If you want to work as a service delivery manager, you should get some education, experience, and training in managing information services and teams. Strong leadership skills and the ability to deal with stressful situations are also beneficial. Written and verbal communication skills will also help you succeed in this role.
For those interested in working as a service delivery manager, an undergraduate degree is usually required. Some employers may prefer managers with business administration, information systems, or project management experience. Experience in a managed service role, such as incident or problem management, can be beneficial in addition to education. An incident manager, for example, may have the opportunity to learn some of the skills that will come in handy as a service delivery manager.
Additional service delivery manager training, such as certification in the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework, which is widely used in service delivery management, may be worthwhile. Companies may also use specific software applications to manage this process, and learning how to use these applications could help you advance your career as a service delivery manager. Reading service delivery management-related websites and publications may also be beneficial in becoming knowledgeable about industry trends.
Strong leadership skills are one personal trait that may help you succeed in this role. As a service delivery manager, you may need to negotiate with other managers to assign subordinates to problem-solving tasks, and you may need to motivate employees to solve complex problems under pressure. This job can be stressful, so learning stress-reduction techniques can be beneficial. You may be required to work unexpected overtime in some organizations, so you should make backup plans for any non-work-related obligations you may have.
Organizing the work of technical team members and checking in with them to ensure they are completing their tasks are among the responsibilities of a service delivery manager. Coordinating the activities of third-party providers may also be part of the job description. These workers’ hours may be reviewed and approved the service delivery manager.
Reduce the cost of providing Information Technology (IT) services while increasing or maintaining service quality and customer satisfaction are some of the other responsibilities you may have as a service delivery manager. It’s possible that writing and presenting service proposals and agreements will be part of your responsibilities. Other responsibilities assigned to your role may include assisting with change control and ensuring that your services delivery team adheres to standards.