ServiceNow Release Manager

hackajob is collaborating with BAE Critical Skills to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role.

Job Title: ServiceNow Release & Environments Lead

Job Location: Preston or Frimley - Hybrid - 1 x quarter onsite . We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements - please speak to your recruiter about the options for this particular role.

Salary: £60,000 + depending on experience

Who we are:

Join BAE Systems and you’ll be part of something bigger. As a valued member of our global colleague network, you’ll bring your unique skills and perspectives to help pioneer progress and protect what matters most. You’ll be trusted to play your part in delivering the advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions of tomorrow - shaping a safer future, for all of us.

Role Description:

The ServiceNow Release & Environments Lead is accountable for the strategic management and governance of the organisation’s ServiceNow environment landscape, spanning 11 non-production environments and a single production instance across a complex, multi-product platform (including ITSM, HRSD, CSM, SPM, SecOps, S2P, and ITOM). Reporting to the Platform Owner, this role leads the planning and orchestration of all releases, from high-frequency BAU deployments through to large-scale programme deliveries and major platform upgrades. Operating within an Agile environment transitioning to SAFe, the role ensures releases are delivered in a controlled, consistent, and low-risk manner, aligned to a central release calendar and governance processes.

As a team lead, this role provides leadership and direction to the release and environment management capability, coordinating cross-functional teams to ensure robust release readiness, effective risk and issue management, and seamless deployment execution. The role champions best practice in DevOps and automation, driving the adoption of CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance delivery speed and quality. Acting as the central point of coordination across in-house delivery teams, the role ensures alignment across concurrent initiatives, maintaining platform stability while enabling the successful delivery of both incremental change and complex transformation programmes.

Core Duties:

• Own and govern the end-to-end ServiceNow environment strategy, managing 11 non-production environments and the production instance to ensure stability, integrity, and optimal usage
• Lead the planning, scheduling, and orchestration of all releases, from frequent BAU changes to complex, large-scale programme and platform releases
• Manage the central release calendar, ensuring alignment across multiple concurrent initiatives and adherence to governance and CAB processes
• Coordinate deployment activities across cross-functional, in-house delivery teams, ensuring smooth and controlled promotion of changes through the environment stack
• Collaborate with Platform Owner, Platform teams, and Delivery Leads to align release plans with business priorities and delivery roadmaps
• Drive continuous improvement in release and environment management processes, embedding best practice and increasing delivery efficiency

Essential Skills:

• An understanding of the ServiceNow platform (preferred) or similar sized platform, coordination of capability releases across multiple environments
• Implementation of family releases, patches, incident fixes, problem, stories across the entire SDLC lifecycle
• Proven track record of managing complex teams and deliverables
• Ability to anticipate and mitigate risk well in advance within a complex delivery environment
• Experience to manage any issue that arise and be apt in solution delivery and release management

The ServiceNow Product team:

Our ServiceNow Product Team sits at the centre of digital transformation in the organisation, partnering with cross functional and sector stakeholders across the business to deliver intuitive, high-value solutions that improve employee experience, streamline processes, and drive measurable outcomes. When you join us, you'll have the opportunity to support and influence our product strategy, and turn innovative ideas into real-world capabilities used by thousands of people. You'll work alongside talented professionals in a collaborative, forward-thinking agile environment where continuous improvement, experimentation, and learning are strongly encouraged.

Whether you're passionate about product management, platform innovation, user experience, or delivering business value, you'll play a key role in helping us unlock the full potential of the ServiceNow platform. This is a chance to make a visible impact, develop your skills, and help shape the future of our digital services.

Why BAE Systems?

Here you’ll build a career with purpose and limitless possibilities. With lifelong learning and meaningful work - this is a place where you can grow your career with confidence and be empowered to be your best. You’ll be recognised for your contribution and enjoy rewards tailored to what’s most important to you and your family - support for your financial and personal wellbeing, as well as a balanced lifestyle. In an environment embracing sustainable ways of working and with a strong sense of shared purpose, our supportive culture is a place you can feel you belong and proud of the difference you make.

A place where everyone can thrive:

We’re committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. We know that a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences strengthens our teams and is vital to the work we do.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date: 14th August 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

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