Service Delivery Manager - CDI

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

Service Delivery Manager – CDI
Location: Reading
Other: permanent, full-time, hybrid, with 10-15 % domestic & international travel

Play a pivotal role in delivering mission‑critical identity and biometric solutions that millions rely on every day!

What the role has to offer

• Be at the heart of delivering secure, high‑impact Identity and Biometric solutions used by governments to protect borders and enhance citizen services

• Work in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment, partnering with experts across engineering, cybersecurity, service, customer operations, and customer relationship management to deliver exceptional outcomes

• Build a long‑term career within a global organisation committed to internal mobility, professional development, and flexible working that supports your wellbeing

Our Opportunity

Thales Cybersecurity and Digital Identity (CDI) delivers advanced Identity and Biometric technologies that help governments secure borders, enhance citizen services and improve operational efficiency. Our Border and Travel Solutions integrate deeply into customer operations, combining software, hardware and peripheral technologies.

We are seeking a Service Delivery Manager who will be responsible for Service Transition, the end‑to‑end transition of new or changed services from project delivery into live operations, ensuring that services are fully ready, accepted, and stable from day one of live service. The role provides single‑point accountability for Service Transition, working closely with project teams, service operations, suppliers, and the Authority to deliver Service Readiness, Acceptance into Service (AiS), and early‑life stabilisation. During transition and early live service, the Service Transition Manager typically acts as (or transitions into) the Service Delivery Manager role.

We are currently moving through the transition phase of this programme ahead of the service going live. During this period, the SDM will take on the responsibilities of Service Transition Manager, with ownership transferring fully to Service Delivery once the service is operational. It’s important that the successful candidate is comfortable joining at this stage of the lifecycle and brings experience of supporting services through transition into steady‑state delivery.

Building a Future, we can all trust.

In order to provide a best-in-class customer experience, from the design of new technologies to the implementation and support of services, we need a Customer Service organisation with broad expertise. Thales is one big team, meaning you can work alongside colleagues from different backgrounds, learn from domain experts and continue to grow and develop your career in new positions or fields. 

Cybersecurity and Digital Identity (CDI) - from secure software to biometrics and encryption, CDI GBU technologies and services enable businesses and governments to authenticate identities and protect data, so they stay safe and enable services in personal devices, connected objects, the cloud and in between.

What we offer you

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package designed to support our employees’ wellbeing and professional growth, which includes:

• Annual bonus (VCP)

• Pension – match like-for-like up to 7% of annual base salary

• Life Assurance – 2 x base salary minimum (8 x salary if part of the pension scheme)

• Income Protection – 50% of salary less state benefits for 5 years

• Annual Leave – 201 hours, bank holidays, plus 1 company day

• Private Medical Insurance - Couples cover

• 37 hours working week

• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme

• 24 hours paid leave for volunteering activities

• Access to flexible benefits and discounts – dental insurance, buying & selling annual leave, cycle to work, and many more

Key Responsibilities

Service Transition Ownership

• Own and deliver the Service Transition Plan, covering people, process, tooling, suppliers, and operational readiness

• Act as the primary service interface with the Authority Transition Lead and Service Manager during transition

• Ensure transition activities comply with Authority governance, including Service Architecture & Design Introduction (SADI) and Acceptance into Service requirements

• Maintain accountability for service continuity from transition through early live service

Service Readiness & Acceptance into Service

• Plan and lead Service Readiness Reviews (SRR) and Service Management Readiness Testing (SMRT)

• Ensure all Acceptance into Service (AiS) criteria are met and evidenced prior to Go‑Live

• Coordinate production of Service Design Packages (SDP), readiness evidence, and operational handover documentation

• Identify, track, and manage transition risks, issues, and dependencies, ensuring no uncontrolled risks enter live service

Tooling, Process & Knowledge Transfer

• Ensure effective ServiceNow onboarding, configuration, and data build for new or changed services

• Coordinate training and enablement for service teams, including scenario‑based transition and early‑life support activities

• Lead knowledge transfer from project, engineering, and suppliers into BAU service teams to ensure continuity and resilience

Cross‑Functional & Supplier Coordination

• Integrate project delivery teams and service operations teams into a single, coherent transition effort

• Work closely with Project Managers, Product Delivery, Service Operations, and Commercial teams to ensure alignment

• Ensure suppliers and third parties are aligned to transition scope, service obligations, and live‑service operating model

Governance, Assurance & Reporting

• Deliver transition activities in line with PRINCE2 and Thales service management governance

• Provide clear reporting on transition progress, readiness status, and risks to senior stakeholders

• Support audits, assurance activities, and Authority reviews with clear, traceable evidence

Key Accountabilities

• Successful Acceptance into Service (AiS) at the agreed Go‑Live date

• Proven Service Readiness across people, process, tooling, and suppliers

• Stable early‑life service performance with minimal transition‑related incidents

• Clear accountability and continuity from transition into live service

About You

At Thales, we are committed to equal opportunities and welcome all talented individuals to consider joining our team. So even if you don't match every statement below but feel you have some of the experience, knowledge or skills needed for this role, we encourage you to apply. It will take all of us working together to deliver solutions to the world’s most critical challenges.

• Proven experience delivering Service Transition for complex, mission‑critical or regulated services (e.g. government, CNI, transport, border, security, or large‑scale IT services)

• Strong knowledge of ITIL‑aligned service management, service readiness, and operational handover

• Experience working with ServiceNow for service onboarding and readiness activities

• Ability to operate confidently with senior customer and Authority stakeholders

• Strong coordination skills across multi‑disciplinary teams and suppliers

• Fluency in written and spoken English; additional languages beneficial

• Must hold, or be willing to obtain, SC Clearance

If this sounds like the kind of challenge you’re ready to take on, we’d encourage you to apply and explore what your future at Thales could look like.

Security Clearance Statement 

This role will require SC Clearance. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant will undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance.  Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years.  In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the National Security Vetting (NSV) Agency - United Kingdom Security Vetting - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.

If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here.

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