Job Purpose

The Head of Service Management and Operations is responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight of ICT service management and operational functions across CRDB Bank. The role ensures the delivery of secure, reliable, resilient, and customer-centric technology services that support the Bank's business objectives, digital transformation agenda, regulatory obligations, and customer experience ambitions.

The incumbent will establish and maintain best-practice service management and operational frameworks, ensuring the availability, performance, and continuous improvement of all technology services, while driving operational excellence, service resilience, cost optimization, and stakeholder satisfaction.

Principle Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the ICT Service Management strategy aligned with the Bank's business objectives and digital transformation agenda.
• Establish, govern, and continuously improve ITIL-based service management processes including Incident, Problem, Change, Request, Knowledge, Configuration, and Asset Management.
• Ensure effective management of Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Operational Level Agreements (OLAs), and service performance targets by monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on service availability, SLA compliance, customer satisfaction, and key operational performance indicators to drive continuous service improvement.
• Lead major incident management processes and ensure timely restoration of critical business services.
• Drive a culture of customer-centric service delivery and operational excellence by establishing service performance metrics, reporting frameworks, and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance service quality, accountability, and customer satisfaction.
• Ensure 24x7 availability, performance, and support of critical banking and business systems.
• Oversee operational support for Core Banking, Digital Banking, Payments, Networks, Infrastructure, Cloud Platforms, End User Services, and Enterprise Applications.
• Ensure effective monitoring, event management, operational control, and capacity management of ICT services.
• Collaborate with business units to enhance customer experience across digital channels while identifying service gaps and driving continuous service improvement and operational stability through proactive service management practices.
• Ensure the reliable delivery, availability, security, and support of digital banking services, including Mobile Banking, Internet Banking, ATMs, Agency Banking, Card Services, Payment Systems, and APIs, to enhance customer experience and support business growth.
• Ensure ICT operations comply with regulatory requirements, including Bank of Tanzania regulations and internal policies, by implementing and maintaining effective operational controls, governance frameworks, and risk management practices.
• Support internal and external audits by ensuring the timely resolution of audit findings, while identifying, assessing, and mitigating operational and service-related risks and maintaining compliance with information security, business continuity, and risk management requirements.
• Build strong relationships with business leaders and key stakeholders across the Bank by facilitating regular service review forums, fostering collaboration, and aligning ICT services with business needs and strategic objectives.
• Act as the primary escalation point for major ICT service issues while driving initiatives that enhance customer and employee satisfaction through the continuous improvement of ICT services and service delivery.
• Ensure the effective utilization of ICT operational resources by monitoring operational expenditure, optimizing resource allocation, and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness.
• Contribute to ICT investment planning and business case development while developing and managing the Service Management and Operations budget to ensure effective resource allocation and alignment with business objectives.
• Lead, mentor, and develop Service Management and Operations teams while promoting professional development, industry certifications, and a high-performance culture to strengthen capabilities and support operational excellence.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of ICT operations across the Bank while developing future ICT leaders through succession planning, talent development, and capability-building initiatives to ensure sustainable operational excellence.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications Required

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Telecommunications, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years' progressive experience in ICT, Technology Operations, Service Management, or Service Delivery environments.
• Minimum of 5 years in a senior leadership role managing ICT Service Management, Service Delivery, or ICT Operations functions.
• ICT Service Management ITILv3 or ITLv4, ISO 20000 Lead Implementer certifications.
• Management or leadership qualification will be an added advantage.
• Proven experience in implementing and managing ITIL-based service management frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale ICT operations within banking, financial services, telecommunications, or similarly complex organizations.
• Proven experience managing mission-critical services requiring high availability and resilience.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary ICT teams and managing organizational change initiatives.
• Strong experience in vendor, supplier, and contract management.
• Experience managing operational budgets and resource planning.
• Demonstrated success in driving service improvement, automation, and operational efficiency initiatives.

