The IT Asset Management Strategy & Transformation team is a critical pillar within the Enterprise Technology IT Transformation Management Office, responsible for modernizing, governing, and optimizing technology assets across the enterprise. This team leads the strategic evolution of IT Asset Management (ITAM) practices, ensuring alignment with business priorities, compliance requirements, and operational efficiency goals.
Responsibilities of Role:
The Software Asset Management (SAM) Analyst is an individual contributor responsible for the day-to-day management, monitoring, and optimization of the enterprise's software asset lifecycle within ServiceNow SAM. This role ensures software license compliance, data accuracy, and cost optimization by maintaining entitlements, reconciling software inventory and discovery data, and supporting audit readiness. The SAM Analyst partners closely with ITAM leadership, procurement, vendor management, and technology teams to maintain a trusted system of record in ServiceNow and deliver actionable insights that reduce risk and drive value from the software portfolio.
Responsibilities
Software License & Entitlement Management
* Maintain accurate software entitlement records in ServiceNow SAM Pro, including purchases, renewals, true-ups, and reclamations
* Configure and maintain software models in ServiceNow SAM Pro, aligning entitlement rights with discovery and SaaS subscription data to ensure accurate license reconciliation, compliance calculations, and optimization insights
* Reconcile software license entitlements against deployed and discovered installations to identify compliance gaps and optimization opportunities
* Track license terms, usage rights, and renewal dates for key publishers in partnership with contract and vendor management teams
* Maintain a working knowledge of common software licensing models (per-user, per-device, subscription, consumption-based) across major publishers
* Support onboarding of software products into ServiceNow SAM Pro, ensuring accurate entitlement setup and educating product owners on SAM processes, compliance obligations, and use of asset data to meet lifecycle management expectations
Data Quality, Discovery & Compliance
* Monitor and improve the quality of software discovery data feeding ServiceNow SAM, including normalization of publisher, product, and version data
* Resolve normalization gaps and unmatched discovery records to ensure accurate reconciliation
* Partner with Discovery/CMDB teams to resolve data gaps and duplicate records
* Investigate and remediate reconciliation exceptions
* Maintain software normalization rules and title mappings within ServiceNow to ensure accurate license consumption reporting
* Support internal and vendor-driven software audits by compiling entitlement, deployment, and usage data
* Identify software license compliance risks and recommend remediation actions, escalating material findings to SAM leadership
* Maintain documentation of compliance processes and controls in line with ITAM governance standards
* Support testing and validation of ServiceNow SAM enhancements, upgrades, and integrations
Stakeholder Support
* Serve as a day-to-day point of contact for Product Owners and business partners with software entitlement, compliance, or reporting questions
* Collaborate with Procurement, Vendor Management, Security, and IT Operations to support software lifecycle decisions
* Provide timely, accurate responses to ad hoc data requests from stakeholders and leadership
* Escalate complex compliance or licensing questions and cross-team dependencies to the SAM Product Manager as needed
Reporting & Analytics
* Build and maintain recurring reports and dashboards in ServiceNow (and Excel/Power BI as needed) on license position, spend, and utilization
* Analyze software usage trends to identify underutilized licenses, harvesting opportunities, and cost-savings recommendations
* Present findings and recommendations on license position and compliance risk to the SAM Product Manager and business stakeholders
Financial & Vendor Support
* Support tracking of software spend, true-up costs, and renewal budgets in partnership with finance and procurement
* Help maintain internal cost allocation and charge-back data related to software licensing
* Track budget impact of licensing consumption changes, renewals, and true-ups, flagging variances to SAM leadership
* Support relationships with third-party vendors by tracking contract terms, entitlements, and performance against agreements
Process & Tool Administration
* Administer and configure ServiceNow SAM Pro workflows, forms, and reports to support evolving business needs
* Ensure catalog readiness for software offerings
* Support software lifecycle workflows including request, approval, procurement, fulfillment, and retirement
* Contribute process improvements, playbooks, and job aids to elevate the maturity of SAM operations
* Support cross-functional SAM initiatives and projects requiring coordination across ITAM, IT, and business teams
Key Attributes
Thinks Strategically
* Stays current on business trends and technological advances
* Uses knowledge of the company's products and services to meet customer needs and financial targets
* Identified key business opportunities and challenges
* Examines issues from a broad perspective, considering impact beyond immediate scope
* Makes sound business decisions that balance competing priorities
* Able to see the "forest" as well as the individual "trees" - can articulate how specific situations relate to strategy or big picture problems
Builds Relationships
* Acts as the voice of the customer by understanding their business needs and aligning software asset data and processes to support them
* Interacts well with people who have different backgrounds and work styles
* Resolves conflicts effectively
* Service mindset with ability to facilitate "win-win" solutions, but not afraid to say "no"
* Manages the diverse needs of stakeholders
* Engages colleagues across the organization to optimize performance
* Builds effective working relationships with partners and stakeholders across a large enterprise and within the related industry
Communicates Effectively
* Conveys relevant information in a candid and timely manner
* Listens and asks questions to ensure understanding
* Tailors messages appropriately to the audience
* Effectively persuades others to support ideas and plans
