Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for IT Support Officer

💰 $45,000 - $75,000

ITTechnical SupportHelpdeskInfrastructureDesktop Support

🎯 Role Definition

The IT Support Officer is responsible for delivering timely, high-quality technical support to internal users and stakeholders across hardware, software, networking and cloud services. This role acts as a key contact for incident response, service requests and small-scale IT projects, following ITIL-aligned processes to ensure compliance with SLAs and organizational security policies. The IT Support Officer balances hands-on troubleshooting with user education, asset management and the creation of knowledge base content to reduce repeat incidents and drive continuous improvement.

Primary keywords: IT Support Officer, technical support, helpdesk, ITSM, Active Directory, Office 365, desktop support, incident management, network troubleshooting, remote support.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Helpdesk Technician / Service Desk Analyst
  • IT Intern or Desktop Support Trainee
  • Customer Support Specialist with technical aptitude

Advancement To:

  • Senior IT Support Officer / Senior Desktop Support Engineer
  • Systems Administrator / Network Administrator
  • IT Service Manager / IT Operations Manager
  • Cybersecurity Analyst or Cloud Support Engineer

Lateral Moves:

  • Application Support Analyst
  • Technical Trainer / IT Onboarding Specialist
  • Asset & Procurement Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Provide first- and second-line technical support to staff, contractors and external stakeholders using phone, email, chat and in-person channels, diagnosing and resolving desktop, laptop, printer and mobile device issues within agreed SLAs.
  • Manage and triage incidents and service requests in the ITSM/ticketing system (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira Service Management), ensuring accurate categorization, prioritization, escalation and timely communication to users.
  • Administer user accounts, groups and policies within Active Directory / Azure AD, including onboarding, offboarding, password resets, group membership updates and permission audits to maintain secure access controls.
  • Install, configure and maintain Windows and macOS desktops and laptops, apply standardized images and drivers using deployment tools (SCCM, Intune, MDT, Jamf) and perform hands-on hardware repairs and upgrades.
  • Support Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive) administration tasks such as mailbox provisioning, license management and troubleshooting authentication or sync issues.
  • Troubleshoot network connectivity issues (wired and wireless), diagnose DNS, DHCP and VPN problems, and liaise with network teams to resolve campus/office outages or degraded performance.
  • Deploy, configure and maintain endpoint security solutions including anti-virus/EDR, disk encryption (BitLocker), and patch management workflows to ensure compliance with corporate security standards.
  • Provide remote support using remote-control tools (TeamViewer, AnyDesk, Microsoft Remote Desktop) to resolve issues for distributed and remote users quickly and securely.
  • Maintain an accurate IT asset register and lifecycle management process for procurement, asset tagging, warranty tracking, returns and secure disposal of end-user devices.
  • Configure and support printing and scanning systems, print servers and multifunction devices, troubleshooting drivers, queues and connectivity issues across multiple locations.
  • Perform regular OS and application patching, coordinate scheduled maintenance windows and communicate impact to business stakeholders to minimize disruption.
  • Execute account and access reviews, assist with security incident response, and escalate suspected breaches or policy violations to the security team while preserving evidence and audit trails.
  • Support backup and recovery processes for user and shared data, perform restores as required, and participate in disaster recovery tests for desktops and critical user services.
  • Create, update and maintain technical documentation, runbooks and knowledge base articles to streamline resolutions and support self-service for end users.
  • Assist with IT project work such as hardware refreshes, software rollouts, conference room AV upgrades and small infrastructure changes, ensuring proper testing and rollback plans are in place.
  • Provide classroom-style or 1:1 user training and onboarding sessions for new hires, promoting best practices for cybersecurity, collaboration tools and device use.
  • Liaise with third-party vendors and service providers to coordinate repairs, warranty claims, software licensing and escalations, ensuring cost-effective and timely resolutions.
  • Monitor system and infrastructure alerts, review logs for recurring issues, and escalate or coordinate with specialists for root-cause analysis and remediation.
  • Enforce and promote IT policies, standards and compliance requirements including acceptable use, data protection, remote work and device management policies.
  • Conduct periodic audits of software licensing, installed applications and peripheral devices to ensure compliance and accurate chargeback or procurement planning.
  • Provide detailed service reports and metrics (ticket volumes, SLA compliance, common incident types) to inform continuous improvement and capacity planning.
  • Participate in on-call rotations or out-of-hours support schedules, providing reliable incident response for urgent production issues and critical failures.

