IT OPERATIONS
Lead, Develop and Stabilise IT Operations
Sometimes leadership is needed for a limited period. Sometimes an organisation needs to evolve. And sometimes a service or team is simply not performing as it should. I take on operational leadership responsibilities across IT, Operations and Delivery – close to the teams, the customers and the issues that actually need decisions. This may involve bridging a vacancy, supporting a period of change or stabilising a critical delivery situation. What matters to me is leaving behind an organisation that can once again take responsibility independently.
Leadership · Operations · Delivery · Teams · Stabilisation
How I Can Support
Leadership responsibilities arise from very different situations. What matters to me is less how an engagement is labelled and more what responsibility needs to be taken on and what ultimately needs to work.
Take Responsibility for IT and Operational Units
I take on the leadership of an IT, Operations or Delivery unit when a vacancy needs to be bridged, additional leadership capacity is required or a period of change is ahead. This means setting clear priorities and making decisions, but also working closely with employees, customers, providers and other internal functions.
Manage Operations and Delivery Reliably
In day-to-day operations, performance, budget, risks, providers and expectations all need to align. I create transparency around where the organisation really stands, which issues need to be addressed first and who owns them. The goal is management that works in practice – not additional reporting.
Develop Leaders and Teams
Not every challenge requires a new process or a new organisation. Often, it is more effective to strengthen leaders in their roles and help teams take responsibility independently. I therefore also work with leaders as a coach and sparring partner – for example when stepping into a new role, dealing with demanding leadership situations or working with international teams.
Stabilise Critical Situations
When services, teams or provider relationships are no longer working reliably, the first step is to create clarity: What is not working, why, and what is genuinely critical? I bring structure and calm to such situations, prioritise the most important issues and work with those responsible to close gaps and re-establish a reliable way of working.
I combine leadership experience with technical understanding and many years of responsibility for IT services, projects, global delivery and providers.
When I enter a new situation, I first look for areas where tangible improvements can be achieved with manageable effort. Early progress builds trust and creates room for the larger issues. At the same time, I do not lose sight of the underlying causes – not every problem can be solved with a quick fix.
Close to Teams, Decisions and Delivery
Good Leadership Shows Where the Work Actually Happens
For me, leadership does not work from a distance. Reports and metrics matter – but they do not replace conversations with the people who actually deliver the work.
I want to understand where a problem really originates, which decisions are missing and what a team needs to work independently. Sometimes that requires larger structural changes. Sometimes a very simple change in day-to-day work is enough.
Practical Experience
These examples show different forms of operational leadership and accountability for results. They define neither a particular engagement title nor a minimum scale for a suitable assignment.
Stabilise an International Service Team in Romania
Six Months On Site · Leadership and Delivery · Handover to Internal Management
When I joined the project, two responsible Service Delivery Managers on the German side had already been replaced. Both the customer and Account Management were dissatisfied with how the engagement was progressing.
It quickly became clear on site that the transition had not been properly completed: documentation and knowledge were missing, processes needed further work, and the two team leads lacked direction in their new roles.
I worked with the team in Romania for six months, supported the team leads in their day-to-day work with employees and the customer, and reorganised the collaboration with the small German team. In the end, the team was stable and able to represent its own performance. Overall responsibility could then be handed over to an internal project manager.
Lead Experienced Service Managers
Southern Germany · Line Management · Customer and Proposal Work
At NTT DATA, I led the Service Managers in Southern Germany. Many were highly experienced managers and specialists, some with more professional experience than I had myself.
My role was therefore not to tell them how to do their jobs. It was about providing direction, being available as a sparring partner in difficult situations and ensuring that we took responsibility together as a team.
Alongside line management, I was heavily involved in proposals, customer presentations and demanding service, delivery and transition topics.
Lead a Large Project and Delivery Organisation
100+ Projects per Year · €20–30m Revenue · Up to 400 Developers and Testers
In one of my leadership roles at Atos, I was responsible for the entire project organisation for a major telecommunications customer. My own organisation comprised around 30 employees, including several Service Delivery Managers and the head of the architecture team.
Together, we managed more than 100 implementation and rollout projects per year. Depending on the project portfolio, up to 400 developers and testers in Germany and India were involved.
I was responsible for delivering these projects on time, within budget and to the required quality, as well as for an annual revenue and contribution margin of around €20–30 million.
Let’s Talk About Your Situation
Are you looking for support for an IT or Delivery organisation, need to bridge a leadership vacancy or want to get a team back on track? Let’s discuss what is needed and what responsibility I can take on.