Role Description

The AD Technology Enterprise Service Management (ESM) Director will lead the governance, standardization, and improvement of IT Service Management  (focusing on Incident, Problem, Request, and Change Management) across the Americas Division. The primary focus of this role is to establish, maintain, and enforce unified group‑wide standards, policies, procedures, and data controls to ensure consistent and high‑quality execution of ESM processes across all entities.

In addition to governance responsibilities, the Director will also provide support for Major Incident and Problem Management activities. This includes assisting during critical events, ensuring adherence to escalation protocols, monitoring quality of execution, and driving cross‑entity alignment in both operational response and post‑incident accountability.

The Director will manage the ESM Analyst team, drive process improvements, support transformation initiatives, and provide reporting and insights related to data quality, user adoption, operational effectiveness, and risk reduction.

Responsibilities:

Primary Responsibilities – Governance & Oversight
•    Lead and govern the unified IT Service Management standards, policies, and methodologies across all AD group companies in the Americas.
•    Manage the ESM Analyst team and oversee the implementation and continual improvement of ESM processes.
•    Establish a consistent ITIL-based governance model for IT Service Management, ensuring ongoing compliance and process adherence.
•    Own and maintain data quality rules, controls, and hygiene practices for all ESM process areas.
•    Provide reporting and analytics on process adoption, compliance trends, data quality, and operational effectiveness.
•    Coordinate and run cross entity touchpoints with Business and Technology teams to review stability, risk themes, upcoming changes/outages, and process performance.
•    Support training, awareness, and communication efforts to improve overall understanding and adoption of ESM processes.
•    Liaise with IT, business, and other governance stakeholders to ensure end to end alignment.
•    Evaluate the effectiveness of standards and procedures, focusing on improving consistency and reducing operational risk.
•    Lead and drive continual improvement initiatives across ESM functions.
Secondary Responsibilities – Major Incident & Problem Management Support
(These responsibilities are supportive in nature and complement—not replace—the governance focus.)
•    Support Major Incident Managers during high severity incidents by ensuring adherence to established protocols, advising on communication standards, and providing governance oversight during and after events.
•    Participate in or facilitate post incident reviews to ensure root cause identification, corrective actions, and governance commitments are properly documented and executed.
•    Perform trend analysis on recurring incidents and problem records, identifying systemic issues and recommending process or control improvements.
•    Support cross entity alignment by ensuring escalation paths, responsibilities, and processes for Major Incidents and Problem Management remain consistent across the region.
•    Provide guidance, coaching, and enhancement recommendations to teams executing Incident, Major Incident, and Problem workflows.
•    Monitor and report on key operational metrics such as MTTR, recurring incidents, aging problems, and systemic issues.
•    Ensure high quality data entry in incident and problem records, reinforcing adherence to documentation and evidence standards.

Additional Responsibilities

•    Develop and deliver clear, concise executive communications on process performance, risks, and improvement opportunities.
•    Support risk mitigation planning related to service stability and process gaps.
•    Coach managers and technical teams on IT Service Management best practices.
•    Support organizational design initiatives related to ESM roles and capabilities.
•    Partner closely with senior leaders to improve cross functional engagement and collaboration.
•    Track and report issues, risks, and process breakdowns and escalate where necessary.
•    Define and measure process success metrics, driving transparency and accountability across teams.

Qualifications

•    Strong understanding of Incident, Major Incident, and Problem Management with experience in both governance and operational support.
•    Experience designing and governing ITIL-based processes.
•    Excellent communication skills, including the ability to engage senior leaders and influence diverse stakeholder groups.
•    Strong analytical skillset involving trend analysis, process measurement, and data driven decision making.
•    Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships across all levels of the organization.
•    Leadership experience managing high performing teams.
•    Strong business acumen, strategic thinking, and ability to drive multi entity alignment.
•    Experience supporting organizational transformation or standardization initiatives.

Critical Job Knowledge and Core Competencies

•    Executive-level communication and the ability to guide, influence, and gain consensus across varying groups.
•    Ability to manage sensitive matters with discretion, integrity, and professionalism.
•    Strong leadership presence, innovation mindset, and ability to manage change effectively.
•    Ability to remain calm and professional during critical events and support effective decision-making.
•    Work Experience: 10+ years in Incident Management, Problem Management, IT governance, or a related technology leadership discipline.
•    Education: MS/MA/MBA preferred.