Secondary Functions

  • Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of IT operational processes, checklists and metrics to increase support efficiency and reduce downtime.
  • Support internal IT asset procurement and vendor selection by providing technical specifications, cost comparisons and compatibility assessments.
  • Assist the IT team with small server or network change implementations under supervision, including patch rollouts and configuration updates.
  • Help maintain and improve workplace collaboration tools and telephony/UC systems by testing configurations and documenting standard operating procedures.
  • Participate in cross-functional working groups to align IT support with business continuity plans and departmental change programs.
  • Mentor junior support staff and interns, sharing best practices for troubleshooting, documentation and customer service.
  • Support data hygiene initiatives by assisting with duplicate account cleanups, shared mailbox management and archiving policies.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proven experience supporting Windows 10/11 and macOS environments, including imaging, driver management and troubleshooting.
  • Hands-on administration of Active Directory and Azure AD (user provisioning, group policies, delegation, and SSO integration).
  • Practical knowledge of Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint) administration and troubleshooting.
  • Familiarity with ITSM and ticketing systems such as ServiceNow, Zendesk, Jira Service Management or Freshservice.
  • Network fundamentals (TCP/IP, DHCP, DNS, VPN, wireless troubleshooting) and ability to escalate complex network issues with relevant logs and diagnostics.
  • Endpoint management and deployment tools experience (SCCM/ConfigMgr, Intune, Jamf, MDT) for OS deployment and patching.
  • Experience with remote support tools (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, Microsoft Remote Assistance) and remote desktop technologies.
  • Endpoint security knowledge: anti-virus/EDR, BitLocker/FileVault, patch management and basic remediation techniques.
  • Hardware troubleshooting for desktops, laptops, peripherals and mobile devices; ability to diagnose motherboard, storage and battery issues.
  • Basic scripting and automation skills (PowerShell, Bash) to automate repetitive tasks and improve support workflows.
  • Familiarity with backup and recovery tools, data restoration procedures and participation in DR tests.
  • Experience managing printing environments and print servers, including driver deployment and queue management.
  • Basic understanding of cloud services (Azure or AWS) and SaaS applications to support cloud authentication and service issues.
  • Knowledge of mobile device management (MDM) platforms (Intune, MobileIron, Jamf) for device enrollment and policy enforcement.
  • Ability to interpret logs and perform basic root-cause analysis using system and event logs.

Soft Skills

  • Strong customer service orientation with a patient, professional demeanor and ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical users.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills for documentation, knowledge base creation and stakeholder updates.
  • Proven problem-solving skills with logical troubleshooting methodology and persistence to resolve complex incidents.
  • Time management and prioritization ability to manage competing tickets and urgent incidents under SLA pressure.
  • Team player attitude and ability to collaborate with cross-functional IT teams, vendors and business stakeholders.
  • Attention to detail for asset tracking, configuration changes and accurate ticket documentation.
  • Adaptability and continuous learning mindset to keep up with evolving technologies and security practices.
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive data in line with data protection policies.
  • Strong organizational skills and the capacity to create and maintain runbooks, checklists and onboarding materials.
  • Initiative and ownership mentality: follow through on issues until resolution and proactively identify areas for improvement.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Diploma, Advanced Diploma or Associate degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Network Administration or a related field; or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity or related discipline.
  • Professional certifications such as CompTIA A+/Network+/Security+, Microsoft Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate, Microsoft 365 Certified, or ITIL Foundation are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

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

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1–5 years of hands-on experience in technical support, desktop support, or service desk roles in an enterprise or multi-site environment.

Preferred:

  • 3+ years supporting enterprise Windows and macOS environments, Active Directory/Azure AD administration, and Microsoft 365 services.
  • Demonstrated experience with ITSM ticketing systems, endpoint management (SCCM/Intune), and common remote support tools.
  • Prior exposure to corporate security/compliance programs, backup/recovery processes, and IT asset lifecycle management.
Explore More Careers