ITSM Project Manager at Xcede, London, 12 Months, £Contract Rate

ITSM Project Manager - 12 Month Contract | Outside IR35
Location: London or Manchester (Hybrid - 1-2 days per week onsite)
Contract Length: 12 Months
IR35 Status: Outside IR35
Rate: Flexible for the right candidate

We're partnering with one of the UK's most recognised media and entertainment organisations, reaching millions of viewers daily across broadcast, streaming, and digital platforms. As part of a major technology transformation programme, they are seeking an experienced ITSM Project Manager to lead a critical service management readiness initiative.
This is a high-profile programme focused on enhancing IT Service Management processes, strengthening governance controls, and delivering key technology and operational improvements across the organisation.

The Role
As ITSM Project Manager, you will be responsible for driving the readiness and implementation of core ITSM capabilities, ensuring services, processes, technology, and teams are prepared for successful transition and ongoing operation.
You will lead the delivery of initiatives spanning Incident Management, Change Management, Problem Management, SLA Management, ticketing system enhancements, AI-driven service desk routing, data governance controls, and organisational change activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the readiness and transition of ITSM processes, including Incident, Change and Problem Management, SLA management, and escalation pathways.
• Oversee ticketing platform enhancements, service catalogue updates, and workflow improvements.
• Manage and refine AI-powered incident routing capabilities, ensuring routing logic and phrasing models are accurately configured to prevent ticket misclassification and queue misrouting.
• Deliver comprehensive communication, training, and user adoption strategies to support operational readiness.
• Ensure robust logical separation of data, maintaining strict access controls so support teams only access authorised information domains.
• Work closely with Cyber Security, Data Privacy, Legal, Governance, and Technology stakeholders to align technical controls with business and regulatory requirements.
• Develop and manage detailed project plans, milestones, dependencies, cutover activities, rollback plans, and readiness criteria.
• Maintain governance artefacts including project charters, delivery plans, RAID logs, reporting packs, and budget tracking.
• Provide clear and effective stakeholder communication, presenting status updates, risks, issues, and decisions to senior leadership.
• Manage relationships with third-party implementation partners, suppliers, and internal delivery teams.

Required Experience

• Minimum 5 years' Project Management experience delivering IT Infrastructure, Service Management, or ITSM transformation programmes.
• Proven track record delivering projects involving Data Privacy, Information Governance, GDPR, Data Loss Prevention (DLP), or related compliance initiatives.
• Strong experience implementing or improving ITSM processes within complex enterprise environments.
• Experience managing organisational change, training programmes, and business readiness activities.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage confidently at all levels of the organisation.
• Experience working with technical delivery teams and translating technical concepts into business outcomes.
• Demonstrable experience managing project governance, budgets, RAID management, and executive reporting.
• Strong problem-solving, decision-making, and delivery management capabilities.
• Comfortable operating within fast-paced and evolving environments.
• Experience leading distributed teams across onsite and remote locations.

CertificationsEssential

• PMP and/or PRINCE2 Certification

Desirable

• Agile Project Management Accreditation
• ITIL Certification

Why Apply?

• Opportunity to deliver a business-critical transformation programme within a household-name media organisation.
• High visibility role with exposure to senior stakeholders.
• Long-term 12-month engagement.
• Outside IR35.
• Flexible day rate for the right individual.
• Hybrid working with offices in London and Manchester.

If you're an experienced ITSM Project Manager with strong governance, service management, and data compliance expertise, we'd love to hear from you.