Principal Lead, Service Management

JOB SUMMARY / INTRODUCTION:

Lead the IT Service Management (ITSM) function for First Abu Dhabi Bank, establishing the governance, standards and assurance necessary to deliver resilient, secure and business-aligned technology services across the enterprise. The role is accountable for driving service quality, operational resilience, service continuity, change enablement, configuration management and performance oversight, ensuring critical banking services remain stable, compliant and customer focused.
Working in partnership with business, technology, risk, audit and strategic supplier teams, the role enables consistent execution of ITSM practices across the organisation while providing central governance, control and insight. Through continual service improvement, data-driven decision making and the adoption of automation and AI, the function safeguards the bank's customers, reputation, operations and regulatory obligations while supporting FAB's digital transformation and growth ambitions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Define and execute the enterprise ITSM strategy, roadmap and operating model aligned to FAB's business, technology and resilience objectives.
• Lead the bank's IT service continuity and operational resilience capabilities, including disaster recovery governance, testing programmes, recovery assurance and regulatory readiness
• Establish governance, standards and oversight for Change Enablement, Configuration Management, Service Quality Management and Service Performance Management.
• Drive end-to-end service visibility and service mapping to strengthen service ownership, dependency management, impact assessment and resilience decision making.
• Provide leadership representation for ITSM, resilience and operational assurance across executive, governance, audit and regulatory forums.
  Identify, manage and escalate operational risks, control weaknesses, service vulnerabilities and cross-functional dependencies impacting critical business services.
• Partner with senior stakeholders across Technology, Business, Risk, Compliance, Audit and strategic suppliers to strengthen service reliability and customer outcomes.
• Champion data-driven service management through the effective use of service intelligence, automation, observability, AI and AIOps capabilities to improve operational insight, proactive risk detection and service performance.
• Lead and develop high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement and alignment with FAB Values.
• Support the bank's transformation agenda by embedding resilient-by-design principles into technology delivery, agile ways of working and service lifecycle management.
• Manage the ITSM budget and resource plans, ensuring investment is aligned with the bank's service quality, operational resilience and regulatory priorities.
• Oversee strategic supplier performance and commercial engagements, ensuring services, tools and partners deliver optimal value, capability and business outcomes.
• Secure funding and sponsor initiatives that enhance ITSM maturity, service continuity, automation, AIOps and workforce capability across the Bank.

REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience:
 

• 12+ years of experience in IT service delivery, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven track record of implementing ITIL-based service management frameworks in complex, large-scale organizations.
• In-depth knowledge of IT operations and service management in the banking or financial services sector.
• Vast experience working with critical banking systems, digital channels, and regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to manage high-priority incidents, conduct root cause analyses, and oversee risk-controlled change management processes.
• Proven success in building, mentoring, and leading high-performing teams across diverse geographies.
• Experience driving cultural change and promoting a customer-first mindset within IT teams.
• Experience managing third-party service providers and vendor relationships to ensure SLA adherence and optimal cost efficiency.
• Strong stakeholder management experience, working with C-level executives and cross-functional teams.
• Hands-on experience with IT transformation initiatives, including automation, cloud adoption, and AI in IT service delivery.
• Track record of driving continual service improvement (CSI) initiatives and aligning IT services with business goals.
   

Skills:

• Strong ability to define and execute ITSM strategies that align with organizational objectives.
• Proactive decision-making skills, especially under high-pressure situations.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills to interact effectively with senior leadership, technical teams, and business units.
• Strong interpersonal skills to manage conflicts and negotiate solutions.
• Deep understanding of IT infrastructure, application delivery, monitoring tools, and service management technologies.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms, automation tools, and AI-driven IT service solutions.
• Ability to analyze complex service management metrics and identify actionable insights.
• Strong focus on identifying root causes and delivering sustainable solutions.
• Expertise in managing major incidents and ensuring rapid restoration of critical services.Experience in developing and executing disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity plans.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Business or Information Technology.
• ITIL Foundation (v4 preferred); Plus advanced ITIL certifications.
  
  Preferred / Beneficial
• Certified in Agile, Scrum, or DevOps methodologies (e.g., Certified Scrum Master, DevOps Foundation) is advantageous.
• Additional certifications such as CISM, CISA, or PMP are a plus.
• Familiarity with UAE and international banking regulations, data privacy, and security standards.
• Proficiency in ITSM tools (e.g., ServiceNow, PagerDuty).
• Knowledge of automation and monitoring tools used in large-scale IT environments.
• High level of emotional intelligence and resilience to manage diverse teams and high-pressure scenarios.
• Customer-focused mindset, with a commitment to delivering exceptional service quality.
• Ability to balance strategic vision with hands-on operational execution.