Plamen Mirchev - Head of Service & Operations Management

Q: Where is Plamen based?

Plamen is based in Vienna, Austria .

Q: What languages does Plamen speak?

Plamen speaks the following languages: Bulgarian (Native), English (Advanced), German (Intermediate) .

Q: How many years of experience does Plamen have?

Plamen has at least 21 years of experience. During this time, Plamen has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 8 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 2 months . Note that Plamen may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Plamen's latest experience?

Plamen's most recent position is Head of Service & Operations Management at Raiffeisen Bank International .

Q: What companies has Plamen worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Plamen has worked for Raiffeisen Bank International , Admiral Technology , and PlayTech PLC .

Q: Which industries is Plamen most experienced in?

Plamen is most experienced in industries like Information Technology (IT) , Professional Services , and Tourism and Hospitality . Plamen also has some experience in Banking and Finance and Automotive .

Q: Which business areas is Plamen most experienced in?

Plamen is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology (IT) , Customer Service , and Project Management . Plamen also has some experience in Operations , Quality Assurance (QA) , and Sales .

Q: Which industries has Plamen worked in recently?

Plamen has recently worked in industries like Information Technology (IT) and Banking and Finance .

Q: Which business areas has Plamen worked in recently?

Plamen has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology (IT) , Project Management , and Customer Service .

Recommended expert

Vienna, Austria

Experience

May 2024 - Dec 2025

1 year 8 months

Austria

Head of Service & Operations Management

Raiffeisen Bank International

Shaping service management framework as part of head office of RBI
Service owner overseeing IT cloud services, accountable for overall quality, lifecycle, and success
Managing customer relationships and satisfaction for 10 business units ensuring smooth business continuity and operations
Single point of contact and service/process owner providing T-shaped expertise in IT domains, cloud platforms and services (AWS, Azure, Kubernetes, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Jira, Orca, CRM, GitHub, SFMC)
ITSM/ITIL implementation and mentoring including design, definition, mapping, and execution
Change and release management, UAT/test assurance, major incident management, SDLC management
Managing regulatory and audit requirements, DORA, GDPR, ITPF compliance and reporting
Acting as a point of escalation for complex customer issues, resolving conflicts, fostering a customer-centric culture
People management: leading and managing service delivery teams, DevOps, vendors, and third-party teams
Cross-tribe service delivery and contract management: KPIs, SLAs, OLAs, RPO, RTO, BCM/SCM management
Agile/Scrum process delivery governance, stakeholder communication, and budget/cost management

Jan 2023 - Apr 2024

1 year 4 months

Austria

Global Release & IT Coordination Engineer

Admiral Technology

Governed major, minor, and emergency releases of SDLC via CI/CD pipeline
Planned, prioritized, and ensured traceability of application lifecycle management
Performed quality control of software versions and components at all stages of continuous delivery and deployment
Evaluated and classified releases, streamlined processes to increase efficiency and reliability
Communicated with stakeholders including C-level executives, third parties, end users, and internal teams
Chaired and led PI planning, release and CAB boards, production rollout go/no-go, and release retrospective meetings
Acted as DevOps SPOC for service quality and cross-tribe coordination using Slack, GitHub, DevOps tools, Jira, Tosca, Octopus, Grafana
Accountable for staging, pre-prod, and prod environments, bugfix/hotfix management, quality and test management
Designed, built, and deployed software releases, created and delivered release documentation
Collaborated with development, quality assurance, and operations teams to align release schedules
Automated and optimized release processes and workflows including version control, configuration management, CI/CD
Owned IT service management processes, implemented ITIL best practices, and reported on SLAs and KPIs
Managed service deployment lifecycle and hotfix resolution

Oct 2019 - Dec 2022

3 years 3 months

Austria

Technical Account Delivery Manager

PlayTech PLC

Acted as strategic and supportive partner for EMEA Tier 1 customers ensuring their success
Served as primary liaison between global accounts and the company focusing on long-term relationships
Accountable for end-to-end technical delivery, product stability, and customer satisfaction
Controlled SDLC and application lifecycle aligning technology solutions with business strategy
Managed customer success, change and release processes, root cause analysis, problem management, and service desk operations
Oversaw product configuration management and service integration across cross-functional teams, third parties, and vendors
Estimated and delivered feature requests, managed software revision control and change tracking
Chaired steering committee and service review meetings, PI planning, TAB, Kanban board, and daily service delivery
Led T&T programs including cloud adoption, digital transformation, product onboarding, and new offerings
Served as SPOC for service operations management (SLA, SLO, KPI), escalation management, pre/post sales, contract management, product presentation, cost and finance management, invoicing

