Application Services Delivery Manager – AR

Job Details

Job Description – Application Services Delivery Manager

Service

Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT)

Team

Operational IT and Project Delivery (or equivalent DDaT Applications Team)

Location

Shute End (with hybrid working / attendance at council sites as required)

Reports to

Service Manager – Technology and Project Delivery

Grade

11

Contract Type

Permanent

Hours

Full Time

Role Purpose

The Application Services Delivery Manager is responsible for leading the delivery, performance, and continuous improvement of the Council’s application services portfolio.

The role ensures that all business applications are reliable, secure, cost-effective, and aligned to organisational priorities. It provides technical leadership across application lifecycle management, supplier performance, and service improvement, while enabling effective demand management through the DDaT Front Door process.

This is a key leadership role within DDaT, responsible for ensuring applications support high-quality public services and deliver value for money.

Key Responsibilities

Application Service Leadership

  • Lead the management and development of the Council’s application estate
  • Own the end-to-end application lifecycle including selection, implementation, integration, upgrades, support, and retirement
  • Act as a driver for continual improvement across application services
  • Maintain a clear application roadmap aligned to organisational priorities and funding cycles

Technical Leadership & Delivery

  • Act as technical lead for application implementations, upgrades, and integration projects
  • Ensure appropriate technical resources are engaged throughout project delivery
  • Oversee solution design, ensuring compliance with architecture, security, and accessibility standards
  • Work closely with data and technical teams to support data migration, integrity, and integration between systems

Service Delivery & Operations

  • Ensure application services meet agreed performance, availability, and support standards
  • Manage incident, problem, change, and release processes across application systems
  • Identify and resolve complex service issues affecting business-critical applications
  • Drive service improvement initiatives and operational efficiencies

Supplier & Contract Management

  • Manage relationships with application vendors and third-party suppliers
  • Oversee supplier performance against contractual SLAs and service expectations
  • Lead procurement activity in collaboration with procurement specialists
  • Ensure contracts and renewals deliver value for money and align with Council governance

Stakeholder Engagement

  • Act as a key point of contact for application-related matters across the Council
  • Engage with senior stakeholders including Heads of Service and Directors
  • Translate business requirements into technical delivery outcomes
  • Ensure application services align with departmental and organisational priorities

Budget & Financial Management

  • Manage capital budgets (approx. £1m) allocated through the Council’s MTFP process
  • Support business case development and funding submissions for application initiatives
  • Ensure efficient use of resources and delivery of financial savings where possible

Team Leadership

  • Lead, manage, and develop a team of application specialists (circa 15 FTE including contractors)
  • Provide direction, performance management, and professional development support
  • Foster a high-performance culture focused on service excellence and collaboration

Governance & Compliance

  • Ensure all application services comply with Council policies, including security, data protection, and accessibility standards
  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date technical and service documentation
  • Support audit, governance, and compliance requirements across the application estate

Person Specification

Essential Experience

  • Managing application services or enterprise business systems in a complex organisation
  • Leading application lifecycle management (implementation, integration, support, upgrade)
  • Supplier and contract management in an IT environment
  • Managing technical teams and/or service delivery functions
  • Working with senior stakeholders in a public sector or complex organisational setting
  • Delivering IT or application-related projects to time, cost, and quality

Technical Knowledge

  • Strong understanding of application architectures, integrations, and data flows
  • Knowledge of SaaS, cloud platforms, and enterprise application environments
  • Familiarity with ITIL practices (incident, change, problem, service management)
  • Understanding of APIs and system integration approaches
  • Awareness of security, governance, and accessibility standards

Skills & Attributes

  • Strong leadership and team management skills
  • Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving ability
  • Ability to manage competing priorities in a complex environment
  • Commercial awareness and supplier management capability
  • Strong organisational and planning skills

Desirable

  • ITIL certification or equivalent service management qualification
  • Experience in local government, NHS, or wider public sector
  • Experience with Power Platform, RPA, or low-code tools
  • Experience managing application roadmaps and enterprise portfolios
  • Experience working within governance-driven procurement environments

Role Summary

This role leads the Council’s application services function, ensuring that business-critical systems are delivered, maintained, and improved effectively. The postholder will play a key role in driving digital transformation, improving service efficiency, and ensuring that technology investments deliver measurable value to the organisation and its residents.