Job Title: IT Service Portfolio SME
Location(s): Chicago, IL
(Remote)
Position SummaryWe are seeking an experienced IT Service Portfolio SME (Subject Matter Expert) to lead the governance and lifecycle management of enterprise IT services. This role is responsible for ensuring technology services align with business strategy, deliver measurable business value, and comply with organizational governance standards throughout their lifecycle. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in IT Service Management (ITSM), Service Portfolio Management (SPM), ITIL best practices, and ServiceNow.
Key Responsibilities- Lead end-to-end governance of the IT service lifecycle, including strategy, design, transition, operations, and continual service improvement.
- Define, implement, and optimize Service Portfolio Management (SPM) processes aligned with ITIL and organizational governance standards.
- Serve as the primary liaison between business stakeholders, Service Owners, Product Managers, and technical delivery teams.
- Ensure IT services meet operational, financial, and strategic business objectives.
- Manage Service Portfolio records within ServiceNow, ensuring data accuracy, workflow integrity, approvals, and reporting.
- Administer and maintain ServiceNow SPM/ITBM modules and support service portfolio reporting and analytics.
- Analyze service performance, costs, utilization, and KPIs to identify continual improvement opportunities.
- Facilitate communication between IT organizations and business units to ensure alignment on service strategy and priorities.
- Identify and mitigate risks associated with IT services, projects, and portfolio initiatives.
- Develop, maintain, and improve service portfolio governance processes and best practices.
- Conduct regular portfolio governance meetings, service reviews, and stakeholder status sessions.
- Evaluate project delivery effectiveness and overall service outcomes.
- Manage prioritization of service requests and project pipeline based on strategic value and business priorities.
- Ensure compliance with organizational policies, contractual obligations, regulatory requirements, and IT governance standards.
- Provide guidance and leadership to project managers, service managers, and cross-functional teams.
Service Intake & Governance Responsibilities- Own and manage the Service Intake process for new services and enhancements to existing services.
- Review Service Intake requests and business cases for completeness, accuracy, and governance readiness.
- Facilitate discovery sessions with requestors, suppliers, Service Managers, Service Owners, and business stakeholders.
- Determine whether requests should be fulfilled through existing services, service enhancements, or new service creation.
- Refine business cases to clearly define business outcomes, customer impact, service value, scope, and justification.
- Define high-level service scope, customer groups, service dependencies, operational impacts, integration points, suppliers, contracts, and portfolio relationships.
- Maintain accurate Service Portfolio records in ServiceNow, including workflow progression, approvals, notifications, and documentation.
- Present Service Intake requests, discovery findings, and business case updates during Service Portfolio Governance meetings.
- Coordinate with Product Management leadership regarding approvals, rejections, or additional discovery requirements.
- Communicate governance decisions, approvals, and next steps to all stakeholders.
- Ensure Service Portfolio processes remain aligned with ITIL best practices, governance frameworks, and organizational standards.
Required Qualifications- 5-12+ years of experience in IT Service Management (ITSM), Service Portfolio Management, IT Portfolio Management, or Business Relationship Management.
- Strong knowledge of ITIL Service Portfolio Management, Service Catalog Management, and IT Service Lifecycle processes.
- Hands-on experience with ServiceNow, particularly Service Portfolio Management (SPM), IT Business Management (ITBM), and related modules.
- Experience with Jira or similar Agile planning and project management tools.
- Strong understanding of IT governance, portfolio management, and service management principles.
- Experience managing service portfolios, governance processes, and stakeholder communications.
- Ability to evaluate business cases, prioritize initiatives, and align services with organizational strategy.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing senior stakeholders.
- Strong business analysis, strategic planning, budgeting, and risk management capabilities.
Preferred Qualifications- ITIL v4 Foundation or higher certification.
- PMP, PgMP, or equivalent project/program management certification.
- Experience with Agile, Scrum, or SAFe methodologies.
- Experience with IT Financial Management (ITFM), Service Catalog Management, or Enterprise Portfolio Management.
- Experience supporting enterprise governance boards and executive-level reporting.
Core Skills- IT Service Management (ITSM)
- Service Portfolio Management (SPM)
- Service Catalog Management
- ITIL v4
- ServiceNow SPM / ITBM
- Jira
- Portfolio Governance
- Service Lifecycle Management
- Business Relationship Management
- Business Case Development
- Stakeholder Management
- Continual Service Improvement (CSI)
- KPI & Performance Reporting
- Risk Management
- Strategic Planning
- Process Improvement
- Cross-functional Leadership
- Change Management
- Project Portfolio Management (PPM)
- IT Governance
