| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Customer Support |
| Level | Manager |
| Reports to | Head of Customer Support |
| Direct reports | Service Delivery Executive, Customer Support Team Leader |
| Experience | 8 to 12 years in service delivery or operations |
Service Delivery Manager job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Service Delivery Manager
Department: Customer Support
Reports to: Head of Customer Support
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Service Delivery Manager makes sure a client or account gets the service promised in the contract. They own the service level agreements, run the governance and reporting, manage the delivery teams for the account, and keep the client relationship healthy. They sit between the client and the operation. A good Service Delivery Manager keeps every service level met, runs clear governance the client trusts, resolves issues before they escalate, controls delivery cost against the contract, and grows the account through reliable, well-reported delivery.
Key responsibilities
- Own the service level agreements and delivery commitments for the client or account.
- Run governance meetings and service reviews with the client on a regular cadence.
- Manage the delivery teams so service levels and quality are met.
- Track service level performance and report it accurately to the client.
- Resolve delivery issues and risks before they become client escalations.
- Control delivery cost and staffing against the contract and budget.
- Manage changes to scope and service and their impact on delivery.
- Build the client relationship and understand their evolving needs.
- Drive continuous improvement in the service delivered to the account.
- Report delivery performance, risk and growth opportunities to the leadership team.
Requirements
- Graduate, an MBA an advantage
- Experience in service delivery or account management
- An ITIL or delivery certification is an advantage
- 8 to 12 years in service delivery or operations
KRAs and KPIs for a Service Delivery Manager
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| SLA adherence | Contracted service levels met across the account each month |
| Governance | Service reviews held on cadence with accurate reporting |
| Issue prevention | Delivery issues resolved before they reach client escalation |
| Cost | Delivery cost and staffing within the contract budget |
| Client health | Client satisfaction and account health maintained |
| Improvement | Continuous improvement actions delivered each quarter |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Ticketing and ITSM tools, CRM, SLA dashboards, MS Excel, Reporting tools.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Head of Customer Support, AVP Operations (BPO), Delivery Head
Interview questions for a Service Delivery Manager
- How do you make sure every service level in a contract is met?
- How do you run governance that a client trusts?
- How do you catch and resolve a delivery risk before it escalates?
- How do you handle a change in scope mid-contract?
- How do you control delivery cost against the contract?
- How do you grow an account through delivery?
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What does a Service Delivery Manager do?
A Service Delivery Manager makes sure a client or account gets the service promised in the contract. They own the service level agreements, run governance and reporting, manage the delivery teams, and keep the client relationship healthy. They resolve issues before they escalate, control delivery cost, manage scope changes, and drive continuous improvement in the service.
What is an SLA and why does it matter in this role?
An SLA, or service level agreement, is the measurable service the provider commits to, such as resolution time or availability. It matters because a Service Delivery Manager is judged on meeting it. Missing SLAs can mean penalties and a lost account, so the role centres on delivering, tracking and reporting against these commitments.
What qualifications does a Service Delivery Manager need?
A graduate degree is the usual base and an MBA is an advantage. Employers value experience in service delivery or account management, command of SLA management, governance and reporting, and the ability to control cost and manage clients. An ITIL or delivery certification helps, and a record of reliable, well-reported delivery matters most.