Lead ServiceNow Developer

Sword is a leading provider of business technology solutions within the Energy, Public and Finance Sectors, driving real transformation 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.

We have a newly created opportunity for an experienced and innovative Lead ServiceNow Developer to take technical ownership of the design, development, and implementation of complex ServiceNow solutions. This senior role will lead development best practices, mentor the development team, and ensure delivery of high-quality, scalable, and maintainable solutions aligned to platform standards.

The ideal candidate will bring deep ServiceNow expertise, proven delivery experience, and exceptional stakeholder engagement skills to define and deliver the ServiceNow vision and roadmap across ITSM, CSM, ITOM, and other modules. You will combine hands-on technical leadership with architectural oversight, ensuring alignment with governance, security, and business requirements in domain separated environments.

You will work closely with the Platform Owner to convert strategy, governance and architectural direction into practical technical execution, ensuring all solutions align to platform standards, design patterns and long-term vision.

This is a senior technical leadership role within a global organisation transforming its IT service capabilities. You will shape and lead ServiceNow development, influence the technical roadmap, and deliver innovative solutions that drive measurable business value and platform excellence.

In this influential role, you will act as a technical authority within the ServiceNow Centre of Excellence (COE), driving continuous improvement, automation, and innovation to support enterprise service transformation.

Technical Leadership & Solution Design

• Provide technical leadership across all ServiceNow development activities, ensuring adherence to coding and platform best practices.
• Lead solution design sessions, translating complex business requirements into scalable technical solutions.
• Oversee development and integration work across ITSM, CSM, ITOM, and other modules.
• Establish and enforce development standards, code review processes, and documentation practices.
• Collaborate with the Platform Owner to define and deliver the ServiceNow roadmap and architectural vision.

Development & Delivery

• Design, develop, and deploy advanced ServiceNow solutions, including custom applications, integrations, and automation workflows.
• Manage complex scripting, API integrations, and performance tuning to ensure platform reliability.
• Work closely with the System Administrators and Developers to coordinate releases, upgrades, and testing.
• Resolve critical technical issues and support continuous delivery pipelines.

Mentoring & Continuous Improvement

• Mentor and coach developers/admins, fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and professional growth.
• Promote continuous improvement in code quality, reusability, and efficiency.
• Contribute to the definition of governance, design standards, and automation frameworks.
• Champion new features, technologies, and ServiceNow innovations that add business value.

Key Achievements You’ll Drive:

• Deliver enterprise-grade ServiceNow solutions that align with architecture and governance standards.
• Establish development best practices, templates, and reusable components.
• Enable faster, higher-quality releases through automation and CI/CD practices.
• Enhance platform scalability, maintainability, and user experience.
• Develop and mentor a high-performing ServiceNow development team.

• Extensive experience as a Senior or Lead ServiceNow Developer in an enterprise or MSP environment.
• Expert-level proficiency in ServiceNow development, scripting, and integration (JavaScript, Glide, REST/SOAP APIs).
• Strong understanding of ServiceNow architecture, data model, and platform capabilities.
• Experience leading development teams and managing technical delivery in Agile environments.
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines, Git integration, and DevOps tooling.
• Demonstrated experience leading test teams and establishing ATF as a core testing practice.
• Skilled at optimising delivery velocity while maintaining strict adherence to platform standards and architectural integrity.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
• ServiceNow Certified System Administrator (CSA) and Certified Application Developer (CAD) required; CIS certifications (ITSM, ITOM) highly desirable.
• Experience with enterprise-scale ServiceNow implementations and multi-module deployments.
• Knowledge of ITIL, enterprise service management, and automation frameworks.
• Familiarity with ITOM Discovery, Service Mapping, or CMDB best practices.
• ITIL Foundation or advanced ServiceNow certifications preferred.
• Technical leader with a hands-on, solution-oriented approach.
• Strategic thinker with a focus on delivery excellence and continuous improvement.
• Collaborative mentor and strong communicator.
• Driven by innovation, quality, and operational efficiency.

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.

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. 

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