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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for IT Service Specialist

💰 $45,000 - $85,000

Information TechnologyIT SupportService DeskHelpdesk

🎯 Role Definition

An IT Service Specialist delivers day-to-day technical support and operational IT services to end users and business units. This role resolves incidents and service requests, follows ITIL-aligned processes, maintains desktop and endpoint environments, supports collaboration tools and cloud accounts, and contributes to continuous improvement of service delivery and documentation. The IT Service Specialist acts as a frontline technical troubleshoot, an escalation point for complex user issues, and a reliable partner to cross-functional teams and external vendors.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Help Desk Technician / IT Support Technician
  • Desktop Support Technician
  • IT Intern or Technical Support Representative

Advancement To:

  • Senior IT Service Specialist / Senior Desktop Support Engineer
  • IT Systems Administrator / Systems Engineer
  • IT Service Desk Team Lead or Manager
  • Cloud/Platform Support Engineer (Azure/AWS)

Lateral Moves:

  • Network Administrator
  • Security Operations / SOC Analyst
  • Endpoint Management / MDM Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Provide first- and second-line technical support for hardware, software, network, and peripheral issues via phone, email, chat, and ticketing systems, ensuring timely incident resolution and clear communication to end users.
  • Troubleshoot complex desktop and laptop problems including OS configuration (Windows 10/11, macOS), driver issues, application errors, and peripheral connectivity (printers, scanners, docking stations).
  • Administer user accounts and permissions in Active Directory and Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive), including provisioning, deprovisioning, password resets, group memberships, and license assignments.
  • Manage and resolve incidents in the ticketing system (ServiceNow, Jira Service Desk, Zendesk or equivalent), including accurate documentation, categorization, prioritization, SLA tracking, and escalation when required.
  • Support remote workers by configuring and troubleshooting VPNs, remote desktop solutions, BYOD challenges, and collaboration tools (Teams, Zoom, Slack), ensuring secure and reliable access.
  • Deploy, image, and configure workstations using MDT, SCCM/ConfigMgr, or similar endpoint management tools; manage software distribution, patch deployment, and baseline configuration enforcement.
  • Administer Mobile Device Management (Intune, AirWatch, JAMF) to enroll, secure, update, and troubleshoot corporate mobile devices and enforce security policies.
  • Execute security best practices on endpoints including antivirus/EDR deployment, vulnerability remediation, OS patching, disk encryption, and adherence to company security standards and compliance requirements.
  • Perform routine hardware diagnostics, component replacement, and warranty coordination for desktops, laptops, docking stations, and other office equipment; coordinate on-site repairs when necessary.
  • Assist with backup and recovery tasks for user data and departmental resources, test restore procedures and support recovery in incident scenarios in collaboration with backup administrators.
  • Monitor alerts and performance metrics from service monitoring tools, identify trends and recurring incidents, and drive root cause analysis to reduce repeat calls and improve system reliability.
  • Document technical procedures, standard operating procedures (SOPs), knowledge base articles, and runbooks to accelerate incident resolution and support self-service where applicable.
  • Participate in change management processes: prepare impact assessments, validate changes in test environments, communicate schedules to stakeholders, and assist with post-change validation.
  • Act as a liaison with vendors and third-party service providers to coordinate hardware and software support, warranty claims, contract escalations, and RMA processes.
  • Enforce asset management and inventory controls: tag, track, audit, and update hardware and software inventories, ensuring accurate lifecycle and license compliance records.
  • Support onboarding and offboarding processes for employees, including hardware provisioning, account setup, access entitlement reviews, and secure data removal for departures.
  • Provide user training and coaching on common tools and security practices (phishing awareness, password hygiene, safe remote work practices) to reduce support demand and improve user productivity.
  • Contribute to IT projects and rollouts such as OS migrations, cloud service deployments, collaboration platform upgrades, and endpoint refresh cycles by validating requirements and executing tasks.
  • Participate in on-call rotations for after-hours incident response, perform escalation triage, and coordinate with cross-functional teams to restore critical services within SLA targets.
  • Maintain compliance with regulatory requirements and company policies by enforcing data protection standards, assisting with audits, and applying access controls as required.
  • Create and deliver regular reports on ticket volume, SLA performance, hardware lifecycle, and common problem categories to inform leadership and prioritize improvements.
  • Implement automation and scripting (PowerShell, Bash) for repetitive tasks like bulk user account updates, log parsing, and scheduled maintenance to increase operational efficiency.
  • Assist with network troubleshooting at a local level (switch port testing, DHCP/DNS checks, Wi-Fi connectivity) and collaborate with network teams for escalated issues.
  • Evaluate and recommend tools, processes, and service improvements to raise first-call resolution rates, streamline workflows, and improve end-user satisfaction.