Jul 2018 - Sep 2019

1 year 3 months

Austria

Business Project Manager

AVL List GmbH

Led internal business and large-scale programs and projects via IPMA methodology including infrastructure, software development, T&T, system integration, and network and security implementations
Defined key project deliverables, scope, milestones, and developed project plans and statements of work
Drove program and project progress with internal Scrum teams
Delivered project scope, plans, budgets, risk management, and reporting through successful completion
Managed and mentored cross-functional Agile and operational teams and stakeholders
Created solution proposals, business cases, and technical documentation
Oversaw project change management, transition and transformation, product/feature implementation, and regulatory change management

Feb 2016 - Aug 2018

2 years 7 months

Bulgaria

ITSM Program Manager EMEA

DXC Technology

Led large-scale transition and transformation programs through PMI framework
Integrated ITIL processes and tools, and implemented new service adoption for Tier 1 EMEA business customers
Managed people including project managers, process SMEs, test strategy teams, architecture, and resourcing
Oversaw cloud adoption initiatives and migrations as part of digital transformation strategy (Helion managed cloud, AWS, Azure, VPC, hybrid cloud offerings, ServiceNow, HPSM)
Negotiated and defined requirements, and delivered CMO, TMO, and FMO solutions
Managed program and project scope, planning, resourcing, cost estimation, risk management, and reporting
Designed service strategy and processes, drafted SOWs, and handled handover to delivery and monitoring
Handled pre- and post-sales activities, project change management, invoicing, delivery handover, and monitoring

Jun 2014 - Dec 2015

1 year 7 months

Bulgaria

IT Service Manager

TheTaxBackGroup

Oversaw global operations and ensured customer satisfaction for business units through managed services
Tailored ITSM framework and implemented ITIL best practices for 10 business units as process owner
Managed people and performance measurement for 20 direct reports including GSD team, process leads, and second-level support
Owned service and service portfolio including infrastructure, CRM, SAP FI, ITSM toolset, and web apps
Developed and implemented service standards and support procedures for performance monitoring and improvement
Managed stakeholder communications with C-level executives, vendors, and escalations
Conducted KPI monitoring and reporting, audits, and identified areas for improvement
Managed service department budget ensuring financial health and profitability of operations
Developed process design and service strategy, set department goals, and service improvement plans
Handled high-severity incident management, change management, problem management, and SLA/SLO definition

Jun 2012 - Jun 2014

2 years 1 month

Bulgaria

Crisis & Major Incident Manager

Hewlett-Packard

Operated in a mission control center providing service delivery to top 50 EMEA customers with 24/7, 365 days coverage
Served as single point of contact for critical incident management (Priority 1 and 2) including war-room and RTOP management
Managed account delivery as production environment manager and change authorizer
Performed reactive and proactive problem management including RCA, KEDB, and problem initiation
Managed technical resources, vendors, third-party management, and ITSM process teams
Communicated with C-level stakeholders, HP leadership, and internal delivery teams
Onboarded new customers including process definition, mapping, implementation, and service delivery adoption
Drove CSI initiatives, defined KPIs, negotiated SLA/SLO, and managed resources
Executed crisis management including disaster recovery and business continuity plans

Oct 2010 - May 2012

1 year 8 months

Bulgaria

IT Change and Release Manager

Hewlett-Packard

Managed end-to-end change and release processes for top EMEA customers
Acted as process owner and subject matter expert for internal and external participants
Chaired AST/CAB/TAB/ECAB/FAB meetings, release go/no-go decisions, and deployment lifecycles
Managed release candidates, version control validation, connectivity, and QA testing/verification
Integrated and mentored change and release management processes for Tier 1 customers
Defined and monitored CMDB, approved new CI integrations, and built release and change catalogues
Assessed, authorized, implemented changes, and managed communication and reporting

Dec 2007 - Sep 2010

2 years 10 months

Bulgaria

Customer Relations Specialist – UK & Ireland

Hewlett-Packard

Managed customer relationships for small and medium business products including printers and laptops
Controlled quality and negotiated with stakeholders across global support divisions, product line managers, and external partners (retailers, wholesalers, third-party support)
Handled complaint management, escalations, customer surveys, and quality assurance
Managed GSD support and product lifecycle
Conducted CRM analysis and continuous service improvement

Jan 2004 - Aug 2007

3 years 8 months

Bulgaria

Account Sales Manager

Travelstoremaker

Managed accounts and sales for travel industry customers (IATA)
Conducted internet booking engine presentations, consultancy, and deal negotiations
Managed existing accounts including invoicing, feature estimation, and partner implementations
Acted as liaison between internal tech, product teams, and stakeholders
Initiated new project indentations and development initiatives
Managed partner relationships and fulfillment website operations

Industries Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time. Longer bars indicate deeper hands-on experience, while shorter ones reflect targeted or project-based work.

