JOB DESCRIPTION
About Herbert Smith Freehills
As one of the world’s leading law firms, we advise many of the largest and most ambitious organisations across all major regions of the globe. With over 5,000 people, including 3,100 lawyers and over 2,000 business services professionals, operating from our global network of offices across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America, Herbert Smith Freehills is at the heart of the new global business landscape providing premium quality, full-service legal advice.
We recognise that the success of our business and our clients relies on the skills, knowledge and ideas of all our people. Our environment is one in which high performance is expected, in return, we will provide you with rewards and opportunities tailored to your personal and professional goals.
The Opportunity
Key Internal Relationships:
1. IT Service Delivery and Operations Teams
2. IT Business Relationship Management Team
3. IT Enterprise Architecture Team
4. IT Security Team
5. IT Asset Management Team
6. Global IT Service and Product Owners
7. IT Project Delivery Team
8. Key Business Stakeholders
Key External Relationships:
9. Relevant third-party suppliers and vendors
Role / Primary Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership:
10. Manage the development of a global service desk strategy that ensures seamless 24/7 support and aligns with both IT and business objectives, effectively leading the team to achieve these goals.
11. Establish a comprehensive roadmap to ensure seamless, round-the-clock worldclass service delivery, leveraging regional strengths and ensuring global consistency.
12. Define, monitor, and refine key performance indicators (KPIs) and objectives and key results (OKRs) to align service desk operations with business priorities.
13. Promote strong collaboration between regional teams to create a unified, cohesive global service desk experience.
14. Standardise processes and communication protocols to minimise service disruptions and optimise cross-regional workflows.
15. Advocate for end-users globally, ensuring their needs are reflected in the service desk strategy.
OKR Reporting and Data Driven Insights
16. Maintain and enhance a reporting framework, continuously improve the global reporting framework to ensure it effectively tracks performance against OKRs, providing visibility across regions and time zones.
17. Regularly analyse performance data to identify trends to implement actionable improvements.
18. Present regular reports and dashboards to senior management, showcasing progress, successes, and areas for improvement within the global service desk.
Vendor Management and Budget Control
19. Manage relationships with global and regional service desk vendors.
20. Conduct regular reviews with vendors to ensure consistent service delivery and alignment with the global strategy. Monitor and optimise costs without compromising the quality of service.
21. Working with appropriate teams to negotiate service desk contracts, SLAs, and pricing to deliver optimal value and performance.
22. Develop and oversee the global service desk budget, ensuring efficient use of resources across regions. Working with the Assurance Team to provide accurate financial forecasts and reports to Senior Management to maintain transparency and accountability.
Governance and standardisation
23. Establish and enforce global policies, processes, and frameworks to ensure consistency and compliance across all regions.
24. Ensure adherence to regulatory, security, and governance standards in all aspects of service desk operations.
25. Balance global standardisation with regional flexibility to address cultural and operational differences.
Mentorship
26. Provide leadership and guidance to the Service Desk Manager/Team Leader, fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability.
27. Mentor and develop Service Desk leaders to drive alignment with the global strategy and OKRs.
28. Promote a high-performance culture across the global service desk
Technology and Innovation
29. Evaluate and implement tools and technologies to support a follow-the-sun service desk, including automation, artificial intelligence, and ITSM platforms.
30. Ensure the effective use of technology to facilitate cross-regional collaboration and seamless handovers.
31. Stay informed on emerging trends to drive innovation and maintain a competitive edge.
Qualifications / Skills / Experience:
32. Proven experience in a Global Service Desk Manager role with strategic oversight responsibilities.
33. Strong background in ITIL frameworks and service management best practices.
34. Demonstrated success in developing and implementing strategies for 24/7 service delivery.
35. Expertise in setting, monitoring, and reporting on KPIs.
36. Experience in vendor management, including contract negotiation and SLA oversight.
37. Strong financial acumen with a proven track record in global budget control and optimisation.
38. Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills across all organisational levels and regions.
39. Deep understanding of ITSM tools and technologies, with experience in automation and AI-driven solutions.
40. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and drive informed decisions.
Team
Information Technology
Working Pattern
Full time
Location
London
Contract type
Permanent Contract
Diversity & Inclusion
We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding.