Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Execution and reliability
35% weight
Check they have owned service delivery against signed SLAs: ask for uptime figures, P1 response times, ticket backlog reduction in ServiceNow or Jira Service Management, and monthly service review packs.
Evidence to listen for
Describes a workload they owned and how they kept it from slipping
Names the tools and systems they ran day to day
Can talk about volume: tickets, inboxes, orders, uptime
Nothing quietly falls through when they are busy
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Cannot describe their own workload; things slip without them noticing.
2
Needs Improvement
Handles routine volume; drops work under pressure.
3
Satisfactory
Reliable on steady-state work; struggles when volume spikes.
4
Very Good
Consistently reliable at real volume with a system for staying on top.
5
Excellent
Quotes real SLA targets and attainment percentages, names the toolset, and shows sustained backlog and P1 volume reduction over quarters.
02
Evaluation factor
Improving the process
25% weight
Probe continual service improvement work: problem management to remove recurring incidents, shift-left to self-service or knowledge base, automation of joiner-mover-leaver, and measured cost or handling-time savings.
Evidence to listen for
Has changed a process rather than only following one
Can name what was slow or error-prone and what they did about it
Documents so the improvement survives them
Knows when a process is worth automating and when it is not
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Follows instructions only; no sense that process can change.
2
Needs Improvement
Notices problems but escalates rather than solving.
3
Satisfactory
Makes small improvements; impact is local and undocumented.
4
Very Good
Has redesigned a real process with measurable effect.
5
Excellent
Describes a specific CSI initiative with before and after metrics, such as repeat incidents cut by a third through root cause fixes.
03
Evaluation factor
Judgement and autonomy
25% weight
Test major incident and escalation judgement: when they invoked MIM bridge calls, held or overrode a change in CAB, and how they handled a vendor breaching contracted response times.
Evidence to listen for
Knows what to decide alone and what to escalate
Handles an exception without freezing or improvising recklessly
Protects confidentiality and access appropriately
Asks a clarifying question rather than guessing on something costly
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Either escalates everything or acts recklessly on their own.
2
Needs Improvement
Needs frequent direction; uneasy with exceptions.
3
Satisfactory
Sound judgement on familiar decisions.
4
Very Good
Clear sense of their own authority; handles exceptions well.
5
Excellent
Gives concrete escalation calls with reasoning, including one where they pushed back on a supplier or business stakeholder and documented the outcome.
04
Evaluation factor
Communication
15% weight
Assess how they run service reviews with business owners and third-party suppliers: incident comms during outages, post-incident reports, and translating CSAT or availability data for non-technical directors.
Evidence to listen for
Writes clearly enough that people act without a follow-up
Manages expectations before a deadline slips, not after
Handles a frustrated colleague or customer calmly
Works across time zones or async where the role needs it
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Unclear written communication; goes quiet when things slip.
2
Needs Improvement
Communication needs chasing; raises problems late.
3
Satisfactory
Clear enough day to day; proactive updates are inconsistent.
4
Very Good
Clear, proactive, and calm under pressure.
5
Excellent
Writes and presents clear outage comms and post-incident reviews; keeps executives informed without jargon and holds suppliers to account politely.
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