• Develop and implement the ICT Service Management strategy aligned with the Bank's business objectives and digital transformation agenda.
• Establish, govern, and continuously improve ITIL-based service management processes including Incident, Problem, Change, Request, Knowledge, Configuration, and Asset Management.
• Ensure effective management of Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Operational Level Agreements (OLAs), and service performance targets by monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on service availability, SLA compliance, customer satisfaction, and key operational performance indicators to drive continuous service improvement.
• Lead major incident management processes and ensure timely restoration of critical business services.
• Drive a culture of customer-centric service delivery and operational excellence by establishing service performance metrics, reporting frameworks, and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance service quality, accountability, and customer satisfaction.
• Ensure 24x7 availability, performance, and support of critical banking and business systems.
• Oversee operational support for Core Banking, Digital Banking, Payments, Networks, Infrastructure, Cloud Platforms, End User Services, and Enterprise Applications.
• Ensure effective monitoring, event management, operational control, and capacity management of ICT services.
• Collaborate with business units to enhance customer experience across digital channels while identifying service gaps and driving continuous service improvement and operational stability through proactive service management practices.
• Ensure the reliable delivery, availability, security, and support of digital banking services, including Mobile Banking, Internet Banking, ATMs, Agency Banking, Card Services, Payment Systems, and APIs, to enhance customer experience and support business growth.
• Ensure ICT operations comply with regulatory requirements, including Bank of Tanzania regulations and internal policies, by implementing and maintaining effective operational controls, governance frameworks, and risk management practices.
• Support internal and external audits by ensuring the timely resolution of audit findings, while identifying, assessing, and mitigating operational and service-related risks and maintaining compliance with information security, business continuity, and risk management requirements.
• Build strong relationships with business leaders and key stakeholders across the Bank by facilitating regular service review forums, fostering collaboration, and aligning ICT services with business needs and strategic objectives.
• Act as the primary escalation point for major ICT service issues while driving initiatives that enhance customer and employee satisfaction through the continuous improvement of ICT services and service delivery.
• Ensure the effective utilization of ICT operational resources by monitoring operational expenditure, optimizing resource allocation, and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness.
• Contribute to ICT investment planning and business case development while developing and managing the Service Management and Operations budget to ensure effective resource allocation and alignment with business objectives.
• Lead, mentor, and develop Service Management and Operations teams while promoting professional development, industry certifications, and a high-performance culture to strengthen capabilities and support operational excellence.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of ICT operations across the Bank while developing future ICT leaders through succession planning, talent development, and capability-building initiatives to ensure sustainable operational excellence.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• ITIL-based service management frameworks
• Major incident management
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs) management
• Operational Level Agreements (OLAs) management
• Service performance monitoring and reporting
• Customer-centric service delivery
• Operational excellence
• 24x7 availability management
• Core Banking systems support
• Digital Banking systems support
• Payment systems support
• Network infrastructure support
• Cloud platform operations
• End-user services support
• Enterprise applications support
• Monitoring and event management
• Capacity management
• Regulatory compliance (Bank of Tanzania)
• Information security management
• Business continuity management
• Risk management
• Stakeholder relationship management
• Vendor, supplier, and contract management
• Operational budget management
• Resource planning
• Service improvement initiatives
• Automation
• Operational efficiency
• Team leadership and development
• Succession planning
• Talent development
• Change management

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Telecommunications, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years' progressive experience in ICT, Technology Operations, Service Management, or Service Delivery environments.
• Minimum of 5 years in a senior leadership role managing ICT Service Management, Service Delivery, or ICT Operations functions.
• ICT Service Management ITILv3 or ITLv4, ISO 20000 Lead Implementer certifications.
• Management or leadership qualification will be an added advantage.
• Proven experience in implementing and managing ITIL-based service management frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale ICT operations within banking, financial services, telecommunications, or similarly complex organizations.
• Proven experience managing mission-critical services requiring high availability and resilience.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary ICT teams and managing organizational change initiatives.
• Strong experience in vendor, supplier, and contract management.
• Experience managing operational budgets and resource planning.
• Demonstrated success in driving service improvement, automation, and operational efficiency initiatives.