Experienced in Information Technology (13.5 years), Professional Services (4 years), Tourism (3.5 years), Banking and Finance (3 years), and Automotive (1 year).

Information Technology

Professional Services

Tourism

Banking and Finance

Automotive

Business Areas Experience

The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.

Experienced in Information Technology (14 years), Customer Service (13 years), Project Management (8 years), Operations (7.5 years), Quality Assurance (5.5 years), and Sales (3.5 years).

Information Technology

Customer Service

Project Management

Operations

Quality Assurance

Sales

Summary

I am an open-minded individual with a proven track record delivering consultancy services to small & medium size and as well Enterprise businesses.

Within my 20+ years of experience, I successfully completed projects for various clients across a variety of industries and products.

I have excellent communication skills and the ability to relate to a wide range of people.

I possess a clear, logical mind with a practical approach to problem solving and a drive to see things through to completion.

With my strong people management, IT Service Management, organizational and as well interpersonal skills, I enjoy working with others to achieve certain objectives on time with excellence! I am a resourceful project leader, with a sound and optimistic outlook on all things in life.

Skills

Itil
People Management
Service Management
Itsm
Pmi
Program/project Management
Ipma
Devops
Scrum
Agile
Ci/cd Pipeline Management
Sla/slo Definition
Kpi Management
Crisis Management
Quality Management
Escalation Management
Business Analysis
Problem Management
Communication Management
Mentoring
Service Delivery
Project Planning
It Consulting
Grafana Monitoring
Infrastructure Management
Itil Implementation
Csi
Service Desk Management
Change And Release Management
Major Incident Reporting
Rca
Cmdb
Change Assessment
Sdlc
Kanban
Waterfall Development

Languages

Bulgarian

Native

English

Advanced

German

Intermediate

Education

Oct 2001 - Jun 2003

University of National and World Economy

Master · Economics and Marketing · Sofia, Bulgaria

Oct 1997 - Jun 2001

University of National and World Economy

Bachelor · Holding Economy & Management · Sofia, Bulgaria

Oct 1993 - Jun 1997

High School of Economics

High School of Economics · Banks and Banking · Bulgaria

Certifications & licenses

Agile Certified Professional

Naggaro

Driving Licence: B

EU Secret (EUS) Clearance

NSA

ITIL Foundation

EXCIN

ITIL Intermediate - Service Operations

EXCIN

Kepner & Tregoe Problem Solving And Decision Making

Service Centrix

NATO Cosmic Top Secret Security Clearance

NSA

Profile

Created

October 2025

Last Update

February 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is Plamen based?

Plamen is based in Vienna, Austria.

What languages does Plamen speak?

Plamen speaks the following languages: Bulgarian (Native), English (Advanced), German (Intermediate).

How many years of experience does Plamen have?

Plamen has at least 21 years of experience. During this time, Plamen has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 8 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 2 months. Note that Plamen may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Plamen be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Plamen would be well-suited for roles such as: Head of Service & Operations Management, Global Release & IT Coordination Engineer, Technical Account Delivery Manager.

What is Plamen's latest experience?

Plamen's most recent position is Head of Service & Operations Management at Raiffeisen Bank International.

What companies has Plamen worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Plamen has worked for Raiffeisen Bank International, Admiral Technology, and PlayTech PLC.

Which industries is Plamen most experienced in?

Plamen is most experienced in industries like Information Technology (IT), Professional Services, and Tourism and Hospitality. Plamen also has some experience in Banking and Finance and Automotive.

Which business areas is Plamen most experienced in?

Plamen is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology (IT), Customer Service, and Project Management. Plamen also has some experience in Operations, Quality Assurance (QA), and Sales.

Which industries has Plamen worked in recently?

Plamen has recently worked in industries like Information Technology (IT) and Banking and Finance.

Which business areas has Plamen worked in recently?

Plamen has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology (IT), Project Management, and Customer Service.

What is Plamen's education?

Plamen holds a Master in Economics and Marketing from University of National and World Economy and a Bachelor in Holding Economy & Management from University of National and World Economy.

Does Plamen have any certificates?

Plamen has 7 certificates. Among them, these include: Agile Certified Professional, Driving Licence: B, and EU Secret (EUS) Clearance.

What is the availability of Plamen?

Plamen is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Plamen?

Plamen's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.