Principal Analyst, Enterprise/IT Service Management and IT Operations

Forrester Research • Chicago, MA

6d

About The Position

Forrester Research is seeking a Principal Analyst to lead research and advisory coverage of IT service management (ITSM), enterprise service management (ESM), IT operations management (ITOM), and modern IT operations. The role helps technology leaders modernize the design, delivery, support, measurement, and continuous improvement of enterprise technology services. It calls for strategic perspective, practical operational experience, market knowledge, and the ability to provide clear, actionable advice to senior technology leaders.

The analyst will define a forward-looking research agenda across service management strategy and operating models; service desk modernization; incident and problem management; change enablement; service portfolio and catalog management; service-level management; experience and value measurement; and intelligent automation. Coverage may also include adjacent AIOps topics where observability, event intelligence, automation, and service management intersect. The analyst will examine how AI, automation, agentic systems, observability, and platform strategies are reshaping service delivery and operations, and how service management is expanding beyond IT into enterprise workflows and shared services.

The Principal Analyst conducts primary research through client interviews, surveys, vendor briefings, practitioner discussions, and market analysis, turning evidence into fact-based points of view and practical client guidance. The role creates research and other intellectual property, advises clients, leads market evaluations of ITSM/ESM platforms, builds visibility for research, presents at events and webinars, develops industry relationships, and supports business development. It is part of a collaborative team and includes leadership through mentorship and cross-team collaboration.

Requirements

• At least 10 years of experience in a mix of director-level or above practitioner, consultant, or research analyst roles in technology.
• Demonstrated ability to advise senior management and C-level clients.
• Superior client-facing communication, listening, critical-thinking, and collaboration skills with researchers, subject-matter experts, and client leaders.
• Deep knowledge of ITSM and ITIL principles, with practical experience designing, improving, governing, or operating enterprise-scale service management capabilities.
• Strong expertise in several core service management practices, such as incident and major incident management, problem management, change enablement, request management, service desk, service catalog and portfolio management, service-level management, configuration management, or continual improvement.
• Experience with major ITSM/ESM platforms and strong understanding of market dynamics, vendor differentiation, implementation approaches, and common adoption challenges.
• Understanding of how AI, automation, virtual agents, observability, and data are changing service management and IT operations.
• Ability to distill complex, disparate ideas into simple, provocative concepts and take a position on outcomes with clients, vendors, press, and competitors.
• Superior analytical, writing, editing, and presentation skills.
• Ability to travel 30% of the time or more.

Responsibilities

• Lead Forrester research on service management and IT operations, developing a differentiated portfolio for technology executives and operations leaders.
• Contribute research on the intersection of ITSM/ESM, IT operations management, observability, automation, and AIOps.
• Define how AI, automation, agentic systems, observability, and platform strategies are changing service delivery, support, and operations.
• Examine the expansion of service management beyond IT into enterprise workflows and shared services, including governance, ownership, process, data, and adoption requirements.
• Conduct primary research through client interviews, surveys, vendor briefings, practitioner discussions, and market analysis.
• Translate research evidence into fact-based points of view and practical client guidance.
• Advise clients on ITSM/ESM strategy and maturity, ITIL adoption, operating models, governance, practice ownership, organizational design, and modernization sequencing.
• Guide clients on service management practices, including incident and major incident management, problem management, change enablement, request management, service desk operations, service portfolio and catalog management, service-level management, configuration management, and continual improvement.
• Produce approximately 12 thought-leading reports per year on an agreed research agenda, plus additional intellectual property such as tools, webinars, and videos.
• Build visibility for research and contribute to Forrester client communities and beyond.
• Lead Forrester Waves and Landscape research in the ITSM/ESM platform market, covering vendors, providers, ecosystem partners, implementation considerations, platform selection, consolidation, replacement, and value realization.
• Apply Forrester research to clients’ business environments through inquiry, guidance, advisory, and consulting engagements.
• Present at Forrester-sponsored and industry events and deliver client webinars.
• Build an industry presence as a speaker and thinker, cultivate relationships with journalists, participate in vendor briefings, and respond to press inquiries as needed.
• Support business development and prospect conversations arranged by Forrester account leadership teams.
• Foster cross-team collaboration, mentorship, integrity, and positive pursuit through a leadership style.
• Travel 30% of the time or more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed