Product Portfolio Manager, IT Service Operations

The Product Portfolio Manager, IT Service Operations is accountable for the strategy, lifecycle and continuous improvement of the products, platforms and capabilities that enable reliable, efficient and user-centred technology operations. The role translates business and operational needs into a prioritised product roadmap and measurable outcomes aligned with Technology Operations strategy, enterprise architecture, risk appetite and regulatory obligations.

Working across service delivery, infrastructure, applications, cyber security, risk, governance and business teams, the role owns the product vision, roadmap and backlog for IT service operations capabilities. This includes service management processes and platforms, observability and monitoring, incident and problem management, request fulfilment, self-service, knowledge management, automation and operational reporting.

The role leads cross-functional delivery from discovery through implementation, adoption and ongoing optimisation. It balances customer experience, operational resilience, risk reduction, technical sustainability and commercial value, using data and stakeholder insight to prioritise investment and deliver demonstrable improvements in service quality, productivity and control effectiveness.

The Product Portfolio Manager acts as the central point of accountability for product decisions and outcomes, establishes transparent governance and performance measures, and communicates priorities, trade-offs and progress to senior leaders and stakeholders. The position may lead team members and delivery partners through influence, clear direction and disciplined product management practices.

Key accountabilities and main responsibilities

Product strategy & roadmap

• Define and maintain the vision, strategy and multi-year roadmap for IT Service Operations products and capabilities, aligned with Technology Operations priorities and business outcomes.
• Develop a clear value proposition, target operating model and success measures for each product or capability within the portfolio.
• Use customer insight, service data, operational risk, technology trends and market practice to identify opportunities and shape investment priorities.
• Own and prioritise the product backlog, balancing customer value, operational resilience, regulatory obligations, technical debt, cost and delivery capacity.
• Prepare investment proposals, business cases and executive recommendations that articulate benefits, costs, dependencies, risks and measurable outcomes.

Product delivery & lifecycle management

• Lead products and capabilities through discovery, design, delivery, transition, adoption, operation and retirement, with clear acceptance criteria and lifecycle controls.
• Translate business and operational needs into prioritised features, user stories, service requirements and delivery increments.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and vendors to deliver roadmap outcomes, manage dependencies and resolve impediments.
• Ensure new and changed services meet operational readiness, supportability, security, resilience, monitoring, documentation and knowledge requirements before release.
• Drive adoption and benefits realisation through stakeholder engagement, communications, training, feedback and post-implementation review.

Service performance & customer outcomes

• Define and manage product objectives, service levels, key performance indicators and experience measures, with transparent reporting of performance and value.
• Use quantitative and qualitative insights to understand customer journeys, identify root causes and prioritise improvements.
• Sponsor continuous improvement across incident, problem, change, request, knowledge, asset, configuration, monitoring and service reporting practices.
• Advance self-service, automation, AI-enabled operations and data-driven decision-making to improve customer experience, productivity and service reliability.
• Maintain effective feedback loops with users, service teams and business stakeholders and ensure improvement commitments are tracked to completion.

Stakeholder, commercial & delivery leadership

• Build strong relationships across business, technology, risk and vendor stakeholders and establish shared ownership of outcomes.
• Build capability within our Technology teams to ensure comprehensive understanding of the platform and lifecycle management.
• Facilitate product governance forums, communicate roadmap decisions and trade-offs, and provide clear executive reporting on progress, benefits, risks and issues.
• Manage product budgets, forecasts, licensing and supplier performance, identifying opportunities to optimise cost and commercial value.
• Set clear priorities and outcomes for delivery teams and partners, fostering collaboration, accountability, inclusion and continuous learning.
• Contribute to client proposals, due diligence and technology engagements where IT Service Operations capabilities are relevant.

Governance, risk & resilience

• Embed security, privacy, resilience, risk and compliance requirements throughout the product lifecycle and maintain audit-ready evidence.
• Ensure products and processes comply with enterprise architecture, technology standards, policies, controls and regulatory obligations.
• Own or coordinate the remediation of product-related risks, control gaps, incidents, corrective actions and audit findings within agreed timeframes.
• Maintain accurate product, process, service and control documentation, including decision records, operational procedures and ownership models.

Experience and Personal Attributes

• Demonstrated experience in product management, service management or service delivery within a large, complex and regulated technology environment.
• Proven ability to define product vision and strategy, develop roadmaps, prioritise backlogs and deliver measurable customer and business outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of IT Service Management practices and enterprise service operations, including incident, problem, change, request, knowledge, asset, configuration and service level management.
• Experience delivering technology products or service capabilities through agile, iterative or hybrid delivery methods across multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated capability in service management platforms, observability, automation, self-service, AI-enabled operations, analytics or related operational technologies.
• Commercial and financial acumen, including business case development, budgeting, forecasting, benefits realisation, licensing and vendor management.
• Sound understanding of technology risk, cyber security, operational resilience, audit and governance requirements in a regulated financial services environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management, facilitation, influencing and negotiation skills, with the ability to communicate effectively from operational teams through to senior executives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with confidence using operational data, customer feedback and performance measures to make evidence-based decisions.
• A customer-centred mindset and demonstrated ability to balance user experience, service reliability, risk, cost and technical sustainability.
• Ability to provide clear direction, lead through influence, manage competing priorities and maintain momentum in a fast-paced environment.
• Relevant qualifications or certifications in product management, ITIL, agile delivery, technology, business or a related discipline are desirable.