Head of IT Operations & Vendor Management

Our client, a leading organisation within the financial services sector, is seeking a Head of IT Operations & Vendor Management to provide strategic leadership across IT service management, operational performance, supplier governance, and the development of a sustainable long-term technology operating model. This senior leadership role will be responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of technology services, managing key supplier relationships, and building the operational capability required to support the organisation through a significant period of transformation and beyond. Key Responsibilities - Lead and manage relationships with Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and strategic technology suppliers. - Own and develop the IT service management framework, including SLAs, KPIs, and service performance metrics. - Drive governance across incident, problem, change, and service review processes. - Establish and maintain a robust vendor governance framework to ensure supplier accountability and performance. - Manage operational budgets and oversee vendor commercial performance. - Build, develop, and lead an internal IT operations function and capability. - Develop service performance dashboards and reporting for senior stakeholders. - Ensure operational processes are effective, scalable, and aligned with business objectives. - Support operational readiness activities associated with technology transformation programmes. - Engage with senior stakeholders to ensure technology services meet business requirements and expectations. Skills, Knowledge and Expertise - Proven experience in a senior IT Operations, Service Management, or Vendor Management leadership role. - Strong background in IT service management, operational governance, and service delivery. - Demonstrable experience managing MSPs and third-party technology suppliers. - Experience developing and implementing vendor governance frameworks and performance management processes. - Strong financial and budget management capabilities. - Experience leading operational teams and developing internal capabilities. - Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills. - Strong understanding of incident, problem, change, and service management best practices. - Excellent communication, leadership, and decision-making skills. About About Instant Impact Instant Impact helps organisations turn talent into a competitive advantage. We do this through two core solutions: - Impact Talent: our embedded recruitment solution that blends expert in‑house teams with a modular, AI‑powered tech stack to build high‑performing TA functions and deliver consistent hiring outcomes. - Impact X: our Executive Search solution, designed to connect organisations with exceptional senior leaders who drive transformation and growth. How We Work: At Instant Impact, our approach is shaped by three core principles that guide everything we do: - Growth Mindset: We believe in continuous improvement, for ourselves, our teams, and our clients. Every challenge is a chance to learn, innovate, and raise the bar. - Accountability: We own our commitments. From hitting SLAs to developing our people, we do what we say we'll do and we measure what matters. - Pace & Collaboration: Speed wins, but not at the expense of quality. We work closely together across teams, with clients, and with candidates to move faster and smarter.