Job Description

Sword is a leading provider of business technology solutions within the Energy, Public and Finance Sectors, driving transformational change within our clients.  We use proven technology, specialist teams and domain expertise to build solid technical foundations across platforms, data, and business applications.  We have a passion for using technology to solve business problems, working in partnership with our clients to help in achieving their goals.

About the role:

We are looking for an experienced Service Delivery Lead – Subsurface Data Services to play a pivotal role in shaping and evolving critical service capabilities within a fast-paced energy environment.

This is an opportunity to build and mature modern service operations that underpin complex subsurface and energy data landscapes, helping to ensure services are reliable, scalable, secure, and aligned to evolving business priorities. Sitting at the intersection of operations, technology, and subsurface data, you will influence how services are designed, transitioned, governed, and continuously improved.

You will work across large-scale operational and transformation initiatives, driving service excellence through strong governance, structured operational processes, and a focus on continuous improvement. From service transition and operational readiness through to monitoring, performance, and stakeholder engagement, this role offers the opportunity to make a tangible impact within a highly specialised domain.

This position is ideal for someone who enjoys building capability, navigating complexity, influencing stakeholders, and bringing clarity and structure to evolving service environments across the energy sector.

As a Service Delivery Lead – Subsurface Data Services, you will:

• Establish, develop, and maintain a scalable service operating model
• Build and mature an end-to-end service function supporting subsurface data operations
• Lead the implementation of core service management processes including incident, problem, change, request, and release management
• Translate business and operational requirements into effective service solutions
• Develop monitoring, alerting, reporting, and operational visibility capabilities
• Ensure high availability, reliability, and performance of services supporting critical energy operations
• Drive improvements in data quality, integrity, consistency, and governance
• Design and implement scalable processes for data ingestion, validation, storage, and distribution
• Support the implementation and optimisation of data platforms, tools, and technologies
• Work with subsurface datasets including seismic, wells, production, and reservoir data
• Support environments leveraging platforms such as Petrel, OpenWorks, Kingdom, DELFI, and OSDU
• Lead the full service transition lifecycle including planning, readiness assessments, testing, operational acceptance, and BAU handover
• Ensure governance, compliance, and risk management obligations are effectively embedded
• Lead and mentor high-performing subsurface data teams including Data Managers and Analysts
• Facilitate workshops, design reviews, operational acceptance activities, and decision-making forums
• Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and service excellence
• Communicate complex service concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Build strong stakeholder relationships and manage expectations across diverse business groups

Requirements

• Proven experience leading high-performing service or operational teams within the energy sector
• Strong experience within subsurface data management or technical data service environments
• Demonstrated success delivering large-scale service transitions within complex stakeholder landscapes
• Strong understanding of ITIL principles including service design, service transition, and service operations
• Experience establishing and improving operational governance and service management processes
• Knowledge of subsurface data types and associated operational workflows
• Familiarity with industry platforms such as Petrel, OpenWorks, Kingdom, DELFI, or OSDU
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, influencing, and communication skills
• Strong documentation and governance capability including process mapping and procedural documentation
• Ability to operate autonomously, take ownership, and drive initiatives through to completion
• Experience promoting automation, AI, or advanced analytics within operational service environments would be advantageous

Benefits

At Sword, our core values and culture are based on caring about our people, investing in training and career development, and building inclusive teams where we are all encouraged to contribute to achieve success.

We offer comprehensive benefits designed to support your professional development and enhance your overall quality of life. In addition to a Competitive Salary, here's what you can expect as part of our benefits package:

• Personalised Career Development: We create a development plan customised to your goals and aspirations, with a range of learning and development opportunities within a culture that encourages growth.
• Flexible working: Flexible work arrangements to support your work-life balance. We can’t promise to always be able to meet every request, however, are keen to discuss your individual preferences to make it work where we can.
• A Fantastic Benefits Package: This includes generous annual leave allowance, enhanced family friendly benefits, pension scheme, access to private health, well-being, and insurance schemes, an employee assistance programme, discounted cash plan and more….

At Sword we are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, ensuring that all applicants receive fair and equal consideration for employment, regardless of whether they meet every requirement. If you don’t tick all the boxes but feel you have some of the relevant skills and experience we’re looking for, please do consider applying and highlight your transferable skills and experience. We embrace diversity in all its forms, valuing individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Your perspective and potential are important to us.

If we can do anything to help make the hiring process more accessible, please let our talent acquisition team know when you apply so we can support any adjustments.

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