A Day in the Life of a Global ISV Operations Supervisor at ServiceNow
As a Global ISV Operations Supervisor at ServiceNow, a typical day involves managing a global team across various time zones, requiring early morning and evening calls to accommodate "Europe bucket" and other regions. This necessitates meticulous calendar management, proactive meeting preparation ("defensive calendaring"), and flexible prioritization to handle both routine tasks and urgent requests, particularly during busy sales cycles where "deals need to get in by March for Q1 or December."
Global Teamwork, Prioritization and Time Management, Cross-Cultural Communication, Project Management, Adaptability and Flexibility
Advizer Information
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Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
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Allison Kulp
Global ISV Operations Supervisor
ServiceNow, Inc.
Loyola University Maryland , 2009
University of California Los Angeles -Executive MBA anticipated 2024
Business Management & Admin
Technology
Operations and Project Management
Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. The global nature of the job requires managing a schedule that accommodates multiple time zones, often involving early morning and evening calls to connect with teams and clients around the world.
2. Effective time management and calendar structuring are crucial for success, involving prioritizing tasks, blocking out focused work time, and scheduling breaks to avoid burnout.
3. Proactive communication and preparation are key; setting clear expectations with colleagues, preparing agendas beforehand, and having a buffer for urgent matters can significantly reduce daily stress and improve efficiency.
Transcript
What does the day in the life of an operations supervisor look like?
Any customer or partner around the world can develop apps on the platform. This includes customers and partners in Europe, Australia, and Asia. You have to manage your time well, and understand that a global role isn't just about traveling.
It involves early and evening calls, and structuring your day effectively. Typically, being based in California, the first calls are around 7 AM, which covers the Europe region. The morning is often focused on this.
As a leader or project lead, you'll have many calls with your broader team. These are usually in the morning, but it's important to space them out. This is because these meetings often generate action items.
It's crucial to structure your calendar well, especially in operations, finance, or any busy role. You need to know what's coming and be prepared, particularly depending on your audience. For example, if a VP is on a call, you need to be prepared and organized.
This is a learning experience. Don't overload your calendar with back-to-back calls, although some days might be like that. You need to be aware of what's on your schedule.
Typically, the night before or early in the morning, I ensure I have time to prepare for meetings. I also block out time to work on projects that have updates due by the end of the week. You have to structure your calendar well.
I heard someone call it "defensive planning" last year, which makes sense. If you're a key person, others will try to schedule time with you. You need to block out time for lunch; it's important to take a break to avoid burnout.
You might work out in the morning or afternoon, so block off that hour. For a global role, this means early mornings and sometimes later nights. That's part of what you sign up for.
Make sure you take time for breaks, like lunch or a run. If you have an evening meeting from 8 to 9 PM, you can start your next day later. Most teams are flexible with scheduling.
There are many different aspects to structure, like time zones. "Geo" is operational terminology for different regions. You need to know when to talk to whom; it's all about prioritization.
If you have a team, you need to have weekly or bi-weekly one-on-ones, depending on how new they are or what you're working on together. You must find time for your team. This could be a weekly team meeting, but one-on-one meetings are very important for managers.
You have to be organized, especially in operations. You're likely working on many things, not just one. So, you need to structure your day. You know that earlier hours are Europe time, and people will want your attention.
You have to be able to say, "Monday and Tuesday are full, but Thursday would probably be a good time," and help yourself out. If you're unsure about why someone wants to meet or what they want to discuss, you can ask them to send bullet points or an agenda beforehand. This will help you prepare and make your day feel less hectic.
It's a learning experience. In operations, even with a structured day, each day can be different due to urgent deals or partners needing assistance. You need to be flexible.
In sales operations, you're working within the sales cycle. Tech companies typically operate quarterly, and sales teams are often commission-based. They'll want to close deals by the end of March for Q1 or December for the year.
It's good to have a buffer even on a busy day. You'll need time for follow-ups from meetings, as well as urgent or higher-priority tasks that come up.