Senior Service Desk Manager looking to enter the ServiceNow ecosystem

[kengeeoh]

I've got 18 years experience in helpdesk, service desk, ITSM platforms and recently completed the CPOA. Does anyone have any advice for next steps? I'm a bit long in the tooth, career wise, to train as a developer or architect.

My idean goal would be a moderately complex single company needing a platform owner. I've performed this activity as part of my roles in the past for Remedy, Peregrine, Ivanti and ServiceNow (snow is definitely my favorite of the bunch).

My highest 'ranked' role was at System Director IT & Services in healthcare and have spent the last 2-years in pharmaceuticals. 

[Hemanth M]

Hi @kengeeoh ,

You're on the right track! ServiceNow Platform Owner is a good fit where you would drive the strategic vision of the platform along with Platform Architect and Enterprise Architect. I definitely recommend joining the Platform Owner community to get the latest insights: https://www.servicenow.com/community/platform-owners-community/ct-p/platform-owner-resource-center 

Hope it helps!

[AnimeSaltA]

Hemanth is spot on here. With 18 years of deep ITSM background across legacy platforms like Remedy and Ivanti, paired with executive-level IT leadership in healthcare and pharma, you are sitting on a massive strategic advantage.

Organizations desperately need Platform Owners who understand operational governance, stakeholder management, and business value realization rather than just getting bogged down in low-level code or complex system architecture. Bridging that gap between business strategy and platform capability is precisely where seasoned leaders shine. You definitely don't need to chase developer certs to make a massive impact—stepping into a dedicated Platform Owner role is a natural and highly valuable next step!

[Dr Atul - LNG]

Being a ServiceNow trainer, I’m always happy to share my thoughts and experiences.

After 18+ years in the industry, I can confidently say that you probably already have many of the relevant skills needed to move to the next level. The key question is: What does that next step look like, and where does it fit within ServiceNow?

You could move towards roles such as Business Process Consultant (BPC), Business Analyst (BA), or Consultant, where your role is more focused on speaking with customers, understanding their challenges, gathering requirements, and translating those requirements into solutions. That is also the kind of role I’m currently in.

ServiceNow provides an excellent career journey and learning path that can help you move forward. However, one important thing to remember is that certifications alone won’t define your journey.

You also need to build your portfolio and gain experience across different ServiceNow products, such as CSM, GRC, HRSD, or other areas that are currently in demand.

So, my advice is simple:

👉 Build your ServiceNow knowledge.
👉 Choose a product area and go deep.
👉 Get hands-on experience.
👉 Build your portfolio.
👉 Understand the business side, not just the technical side.
👉 Keep learning and adapting as the market changes.

Your certification can open the door, but your skills, experience, and portfolio will help you move through it.

Keep learning, keep building, and keep moving forward