* Provides the appropriate rational and content to drive commitment
Drives Results
* Keeps Commitments
* Uses technology to facilitate better results
* Analyzes problems and takes action to resolve
* Achieves high levels of customer satisfaction
* Holds self and others accountable to high standards
* Is metrics and data driven
* Manages projects and resources to produce desired outcomes
* Develops appropriate metrics to assess business performance
* Plans, organizes and delegates effectively, to ensure focus on strategic activities
Inspires Creativity and Innovation
* Conceives creative ideas to solve problems or meet objectives
* Demonstrates a positive attitude with contagious enthusiasm
* Challenges the status quo
* Transfers ideas and success across boundaries
* Facilitates the exchange of ideas and creation of new ones
* Takes risks and manages them intelligently
* Proactively looks for new opportunities
* Brings fresh thinking to how software asset data and processes can better serve the business
Champions Change
* Remains productive despite uncertainly
* Demonstrates flexibility in response to changes
* Supports new initiatives
* Coaches others through change
Builds Teams
* Supports productivity and morale of the team
* Strengthens others through mentoring and feedback
* Recognizes and rewards the achievements of others
* Broadly shares both accountability and responsibility
* Creates "constructive discomfort" - encouraging performance beyond what others believe they can realize
Exhibits Professional Excellence
* Treats others with respect
* Earns the trust of colleagues, partners and customers
* Maintains composure under pressure
* Strives for self-improvement
* Leans from personal and organizational experiences
* Shows consistency in words and actions
* Sets a good example for others
Must Haves (Years of Experience, languages, programs, tools, etc.):
Software License & Entitlement Management
* 3-5 years of experience in Software Asset Management, IT Asset Management, or a related IT operations/procurement role within a large, multi-national corporation
* Hands-on experience with ServiceNow SAM Pro (or an equivalent SAM tool), including entitlement management, license reconciliation, and compliance reporting
* Working knowledge of common software licensing models (per-user, per-device, subscription, consumption-based) across major publishers (Microsoft, Oracle, Adobe, IBM, etc.)
* Understanding of contract terms, license agreements, and vendor entitlement documentation
Data Quality, Discovery & Compliance
* Experience working with software discovery and CMDB data, including normalization and reconciliation of installation records
* Strong attention to detail and comfort working with large, imperfect data sets to identify and correct discrepancies
* Familiarity with ServiceNow Discovery, Software Asset Management, and/or CMDB modules
* Experience supporting or participating in software compliance reviews or vendor audits
* Understanding of software license compliance risk and remediation approaches
* Ability to maintain clear, audit-ready documentation of processes and findings
Stakeholder Support
* Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain technical/licensing concepts to non-technical stakeholders
* Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
* Collaborative mindset with experience partnering across Procurement, Vendor Management, and IT teams
* Comfortable fielding day-to-day questions from stakeholders and escalating appropriately when issues arise
Reporting & Analytics
* Proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, formulas) and experience building reports/dashboards (ServiceNow reporting, Power BI, or similar)
* Ability to translate license and usage data into clear, actionable recommendations for technical and non-technical audiences
* Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
* Comfortable working with data from multiple systems to identify trends and anomalies
Financial & Vendor Support
* Experience tracking software spend, renewals, and true-up costs in partnership with finance or procurement
* Skilled in maintaining cost allocation or charge-back data to support funding and budget processes
* Ability to flag budget variances tied to licensing consumption changes and communicate them clearly
* Experience supporting relationships with third-party vendors, including tracking contract terms and performance
* Understanding of contract terms, licensing agreements, and vendor performance tracking
Process & Tool Administration
* Experience configuring or administering ServiceNow modules (SAM Pro, ITAM, or similar) is a plus
* Familiarity with ITIL principles, including asset and configuration management practices
* Ability to document processes and contribute to continuous improvement of SAM operations
* Operates with a good degree of autonomy while knowing when to escalate issues appropriately
Nice To Haves (see above):
* ITIL Foundation Certification or advanced certifications for on ITIL v3 or later
* Familiarity with IT Operations Management (ITOM) capabilities such as Discovery, CMDB health, Event Management, and integration with monitoring tools (e.g., Datadog, Splunk)
* Knowledge of ServiceNow's ITAM and SAM Pro modules, including license models, discovery integrations, normalization engines, and compliance workflows
* IAITAM certifications, such as Certified Software Asset Manager (CSAM), Certified Hardware Asset Manager (CHAMP), or Certified IT Asset Manager (CITAM)
* ServiceNow product certifications, such as Certified System Administrator (CSA) or Certified Implementation Specialist - Software Asset Management (CIS-SAM)
* Working knowledge of SQL, Power BI, or Tableau for data analysis and reporting
Education:
* Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or comparable field of study, and/or equivalent work experience
* Relevant certifications (e.g., ServiceNow CIS-SAM, IAITAM CSAM/CHAMP) or hands-on Software Asset Management experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
About Korn Ferry
Korn Ferry unleashes potential in people, teams, and organizations. We work with our clients to design optimal organization structures, roles, and responsibilities. We help them hire the right people and advise them on how to reward and motivate their workforce while developing professionals as they navigate and advance their careers. To learn more, please visit Korn Ferry at www.Kornferry.com
