First Service Leader

Who We Are

At Kyndryl, we run and reimagine the mission-critical technology systems that drive advantage for the world’s leading businesses.  We are at the heart of progress; with proven expertise and a continuous flow of AI-powered insight, enabling smarter decisions, faster innovation, and a lasting competitive edge. For our people—Kyndryls—that means doing purposeful work that powers human progress. Join us and experience a flexible, supportive environment where your well-being is prioritized and your potential can thrive.

The Role

We are looking for a First Service Leader (FSL) with strong experience in IT infrastructure service management and leading high-performance teams. In this strategic and operational role, you will lead a multidisciplinary Fusion Squad (L1, L2, and L3 support), responsible for ensuring delivery excellence, critical environment stability, and direct alignment between technical operations and client business priorities.

The FSL serves as the intersection between daily operations, service governance (ITIL/Agile), executive clients, and technology transformation initiatives (automation, efficiency, and innovation).

Main Responsibilities

1. Operational Leadership and Team Management

- Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary cells (Fusion Squads) and geographically distributed teams in operational support models (including 24/7 coverage).
- Develop technical talent, manage performance, define career plans, and promote team capability building.
- Minimize internal handoffs and dependencies, optimizing workflow and seamless value delivery.
- Foster a customer-centric culture, collaboration, and accountability for end-to-end service outcomes.

2. Service Governance and Operational Excellence

- Oversee comprehensive service management under ITIL frameworks, ensuring the stability, availability, continuity, and security of critical enterprise environments.
- Monitor and strictly enforce compliance with contractually agreed SLAs, KPIs, MTTR, and quality or financial metrics.
- Lead crisis management, critical incidents, problem management, and root cause analysis (RCA).
- Direct operational committees, executive service reviews, and proactive operational risk management.

3. Transformation, Automation, and Innovation

- Drive the operational modernization roadmap through the implementation of automation (Ansible, CI/CD, scripting) to reduce manual effort.
- Lead standardization, knowledge management, and cost/resource optimization initiatives.
- Evolve service delivery toward a model based on observability, operational efficiency, and SRE/DevOps practices.

4. Relationship and Stakeholder Management

- Act as the primary point of contact and key interlocutor among the client, Delivery Managers, Architects, SREs, and senior leaders.
- Translate business requirements and challenges into strategic roadmaps and efficient operational solutions.

Who You Are

- General Experience: Minimum of 8 years of experience in IT infrastructure service management / IT Delivery.
- Technical Leadership: Minimum of 5 years leading multidisciplinary technical teams (L1, L2, and L3) and interacting with executive stakeholders.
- Technical Expertise (in one or more of the following specialties): Networking & Connectivity: Cisco Routing & Switching, Cisco ACI, SD-WAN, F5, Citrix NetScaler, inter-Data Center connectivity. Backup & Storage: Enterprise storage and backup solutions (focusing on IBM and DELL platforms). Middleware & Applications: WebSphere (ND/Base), IBM HTTP Server, Apache Tomcat, JBoss/Red Hat EAP, IBM MQ, Oracle WebLogic in hybrid environments (Linux, AIX, Cloud). Operating Systems: Administration and critical infrastructure in Windows Server, Linux (RHEL), AIX, Unix, and virtualized/VMware environments. Data Management / Databases: Management and administration of Oracle Database, SQL Server, DB2, PostgreSQL, and MySQL/MariaDB platforms across multicloud and hybrid environments.
- Process Management: Deep knowledge of operational governance frameworks (ITIL v3/v4), incident/change management, business continuity (DRP), and mission-critical environments (banking, retail, or telecommunications).

Desirable Certifications (Not mandatory, but highly valued)

- Governance and Management: ITIL Foundation v4 / ITIL Managing Professional, PMP, Scrum Master, or Agile Fundamentals.
- Networking & Data Center: CCNP Enterprise / Data Center, Cisco ACI Specialist, SD-WAN Specialist, F5/Citrix Certified.
- Storage & Backup: Official certifications in IBM or DELL technologies.
- Middleware & OS: IBM WebSphere/MQ Administrator, Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA), VMware VCP, Microsoft MCSA/MCSE.
- Databases: Oracle Database OCA/OCP, Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Admin / SQL Server, IBM DB2 Certified.
- Automation & Cloud: Ansible Automation, Kubernetes (CKA/CKAD), Red Hat OpenShift, or Cloud-associated certifications (AWS, Azure, IBM Cloud).

Key Competencies and Skills

- Strategic and Business Thinking: Ability to align operational decisions with profitability, contractual commitments, and client-perceived value.
- Executive Communication: Superior capability to interact with both technical and executive audiences.
- Results and Metrics Orientation: Data-driven management, quantitative KPI analysis, and pragmatic problem-solving.
- Adaptive Leadership: Skill in managing people within changing, remote, or multicultural environments, fostering motivation and professional growth.

Being You

The “Kyn” in Kyndryl means kinship, which represents the strong bonds we have with each other, our customers and our communities. We focus on ensuring all Kyndryls feel included and we welcome people of all cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Even if you don’t meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. We believe in growth, and we’re excited to see what you can bring. At Kyndryl, employee feedback has told us that our number one driver of employee engagement is belonging. That sense of belonging — being a valued, respected, trusted member of the team — is fundamental to our culture and fueling great experiences for our customers. This dedication to welcoming everyone into our company means that Kyndryl gives you the ability to thrive and contribute to our culture of empathy and shared success. That’s The Kyndryl Way.

What You Can Expect

Your career with us isn’t just a job—it’s an adventure with purpose.  We offer a dynamic, hybrid-friendly culture that supports your well-being and empowers you to grow. Our Be Well programs are thoughtfully designed to support your financial, mental, physical, and social health—because we know that when you feel your best, you do your best.

From your very first day, you’ll dive into impactful work that powers the systems our customers rely on every day. You won’t just contribute—you’ll make a difference, tackling meaningful projects that sharpen your skills and fuel your growth.

We’re here to champion your journey. With powerful tools to chart your career path, personalized development goals aligned with your ambitions, and continuous feedback to keep you inspired and on track, you’ll have everything you need to thrive and evolve. You’ll develop in-demand skills to grow your career and achieve your ambitions with access to cutting-edge learning opportunities—from certifications with Microsoft, Google, and Amazon to coaching and hands-on experiences. And through it all, you’ll be part of a culture that values empathy, restless learning, and a devotion to shared success.

We want you to thrive here—and we’re committed to helping you do just that. Ready to make an impact? Join us and help shape what’s next.

Get Referred!

If you know someone that works at Kyndryl, when asked ‘How Did You Hear About Us’ during the application process, select ‘Employee Referral’ and enter your contact's Kyndryl email address.