensure the secure and stable operation of CNA's information technology infrastructure including availability, reliability, quality and adherence to CNA's Architecture standards. Ensures clear expectations and scope requirements are provided to vendor partners and CNA teams and that all agreed-upon outcomes are achieved on schedule, within budget and with high quality. Acts as a key point of contact for infrastructure vendors and CNA internally for this area, defining business goals and measurements with the vendors, building and maintaining strong relationships and measuring / monitoring vendor performance to drive continuous improvement.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Performs a combination of duties in accordance with departmental guidelines:

• Responsible for and acts as the primary contact person for internal teams and Infrastructure Vendor regarding IT Service Management (ITSM) and cross-functional services.
• Responsible for providing oversight and leadership of ITIL-based ITSM processes for CNA's on-premise and public cloud hosted environments.
• Leads and coordinates cross team efforts to determine root cause analysis, and drive permanent resolution for Infrastructure issues and defects.
• Work with CNA's Service Providers to plan and implement software and hardware changes and resolve defects.
• Provides leadership and assists in developing and implementing best practices.
• Provides thought leadership and guidance to build Service Mapping, CMDB, Asset Management Database (HAM, SAM and Asset Lifecycle) and Service Catlogs.
• Responsible for communicating with senior management and coordinates activities with CNA's Application & Security teams and Service Providers
• Establishes objectives and metrics against ITSM standards; ensures performance against expectations.
• Reviews Infrastructure Vendor changes to ITSM processes; participate in stakeholder analysis and training development.
• Serves as a primary conduit between vendors and internal stakeholders to ensure business goals and consistent, continuously improved results are delivered, works within the framework of the infrastructure vendor contract to define outcomes, SLA's and proper, unambiguous measurements for on-going infrastructure operations and projects that properly incentivize both CNA and it's vendors to perform in CNA's best interest
• Measures and monitors vendor performance and constantly reviews outcomes to determine how to change actions and processes to continuously drive better results at lower costs and to co-develop capabilities with vendors for the purposes of reducing costs, improving processes and innovating services.
• Clarifies unclear directives and promotes productive and effective issue resolution with service providers and across the Technology organization. Troubleshoots performance or contractual problems and works cross-functionally with internal stakeholders at all levels and service providers to recommend and/or employ effective solutions.
• Monitors new developments and industry best practices to incorporate into CNA Technology and actively and enthusiastically promotes the creative use of information technology to improve innovation, productivity and to enhance customer service across CNA.
• Builds operational relationships with vendor partners that are mutually beneficial and not solely reliant upon managing to the letter of the contract, but creates a vested interest in working together toward mutually agreed-upon outcomes – utilizing effective and efficient lines of two-way communication, characterized by transparency and trust.
• Prepares and manages to an annual budget for this position's areas of responsibility and performs necessary financial tasks to ensure compliance to budget and internal IT controls.
• Leads, directs, mentors and has full management accountability for staff in area of responsibility with an emphasis on talent management and succession planning in accordance with corporate strategic direction.

May perform additional duties as assigned.
Reporting Relationship
Typically reports to Assistant Vice President (AVP) or above.
Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

• Expert knowledge of IT Service Management concepts, and demonstrated experience with various technologies relevant to IT Service Management.
• Superior interpersonal, presentation, verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to think analytically, critically and creatively in an outcome-based model to identify viable options from conceptualization to execution and to interact effectively with internal and external business partners at all levels and plan for short and long-term goals.
• Ability to work well under pressure while maintaining a professional image and approach, exercising professional judgement, making decisions and assuming responsibility for decisions which have an impact on people, costs, and the delivery of services.
• Previous experience overseeing vendor partners with a proven track record of building, developing and managing service delivery and support teams.
• Ability to act with a sense of urgency and accountability while achieving quality results and identifying and resolving problems and issues within the scope of responsibility.
• Detail-orientation with proven analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to effectively plan and direct multiple projects and project teams.
• Ability to act as a thought leader in researching and presenting innovative ways to solve complex infrastructure related issues, including working with Managed Service Providers and other vendor partners with root cause analysis, SLA adherence and outcomes-based results. Monitors new developments and industry best practices.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related work experience.
• Minimum of eight years in Information Technology experience in Infrastructure operations, service delivery and cross functional services
• Must have good knowledge and experience with ServiceNow ITSM platform
• Sound problem identification, judgment, resolution and decision-making skills
• Experience in a business-facing IT role or similar experience providing customer service for an IT service.
• Experience working with IT vendors and / or Managed Service Providers, preferably in large, complex, outcome-based models.
• Willingness and ability to lead and provide mentorship to other Infrastructure vendor managers.
• ITIL V3 Foundation-Level Certification