IT Release Analyst

Withers 

Job title: IT Release Analyst

Reporting to: IT Change and Release Manager 

Location: London

What are we looking for?

We are seeking a detail-oriented and collaborative Release Analyst to support the planning, scheduling, and coordination of releases and implementations cross our IT landscape. The IT Release Analyst will work closely with delivery teams, change enablement, service management, and business stakeholders to ensure that IT releases are implemented smoothly, with minimal disruption, and in alignment with ITIL 4 best practices.

This role requires a thorough understanding of continual service improvement, software development lifecycle, excellent project management skills, and the ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. IT releases can include desktop builds, application updates, service updates, system patches, security improvements, and large IT projects. 

Possessing a strong professional and flexible character is a key requirement for this role. You must be proactive, motivated, hold a great attention to detail and have a willingness to learn. You will need to be self-sufficient within your daily duties and be comfortable working day to day with a wide range of people, including members of the senior management, project managers, technical and support teams and legal staff to ensure the effective delivery of business-led initiatives.

The individual must have excellent leadership, interpersonal and communication skills. You must demonstrate credibility and knowledge, often operating as the conduit between delivery teams and support teams. Therefore, you will need to be comfortable working day to day with a wide range of people, including members of senior management, project managers, technical and support teams, business services and legal staff to ensure the effective delivery of both IT and business-led initiatives. 

You will have a proven track record of in IT Service Management in medium to large multi-site professional services organisation, with a strong focus on customer service, security, and compliance. Broad experience of legal industry applications is an advantage. 

A self-starter with an extremely high-level of personal organisation and professionalism is required, together with a 'can-do' attitude and an ability to work to tight deadlines and under pressure.  This person must inspire a positive work environment and help champion quality, innovation, collaborative teamwork, and service to the business.

The individual will work in our London office as part of the Global Systems Team. The Global Systems Team is responsible for supporting and maintaining the firm's technology across geographical regions. The Global Systems Team is split into six functional but collaborative groups – Infrastructure, Applications, Development, Solution Architecture, Testing and Change and Release

The priority for all IT activity is to maintain the highest levels of stability and reliability in the services delivered.

Areas of focus and responsibilities

• Coordinate across multiple teams all activities within the end-to-end release cycle to ensure successful and timely delivery
• Ensure appropriate checkpoints are met and coordinate release sign off between the various gateposts in the release cycle
• Track release issues, risks, and dependencies, and escalate when necessary
• Work closely with IT and PMO teams to encourage adoption of the release management processes and to ensure compliance
• Provide communication and information, including relevant release reports as required
• Coordinate with the System owners and Test lead the build and testing process phases of releases
• Carry out regular reviews of the Release management processes with IT Change and Release manager, identify and recommend service improvements
• Assist the IT Change and Release manager in completing regular audits of the Release Management process
• Work with IT Change and Release manager to ensure the release processes are appropriately documented, communicated, and understood
• Ensure all IT teams adhere to the Release management processes & maintain quality checks
• Working with the IT Change and Release Manager on software asset management related task to ensure compliance
• Establish and maintain contact with colleagues in all offices to ensure that a consistent approach is being adopted across the firm
• Provide admin assistance as required by IT Change and Release manager
• Continually maintain and expand working knowledge of current Firm-supported and future technologies to provide technically accurate solutions to end-users
• Ensure releases are tested, validated, and compliant with organisational policies
• Track release issues, risks, and dependencies, and escalate when necessary
• Support deployment/implementation planning and post-implementation reviews to drive continuous improvement
• Provide reporting and metrics on release performance, including deployment success rates.
• Assist in aligning release practices with Agile and Waterfall delivery models
• To identify process issues and work with managers and process owners to resolve resource and responsibility issues
• Assist the IT Change and Release manager with developing, maintaining and communicating the release schedule chart, release pipeline report and the IT communication schedule
• Determine operational readiness of a release and present for stakeholder approval
• Assist in effective service transition for all new or changed IT services entering production by coordinating with delivery/project teams and support teams to confirm operational readiness, knowledge transfer, and documentation handover
• Adapt to changing priorities, manage multiple workstreams and work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Ensure security is maintained in line with the Firm’s security standards

This list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive.  It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for the performance of this job, and as such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.

Experience required

• 2–4 years of experience in IT Service Management or Release/Deployment roles
• Working knowledge or previous exposure to ITIL 4 practices, particularly Release Management, Change Enablement, and Deployment Management, gained in an ITIL-based organization
• ITIL 4 Foundation, ITIL 4 Practitioner: Release Management Certification, and ITIL 4 Practitioner: Change Enablement
• Experience with a range of ITSM tools
• Excellent organization, with the ability to manage conflicting deadlines and priorities
• A pragmatic, flexible approach to work, with the ability to tailor based on business need, risk and impact
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate and present effectively to audiences of all levels
• Strong stakeholder management experience and comfort in dealing with challenging situations
• A methodical and analytical approach with keen attention to detail
• Working knowledge of Microsoft platforms like Windows and the Office Suite
• An understanding of legal applications like DMS, PMS, CRM and document production tools
• An understanding of the technologies used to deliver applications, including Intune and SCCM
• An understanding of cybersecurity tools 

The Essentials

• 9.30am to 5.30pm but flexibility is a must
• Hybrid working policy with a minimum of 2 days per week worked in the office
• 12 week probation period
• 12 week notice period
• Flexible benefits package including pension, private medical, season ticket loan, subsidised gym memberships, lifestyle discount scheme, on site café plus more

About Withers

A law firm focused on people, performance, and collaboration.

For the past 125 years, we have supported some of the world’s most remarkable people and organizations at defining moments in their lives.

As the global private client firm, we are trusted advisors to families, founders, fiduciaries and businesses – and more than this, to governments, charities and financial institutions. We structure, grow and preserve capital. We protect reputations and relationships, ideas and innovations. We secure our clients’ legacies across generations. We are united in our commitment to integrity, quality and collaboration. We have a culture of high performance and deliver excellent service consistently across the firm. We provide tailored solutions built on trust and partner with our clients to achieve their goals.

Many of our clients are shaping the future, and creating solutions to tackle many of the world’s problems. It makes for a fascinating and challenging practice. Our role is to get to know each individual client, find out where they want to be, and help them to get there – whether they are building a business, buying a home or protecting and defending their interests. To meet their unique needs we are exceptionally collaborative, working together across teams and time zones. And we are agile – focusing on strategy rather than rigid ideas and traditional hierarchy.

We are delighted that we have been awarded Mansfield Certification Plus in relation to our recruitment and leadership progression efforts in the US and UK. This certification is an encouraging milestone as we continue to champion diversity within our organization and in the wider legal sector.

Join us to be part of a team that is always looking to the future. Where initiative, big ideas and bold moves are always encouraged. Where you can truly be yourself.

Information for Recruitment Agencies

Withers endeavours to recruit and fill vacancies directly. However, when we do need to engage with agencies, Withers operates a preferred supplier list and will not be accepting unsolicited applications from non-PSL agencies for this role.

Equal Opportunities Employment Statement 

It is the policy of Withers to provide equal opportunities for all employees in relation to recruitment, training and promotion. Decisions in these areas will be made only by reference to the requirements of the job and shall not be influenced by any consideration of ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation or disability.