Service Strategy Manager (IS Service Manager)

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More information about us on our website.

We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

About the Department:

Information Services the central IT department supporting all divisions of the Metropolitan Council. Our 140+ team members provide technology, practices, and innovative solutions that enable the core services of the Council.

How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities region:

The Service Strategy Manager is responsible for overseeing the lifecycle of IT services, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and customer needs. This role focuses on managing the service catalog, ensuring optimal resource allocation, and driving continuous improvement of IT services to maximize value delivery.

Leadership and Resource Planning

• Lead the hiring, onboarding, and professional development of Service Delivery Analysts and Service Level Managers.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, set objectives, and provide coaching and feedback.
• Forecast staffing needs and allocate resources to meet service strategy demands.

Service Catalog Management:

• Develop and maintain the IT service catalog, including all service offerings and their status throughout the lifecycle (pipeline, catalog, or retired).
• Ensure the catalog aligns with organizational strategies, objectives, and business needs.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to assess demand, capacity, and resource allocation.

• Establish and manage governance processes for evaluating, approving, and prioritizing new services and changes to existing services.
• Monitor the performance of the service catalog and provide regular updates to senior leadership.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and organizational standards across the catalog.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Partner with IT service owners, business stakeholders, and leadership to define service requirements and deliverables.
• Act as a liaison between technical teams and business units to ensure alignment and transparency.
• Provide clear and concise documentation and reporting on service catalog metrics and decisions.

Continuous Improvement:

• Analyze service performance data and customer feedback to identify areas for improvement.
• Drive initiatives to enhance service quality, reduce costs, and increase efficiency.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement within the IT organization.

Oversee the Design of New or Changed Services:

• Ensure that services meet business needs and align with organizational strategies.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to understand requirements and incorporate them into the design.

• Maintain Design Coordination:

• Coordinate all design activities across projects, ensuring consistency and alignment with overall service management practices.

• Manage Service Design Processes:

• Oversee processes like Service Level Management, Capacity Management, Availability Management, IT Service Continuity Management, and Information Security Management during the design phase.

• Produce and Maintain the Service Design Package (SDP):

• Ensure that all necessary service design documentation, including functional and non-functional requirements, is prepared and handed off to the Service Transition phase.

Any of the following combinations of completed education (in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field) and experience in endpoint administration/engineering.

• High school diploma/GED AND ten (10) years of experience, including three (3) years of experience in a managerial, supervisory, or lead worker role.
• Associate's degree AND eight (8) years of experience, including three (3) years of experience in a manager, supervisor, or lead worker role.

• Bachelor's degree AND six (6) years of experience, including three (3) years of experience in a manager, supervisor, or lead worker role.

• Master's degree AND four (4) years of experience, including three (3) years of experience in a manager, supervisor, or lead worker role.

What additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired qualifications):

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in IT service management tools and reporting platforms (e.g., Ivanti Neurons, etc.).
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with diverse teams.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results under tight deadlines.
• Experience with ITSM processes (Incidents, Service Requests, Changes, Problems) and managing queues to SLAs.
• Public sector or multi-agency environment experience.
• ITIL Foundation Certification or Advanced ITIL certifications, such as ITIL Specialist or Managing Professional.
• Experience working with diverse populations of internal and external customers.

What knowledge, skills, and abilities should you have within the first six months on the job:

• Comprehensive understanding of IT service management principles and frameworks, such as ITIL.
• Knowledge of technology change management practices.
• Knowledge of project management and coordination practices, including resource allocation.
• Understanding of IT security practices and data protection regulations.
• Awareness of industry trends and emerging technologies related to IT service management.
• Skilled at addressing customer service concerns, hearing customer needs, and building relationships with customers.
• Skilled in principles and practices of supervision, staff development, and performance management.
• Skill development and maintaining service level/performance metrics.
• Collaboration and teamwork abilities to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to adapt to changing environments and evolving business needs.
• Ability to meet project milestones promptly while adhering to budget and stakeholder requirements.
• Skills in hiring, onboarding, and retaining Service Delivery Analysts and Service Level Managers.

Union/Grade: MANA/ Pay Grade J
FLSA Status: Exempt
Safety Sensitive: No

Full salary range: $48.93- $79.40 hourly/ $101,774 - $165,152

Anticipated Hiring Range: $58.33 - $66.00 Hourly/ $121,326- $137,280 Annually

Work Environment:
Work is performed in a standard office setting. May require travel between primary work site to other sites for deployments, stakeholder engagement, etc.

What steps the recruitment process involve:

1. We review your minimum qualifications.
2. We rate your education and experience.
3. We conduct a structured panel interview.
4. We conduct a selection interview.

Once you have successfully completed the steps above, then:

If you are new to the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (safety-sensitive positions only), and a background check, which verifies education, employment, and criminal history. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the job. If you have a criminal conviction, you do not automatically fail. The Metropolitan Council considers felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis, based on whether they are related to the job and whether the candidate has demonstrated adequate rehabilitation.

If you are already an employee of the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (if

moving from a non-safety sensitive position to a safety-sensitive position) and

criminal background checks if the job you're applying for is safety-sensitive,

is a supervisory or management job, is in the Finance, Information Services,

Audit, or Human Resources departments, or has access to financial records,

files/databases, cash, vouchers, or transit fare cards. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the position.

Security Policy:

This position involves direct access to Criminal Justice Information (CJI) as defined by the

FBI CJIS (Criminal Justice Information Services) security policy. In accordance

with section 5.12.1.1 of the FBI CJIS Security Policy, final candidates must

agree to submit a state of residence and national fingerprint-based record

check. If the result of the record check reveals criminal convictions, the nature and circumstances of those convictions will be reviewed by the Metropolitan Transit Police

Department and/or the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to determine if access to Criminal Justice Information would be permissible. If it is determined that access to Criminal Justice Information would not be permissible, the candidate will no longer be considered for the position.