First Line Support Manager

First Line Support Manager

In a nutshell:

The First Line Support Manager is responsible for managing the contract and service governance for two critical service desk contracts: 

• Accenture-managed Data Triage team – Focused on triaging and managing data-related incidents. 

• NCR Service Desk – Manages the entire Sainsbury’s IT Service Desk for stores, corporate offices, Argos, Habitat, Sainsbury’s Bank, and Nectar 360. 

This is not a hands-on technical role but focuses on vendor management, service governance, SLA monitoring, and service improvement. The successful candidate will ensure that Accenture and NCR meet contractual obligations, track service desk performance, and drive continuous service enhancements. 

The role oversees a high-volume service desk operation, handling thousands of calls and interactions weekly, ensuring timely incident resolution and maintaining service efficiency. Additionally, the role is pivotal in shaping the future of IT service delivery, working with vendors and stakeholders to introduce AI-driven automation, self-service tools, and self-healing capabilities, reducing reliance on manual intervention for routine tasks. 

What you need to do:

1. Contract & Vendor Management (Accenture & NCR) 

• Oversee the Data Triage contract with Accenture and the Service Desk contract with NCR. 

• Monitor vendor performance, SLAs, and key deliverables, ensuring contractual compliance. 

• Conduct monthly service review meetings with both Accenture and NCR, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement. 

• Track resource utilisation and contract scope, escalating issues as needed. 

• Act as the primary escalation point for service desk service-related issues. 

• Ensure change control processes are followed for any contract amendments or service modifications. 

2. Service Performance & Incident Management 

• Ensure Accenture meets incident triage SLAs and NCR provides high-quality IT support across all business units. 

• Monitor incident trends and recurring issues, driving improvements in response and resolution times. 

• Oversee escalation management for critical incidents requiring urgent resolution. 

• Ensure both service desks maintain accurate documentation, runbooks, and process adherence. 

• Work with internal IT and data teams to enhance incident categorisation, routing, and knowledge management. 

• Oversee ServiceNow reporting, ensuring accurate ticket tracking and escalation visibility. 

3. Stakeholder & Vendor Engagement 

• Serve as the primary liaison between Sainsbury’s, Accenture, and NCR, ensuring smooth collaboration. 

• Provide regular updates to senior stakeholders, highlighting key service desk metrics and contract performance. 

• Ensure smooth onboarding of new teams into the service desk support structure. 

• Work closely with Technology, Data, and Security teams to ensure end-to-end service alignment. 

• Facilitate NCR, Accenture, and internal IT leadership engagement to drive operational excellence. 

4. Continuous Service Improvement (CSI) & Future Innovation 

• Track and manage Service Improvement Plans (SIP) to drive ongoing efficiency. 

• Identify inefficiencies in ticket handling, triage workflows, and service delivery. 

• Ensure Accenture and NCR maintain comprehensive knowledge bases, reducing recurring tickets. 

• Review service reports to proactively improve customer satisfaction and reduce incident volumes. 

• Work closely with vendors and IT teams to implement AI-driven automation, chatbots, and self-healing functionalities, reducing the need for manual intervention. 

• Advocate for and support the integration of self-service and automated solutions, enabling faster issue resolution and minimising human dependency on repetitive tasks. 

What you need to know and show:

• Experience managing large-scale vendor/service desk contracts, preferably with Accenture, NCR, or similar providers. 

• Strong understanding of IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks, including ITIL. 

• Experience with ServiceNow or similar ITSM platforms. 

• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to hold vendors accountable to SLAs. 

• Ability to analyse service reports, track KPIs, and drive operational improvements. 

• Excellent problem-solving and escalation management skills. 

• Experience working in enterprise IT support, managed services, or IT operations. 

Desirable Skills & Experience: 

• ITIL Foundation certification. 

• Familiarity with MicroStrategy (MSTR) or BI platforms. 

• Experience managing multi-vendor service desks. 

• Knowledge of data governance and compliance principles (e.g., GDPR). 

What decisions I can make, including budget:

• Oversight of vendor performance and contract obligations within both service desk functions. 

• Decisions on service improvement actions within contract scope. 

• Prioritisation of incident triage improvements based on impact. 

• Escalation of contract performance issues to senior leadership. 

• Recommendations for contract amendments, additional resources, or process enhancements. 

Directly or indirectly manages:

• Oversees the Accenture Data Triage team (4 resources) and the NCR Service Desk contract, ensuring they deliver the agreed services. 

• Collaborates with CDAO squads, IT leadership, and business stakeholders to resolve issues effectively. 

Success looks like:

• Accenture and NCR meeting contractual obligations, delivering high-quality service desk support. 

• Improved incident triage and resolution efficiency, reducing ticket backlog. 

• Strong stakeholder engagement, ensuring IT support aligns with business needs. 

• A culture of continuous service improvement, incorporating AI and automation to reduce manual workload and enhance self-service options.