IT Leader – Service Operations

About Woods Bagot - Architecture for Worlds Ahead

We design places that meet the challenges and opportunities of our rapidly changing world. Our commitment to exploration, impact and community creates enduring, forward‑thinking outcomes, unlocking humanity's highest potential. With a global design culture devoted to creativity, resilience, and purpose - we ensure every project contributes to our client's vision, inspiring future generations.

About the Role

The Service Operations Leader plays a pivotal role in managing all aspects of Service Operations across the company, with a primary focus on executing a modern workplace strategy. This position is responsible for overseeing, optimising and scaling IT service delivery across all regions.

This role ensures operational excellence, fostering a culture of exceptional customer service, and driving continuous improvements that enhance the user and studio experience. Enthusiasm and a positive attitude are essential attributes for success in this role. The position requires a strong technical foundation in IT Service Management (ITSM). The role is ideal for an individual who is a forward-thinker, who excels at the intersection of hands-on IT service operations, strategy and team leadership.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead a team of front-line IT support administrators to provide rapid and efficient resolution of desktop technical issues, ensuring alignment with business needs.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive modern workplace technology strategy that addresses scalability, resilience, automation and alignment with business objectives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams/leaders across our business to define technology requirements and recommend solutions that enhance service delivery.
• Lead the selection, configuration, and deployment of modern workplace tools and technologies, such as collaboration platforms, digital communication tools, AI, remote work solutions, and productivity applications.
• Develop and execute change management strategies to drive user adoption of modern workplace technologies, ensuring a smooth transition and maximising the value of new tools.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to ensure that modern workplace technologies are implemented and maintained in compliance with security standards and best practices.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance user experience, service reliability and cost efficiency.
• Work with IT teams to ensure seamless integration and interoperability of modern workplace solutions with existing IT systems.
• Develop and manage global standards to support consistent procurement, maintenance, and allocation of IT services, equipment, and applications.
• Oversee the full lifecycle of IT assets globally and maintain accurate hardware and software inventories, ensuring seamless onboarding and offboarding experiences.
• Maintain desktop performance and reliability within agreed-upon service levels.
• Cultivate a high-performance, experience-driven service culture within the team, including recruitment activities.
• Implement process improvement methodologies based on ITIL principles to enhance desktop and application support performance and user experience.
• Incorporate documentation and knowledge management into standard practices, recording issue resolutions and updating procedures, installations, and configurations.
• Manage relationships with third-party hardware/software vendors to drive future roadmaps, as well as assist in upcoming renewals and driving cost/value optimisation throughout the company.
• Define and manage key performance indicators, analysing trends to address system availability and performance concerns.

About You

You are an experienced IT operations leader with a strong track record of delivering high-quality, user-focused service across complex, global environments. You thrive at the intersection of strategy and hands-on delivery, combining technical expertise with the ability to motivate and lead teams. With a passion for driving operational excellence, you bring a proactive, agile approach to solving challenges, and the credibility to influence stakeholders at all levels.

You are solutions-oriented, commercially astute, and motivated by creating seamless user experiences. Above all, you bring enthusiasm, positivity, and the leadership to cultivate a high-performance service culture.

You will be able to demonstrate:

• 8+ years in IT operations, with at least 3 years in a global leadership role, preferably within the AEC industry, coupled with relevant tertiary qualifications.
• ITIL certification.
• Proven experience in a similar Service Operations position (AEC industry experience highly regarded).
• Excellent track record of providing responsive and empathetic IT support during business hours and after hours, including reporting to identify and resolve user pain points.
• Strong understanding and experience of identity and access management, endpoint security and compliance frameworks, coupled with proven experience collaborating with compliance teams to implement security and regulatory policies whilst ensuring minimal disruption to end users.
• Well-developed management skills in planning and scheduling, together with the ability to lead and motivate a remote team of specialist staff.
• Strong knowledge of the organisation's existing IT infrastructure, cloud platforms (AWS and Azure), networking, operating systems (Win/Mac), and software (e.g. Revit, Rhino, Enscape, AutoCAD, O365, Adobe suite).
• Experience with mobile technology and printer management, including commercial analysis.
• Experience with IT Budget planning.
• Experience with Vendor Management and commercial negotiations.
• Meeting Room based AV system skills and troubleshooting.
• Experience in performing IT / application training and communications.
• Solid working experience on desktop support leadership.
• Working experience with online help desk systems and leveraging automation to streamline repetitive tasks (leveraging scripting or AI-powered tools).
• Experience in dealing with service providers.
• Experience in process improvement, design thinking methodologies.
• Exceptional customer service focus.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
• Agile and proactive style.

How to Apply

Applicants are required to submit an up-to-date resume via the Seek job advertisement. Applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. We do not accept unsolicited resumes or names from agencies. All personal data collected by the firm will be kept confidential and only used for recruitment purposes.

Mandatory requirement: It is an essential requirement that at the time of applying for this position applicants must have the legal right to work in Australia (an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident).

Inspiration. Innovation. Inclusiveness. We are Woods Bagot.

Woods Bagot is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, gender expression, and Veteran status.

At Woods Bagot, we are committed to creating an environment where difference is celebrated, valued and respected, practices are equitable, and our people feel like they belong. We accept that none of us is smarter than all of us. We believe building a diverse workforce is the foundation to creativity and innovative design – it is only by working together that we can realise the potential of our people, clients and communities around us. Through our inclusive leadership and our truly global studio network of strategists, experience designers and scientists, you will find your voice and have the support and flexibility required to bring your whole self to work and build an exceptional career.