Secondary Functions

  • Support small project workstreams such as office moves, meeting room AV installs, and equipment staging; coordinate logistics and validate outcomes against acceptance criteria.
  • Maintain and update the IT knowledge base; author step-by-step guides, troubleshooting flows, and FAQs designed for both technical staff and end users.
  • Conduct periodic training sessions and brown-bag workshops for business users on collaboration tools, security best practices, and new IT services.
  • Assist IT management with procurement research, vendor comparisons, and license management recommendations to optimize costs and capabilities.
  • Participate in continuous improvement initiatives and post-incident reviews to identify process gaps, implement corrective actions, and reduce future incidents.
  • Help establish and enforce endpoint security baselines and contribute to tabletop exercises for disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • ITIL Foundation knowledge with demonstrated experience in incident, problem, and change management practices.
  • Strong experience with ticketing systems (ServiceNow, Jira Service Desk, Zendesk, Freshservice) including SLA reporting and queue management.
  • Active Directory administration: user/group management, GPOs, OU structure, and account lifecycle tasks.
  • Microsoft 365 / Office 365 administration: Exchange Online, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint administration and troubleshooting.
  • Endpoint management skills using SCCM/ConfigMgr, Microsoft Intune, or similar MDM/EMM solutions for patching, deployment, and configuration.
  • Proficiency with Windows 10/11 and macOS troubleshooting, installation, and configuration.
  • Networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPN troubleshooting, basic switch/router diagnostics, and Wi‑Fi connectivity troubleshooting.
  • Experience with remote support and collaboration tools (Microsoft Teams, Zoom, AnyDesk, TeamViewer) and remote troubleshooting methodologies.
  • Familiarity with virtualization platforms (VMware, Hyper-V) and cloud fundamentals (Azure or AWS basics) for hybrid environment support.
  • Scripting or automation capability (PowerShell, Bash) to automate repetitive tasks and accelerate remediation workflows.
  • Endpoint security tooling experience (EDR, AV, disk encryption) and understanding of security patch management processes.
  • Hardware diagnostics and repair experience for desktops, laptops, peripherals, and common office equipment.
  • Backup and recovery knowledge for end-user data and departmental applications; familiarity with common backup solutions and restore procedures.
  • Knowledge of identity and access management concepts, MFA configuration, SSO integrations, and OAuth/SAML basics.
  • Experience with imaging tools and processes (MDT, Ghost, Autopilot) and device provisioning at scale.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional customer service orientation with a calm, patient demeanor and a drive to close tickets with a positive end-user experience.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills for clear technical explanations and accurate documentation for a non-technical audience.
  • Analytical troubleshooting mindset with the ability to break down complex issues, identify root causes, and produce lasting fixes.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to manage competing SLAs and reactive vs. planned work effectively.
  • Team collaboration and ability to work cross-functionally with network, security, application, and vendor teams.
  • Adaptability to learn new technologies quickly and embrace changes in tools, processes, and business priorities.
  • Attention to detail for accurate inventory records, change logs, and audit trails.
  • Initiative and ownership: proactively identifying technical debt and driving small to medium improvements without constant supervision.
  • Discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive user and company data.
  • Coaching and mentoring ability to support junior staff and help build team capability.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent; relevant technical certifications often required (CompTIA A+, Microsoft Certified, ITIL Foundation).

Preferred Education:

  • Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a closely related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology / Information Systems
  • Network Administration
  • Cybersecurity

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1–5 years of progressive experience in IT support, help desk, desktop support, or service desk roles.

Preferred:

  • 3+ years of experience supporting enterprise desktop and collaboration environments, familiarity with ITIL processes, and hands-on experience with Active Directory, Microsoft 365, endpoint management (SCCM/Intune), and ticketing tools.

Recommended certifications (preferred or desirable): CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, Microsoft Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate, Microsoft 365 Certified Fundamentals, ITIL Foundation.

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