Job Summary
We are seeking a strategic leader to build, establish, and operate a ServiceNow Center of Excellence and Innovation (CoEI) for our client organization. This role will be responsible for developing the organizational blueprint, establishing governance and delivery frameworks, leading cross-functional teams, and driving the strategic vision for ServiceNow as an enterprise platform for digital transformation. The successful candidate will combine deep ServiceNow expertise with enterprise leadership capability, stakeholder management, and change leadership to scale ServiceNow value across the client's organization.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Vision
- Define and articulate the client's vision and business case for ServiceNow as an enterprise platform for digital transformation; connect this vision to measurable business outcomes and secure executive sponsorship
- Own and oversee all ServiceNow instances across the enterprise; serve as the single point of accountability for platform oversight
- Establish and preside over strategic governance functions (steering committees, demand boards, design boards); ensure effective decision-making across stakeholder groups
- Drive organizational change management in support of ServiceNow adoption; partner with organizational leadership to overcome resistance and build championship
CoEI Structure & Team Building
- Design and implement the CoEI organizational structure across four core functions: strategy, business engagement and delivery, platform architecture and support, and innovation
- Build and mentor high-performing teams capable of delivering on strategy, governance, and delivery; define career paths and talent development
- Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities (RACI) between the CoEI and business partners, service owners, process owners, and development teams
Delivery & Value Realization
- Define ServiceNow as a Service (SaaS) offerings to business stakeholders (e.g., new capabilities, upgrades, workflow optimization, training); establish SLAs and engagement commitments
- Establish demand management and prioritization processes that balance business demands with strategic roadmap priorities
- Oversee delivery of new ServiceNow capabilities on time, on budget, and to quality standards; manage the demand-to-release cycle
- Drive platform hygiene and upgrade planning; ensure regular upgrades and platform management to stay ahead of demand
- Manage application escalations and complex cross-functional issues at the enterprise level
Governance, Standards & Risk Management
- Establish technical governance policies and standards for configuration, customization, development, security, data management, and integration
- Define and oversee compliance and security frameworks for the ServiceNow platform
- Guard against technical and business risk (e.g., ungoverned customization, platform performance degradation, security vulnerabilities)
- Implement measurement and reporting frameworks that track platform health, adoption, value realization, and innovation capture
Innovation & Enterprise Transformation
- Position ServiceNow as an enterprise strategic platform, not just an IT tool; identify and scale opportunities for digital workflow innovation across the organization (IT, HR, finance, customer service, etc.)
- Lead innovation opportunity identification and spotting across business lines; coach and mentor business partners in digital transformation thinking
- Build and nurture communities of practice across service owners, process owners, and development teams to share learnings and promote best practices
Stakeholder Management
- Serve as the primary advocate for ServiceNow at the executive and business leadership level
- Build and maintain strong relationships with C-suite sponsors, business unit leaders, service owners, process owners, and IT leadership
- Communicate progress, value, and risks consistently to executive sponsors and stakeholders
- Identify and recruit business champions to drive adoption and support scaling of new capabilities
Required Experience & Skills:
- 10+ years in enterprise IT service management, IT operations, or IT strategy roles, with 5+ years in a leadership or management capacity
- 5+ years of hands-on ServiceNow experience, including:
- ServiceNow platform administration and configuration
- Implementation experience (preferably multiple implementations or upgrades)
- Experience with ServiceNow modules (ITSM, HR, Customer Service, or similar)
- Exposure to ServiceNow governance and CoE best practices
- Demonstrated experience building, scaling, or leading teams in an operational or delivery context
- Proven success in IT financial management, including budgeting, cost management, and ROI calculation
- Track record of leading enterprise-level change initiatives and organizational transformation
- Experience in a delivery or consulting role is a plus
Technical Knowledge & Certifications
- ServiceNow certifications (preferred: Certified System Administrator, Certified Application Developer, or equivalent)
- Strong understanding of enterprise service management (ITSM) frameworks (ITIL, etc.)
- Familiarity with IT governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) concepts
- Knowledge of integration, API, and data management patterns in enterprise systems
- Understanding of low-code/no-code development paradigms and their role in scaling delivery
Leadership & Soft Skills
- Executive presence and credibility with C-level stakeholders and business leaders
- Strategic thinking: Ability to connect operational activities to business outcomes; see across organizational silos
- Change leadership: Demonstrated ability to drive adoption, overcome resistance, and build organizational alignment
- Stakeholder engagement: Strong relationship-building and influence skills across diverse audiences
- Communication: Ability to articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences and vice versa
- Business acumen: Understanding of financial metrics, organizational structure, and business strategy
- Problem-solving: Ability to navigate ambiguity and make decisions with incomplete information
- Coaching and mentoring: Demonstrated ability to develop talent and build high-performing teams
- Adaptability: Comfort working in a fast-moving, evolving environment; flexibility to adjust approach as needs change
Educational Background
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, Business Administration, or related field (Master's degree preferred)
- Or equivalent work experience demonstrating these competencies
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in a Platform Owner or CoE Lead role for a strategic enterprise technology
- Background in business process consulting or optimization
- Experience with enterprise architecture and portfolio management
- Knowledge of organizational change management (OCM) methodologies (e.g., Prosci, Kotter, etc.)
- Experience in IT financial management or similar strategic planning roles
- Familiarity with Agile delivery models and scaled Agile frameworks
- Experience working with managed services providers or partner ecosystems
- Background in a customer-facing or client delivery role
