Head of IT Service Management

About the role

Cognita Schools is seeking a senior leader to own the global technology experience for its network of schools. As Head of IT Service Management you will lead the worldwide Service Desk, build AI‑enabled ITSM capabilities and ensure flawless support for students, staff and schools.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and scale the global Service Desk and ITSM teams, establishing standards, KPIs and a customer‑obsessed culture.
• Design and implement an AI‑enabled, omni‑channel Service Desk with virtual agents, GenAI chatbots, self‑service portals and predictive monitoring.
• Own the ITIL‑based ITSM framework, driving process maturity, SLA/XLA compliance and continuous service improvement.
• Manage vendor relationships, major incident response and ensure alignment with safeguarding, cyber‑security and data‑protection requirements.

Required profile

• Proven experience building and leading a global or multi‑region IT Service Desk/ITSM function from scratch.
• Hands‑on expertise in ITIL, SLA/XLA management and data‑driven service performance.
• Strong stakeholder management, influencing senior leaders and negotiating vendor contracts.
• Bachelor’s degree in IT or related field and ITIL certifications.

Required skills

• GenAI chatbots
• AI and automation (virtual agents, workflow automation)
• KPI, SLA, XLA definition and reporting
• Self‑service portal development
• ITIL processes