Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Service Desk Manager

💰 $85,000 - $125,000

Information TechnologyIT SupportManagementCustomer Service

🎯 Role Definition

Are you a seasoned IT support professional with a passion for leadership and a commitment to excellence? We are on the hunt for a proactive and strategic Service Desk Manager to take the helm of our talented support team. In this pivotal role, you will be the driving force behind our service delivery, responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the help desk, mentoring a team of dedicated analysts, and ensuring our end-users receive timely, efficient, and high-quality technical support. You will not just manage tickets; you will architect a world-class support experience, championing best practices, driving process improvements, and acting as the key escalation point for all IT support issues. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and are dedicated to building a positive, customer-centric support culture, we want to hear from you.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Service Desk Analyst / Lead Help Desk Technician
  • IT Support Team Lead
  • Systems Administrator with a focus on end-user support

Advancement To:

  • IT Operations Manager
  • Director of IT Support / Head of End-User Services
  • Senior Manager, Global Service Delivery

Lateral Moves:

  • Incident Manager or Problem Manager
  • IT Project Manager
  • IT Vendor or Asset Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Provide dynamic leadership, mentorship, and career development to a team of Service Desk professionals, fostering a collaborative, accountable, and high-performance culture.
  • Oversee the entire lifecycle of service desk requests, incidents, and problems, ensuring they are accurately identified, categorized, prioritized, and resolved within established Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
  • Act as the primary escalation point for complex technical issues, user complaints, and high-priority incidents, taking ownership of resolutions and communicating status to stakeholders.
  • Develop, implement, and continuously refine service desk policies, procedures, and workflows based on ITIL best practices to enhance service quality, efficiency, and consistency.
  • Establish, monitor, and analyze Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and service metrics (e.g., first-call resolution, ticket aging, customer satisfaction) to measure team performance and identify areas for improvement.
  • Manage team scheduling, workload distribution, and on-call rotations to ensure adequate support coverage across all business hours and for after-hours emergencies.
  • Conduct regular team meetings, performance reviews, and one-on-one coaching sessions to align the team with departmental goals and support individual growth.
  • Champion a customer-first mindset, ensuring all team members provide empathetic, professional, and effective communication and support to end-users.
  • Manage the procurement, deployment, and lifecycle of end-user hardware, software, and peripherals, maintaining an accurate IT asset inventory.
  • Develop and maintain a comprehensive knowledge base of technical documentation, solutions, and troubleshooting guides for use by both the service team and end-users.
  • Serve as the primary liaison between the Service Desk and other IT teams (e.g., Infrastructure, Networking, Security) to ensure seamless escalation and resolution of cross-functional issues.
  • Prepare and present regular performance reports, trend analyses, and strategic recommendations to IT leadership and key business stakeholders.
  • Drive initiatives to improve the end-user experience, including the evaluation and implementation of new support tools, technologies, and self-service options.
  • Oversee user account management processes, including onboarding, offboarding, and access modifications within Active Directory and other business applications.
  • Ensure all service desk activities comply with company security policies, data privacy regulations, and internal audit requirements.

Secondary Functions

  • Collaborate with the IT leadership team to contribute to the overall IT strategy, departmental budget planning, and technology roadmap.
  • Manage relationships with third-party vendors for hardware, software, and support services, ensuring they meet contractual obligations and performance standards.
  • Lead or participate in IT projects that impact end-user computing, such as OS upgrades, software rollouts, or office moves.
  • Develop and deliver training programs for end-users on new technologies, standard operating procedures, and security best practices.
  • Proactively identify and analyze trends in incidents and service requests to assist the Problem Management function in addressing root causes.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • ITSM Platforms: Deep expertise in managing and configuring ITSM tools such as ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, Zendesk, or Freshservice.
  • ITIL Framework: Strong, practical knowledge of ITIL v3/v4 principles, particularly in Service Operation, Incident, Problem, and Change Management. ITIL Foundation or higher certification is highly desirable.
  • Directory Services: Proficient in managing users, groups, and GPOs within Microsoft Active Directory and Azure Active Directory.
  • Operating Systems: Advanced knowledge of Windows and macOS environments, including deployment, troubleshooting, and management.
  • Endpoint Management: Experience with device management tools like Microsoft SCCM/Intune, Jamf, or Kandji for software deployment, patching, and policy enforcement.
  • Productivity Suites: Expert-level administration and support skills for Microsoft 365 (O365) and Google Workspace.
  • Networking Concepts: Solid understanding of fundamental networking protocols and concepts (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPN).

Soft Skills

  • Leadership & Mentoring: Proven ability to lead, inspire, and develop a technical team, fostering a positive and productive work environment.
  • Customer Service Excellence: A relentless focus on the customer experience, with the ability to instill this value across the team.
  • Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences and interact professionally with all levels of the organization.
  • Strategic Problem-Solving: Ability to analyze complex situations, identify trends, and develop effective, long-term solutions rather than just addressing symptoms.
  • Stakeholder Management: Skill in building and maintaining strong relationships with business leaders, end-users, and internal IT partners.
  • Process-Oriented: A methodical and analytical approach to improving workflows, documentation, and operational efficiency.
  • Empathy & Patience: The capacity to handle stressful situations and frustrated users with patience, professionalism, and a genuine desire to help.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of relevant professional experience and certifications.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in a technology-related field.
  • ITIL v4 Foundation or higher certification.
  • CompTIA A+/Network+, Microsoft, or other relevant technical certifications.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology
  • Management Information Systems
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 5-8 years of experience in an IT support role, with at least 2-3 years in a team lead or management capacity.

Preferred:

  • Experience managing a service desk in an enterprise environment supporting 500+ users.
  • Proven track record of successfully implementing process improvements and improving service desk KPIs.
  • Experience supporting a hybrid workforce (in-office and remote).
Explore More Careers