Relaunching the IT Services Team - New Faces and Opportunities
The ITIL team has re-launched as the IT Services Team, with new faces and a refreshed focus on strategy. Find out how the team can support you and the opportunities available to join their exciting work.
For the past four years the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) team has provided support and advice on Service Management processes to the wider Information Services Group (ISG). With recent departures and new hires to the department, the team are relaunching with the new title of IT Services Team.
With the onboarding of two new team members, IT Services Manager Lisa McDonald will now be focussing more closely on Service Management Strategy and talking to other teams in the ISG department to find out what support is needed. “Over the coming months we hope to reintroduce training and to create new drop-in clinics where you can come and talk to us about anything related to Service Management best practice. We want you to tell us how we can support you and to continue to learn what matters to you.”
New IT Services Delivery Manager, Carne Burke, will be the lead process architect and will manage a team of subject matter experts, working with them on Operational delivery of Processes, Practices and Service Management advice. Carne has a strong knowledge of ITIL including ITIL4 and its potential use cases and she brings a wealth of knowledge from several years working in College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Carne Burke, IT Services Delivery Manager
Tell us about your role: I have been with the University now for over 5 years and have just moved from working in the schools to working with ISG. My role in the team is to look at the processes that help support service delivery. We primarily use the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework as a basis for these, but it’s about using and shaping the framework to ensure our end users get the best service.
What are you working on at the moment? As I am new to the Team and to ISG, my priority is getting to know people that I don’t already know, and working together with those I do already know from the perspective of my new position; I’m also putting together a IT Services Team Sharepoint site.
What’s your favourite place/thing to do in Edinburgh? If you don’t include Caffe Nero, then my two favourite places are the National Museum of Scotland and the Botanic Gardens.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself I am currently studying for an MA in Egyptology in my “spare” time.
New Problem Manager, Ann Marie Davidson joined ISG in January 2023. Previously working at Napier University, she has a strong understanding of the benefits that Problem Management can bring to our services. The Problem Management role is invaluable to the ISG department, aiming to drive down the number of calls we have and to help address reoccurring or longstanding service issues.
Ann Marie Donaldson, ITIL Problem Manager
Tell us about yourself and your journey to this role in ISG: “I am very new to the University recently coming from Edinburgh Napier University. Career for me has been varied from Shop Assistant, Biotechnology Laboratory supervisor and Sales Coordinator, Police Officer, and then laterally higher education. Whilst with Napier I worked in the library and the service desk. I had line management roles as well as working with service management and process improvement. A lot of this varied experience I see as a huge advantage to the delivery and adoption of Problem management and my new role.” Is there anything particular you're working on just now that you'd like to share? “I am trying to gain an understanding of the university as a whole, about ISG and the part they play. I am looking forward to developing Problem Management processes, influencing its value, adoption and uptake. Problem Management is a key part of service improvement and our team strategy.”
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself: This was a difficult one, so apart from my love of swimming, languages and socialising, it appears that my most interesting fact comes from my ability to be accident prone. I was once run over by a lawnmower. After being taken to hospital, managed to come out practically unscathed. I am still scarred for life but have learned not to do that again! I will leave the rest to your imagination! Needless to say the root cause of the problem was me!
At this exciting phase of re-development, the IT Services are also recruiting for two new roles: Knowledge Manager
This is an opportunity to help students and staff get what they need when they need it by shaping and maintaining our Knowledge items and support guidance. This is the role for you if you have a keen eye for detail, can write in an engaging, easy to understand way and want to work with other ISG teams to create and deliver a Knowledge Management strategy that will enhance our self-help services and improve our Service support offering.
Internal applicants: View the internal job posting | External applicants: View the external job posting
Change and Release Manager
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who can help ensure that our Services are released, maintained and upgraded in a way that causes minimal disruption to our users and ensures the ongoing quality of our ISG Services. If you have strong communication and influencing skills, an ability to work with a variety of stakeholders to make good business led decisions and a knowledge of the role of Change Management in the service lifecycle then this is the role for you.
Internal applicants: View the internal job posting | External applicants: View the external job posting
Contact the IT Services Team
An updated team mailing list address will be published soon.
You can log a call with us via IS Helpline www.ed.ac.uk/is/helpline
Or contact IT Services Manager, Lisa McDonald, directly: Lisa.McDonald@ed.ac.uk