Manager, IT Service Desk

The Service Desk Manager is responsible for strategic oversight for the service desk function at NUIT and visionary leadership of the service desk team to provide effective and efficient customer service and resolve all technical issues. The Service Desk Manager is skilled in IT management, customer service, problem-solving, and process improvement. The successful candidate is enthusiastic, organized, a motivating team leader possesses exceptional customer service skills and thrives in a very dynamic environment. This position manages a team that supports a diverse customer base including students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Ultimately, the Service Desk Manager should be able to ensure high quality and consistent technical support to increase customer satisfaction while motivating and cultivating the Service Desk team.

General Duties

• Develop and implement strategies for continuous improvement of service desk experience for NUIT customers.

• Accounting and budgeting for service desk operation. Maintain cost per contact within establish targets.

• Manages and motivates a team of twelve (12) level 1 service desk analysts who receive assigned incident tickets, phone calls, emails and other communications from customers requesting technical support for related desktop, laptop, peripherals and IT related issues.

• Supervises the day-to-day operations of the service desk, setting specific customer service standards.

• Identifies, researches, and resolves complex technical problems.

• Creates and manages escalation procedures and ensures service levels are maintained.

• Documents, tracks, and monitors problems to ensure resolution in a timely manner.

• Ensures that all support requests are well documented in the IT ticketing system from the creation of the ticket to the successful resolution.

• Manages and improves the IT knowledge base system.

• Perform scheduling for the service desk to ensure coverage during normal business hours and on-call support as required.

• Works with IT support team resources to ensure proper processes are created and followed to inform, track and support our customers.

• Communicates with internal customers, team members, and management regularly during all aspects of help desk operations and ongoing technical issues.

• Creates and manages reports to upper-level management about all aspects of IT technical management including SLAs.

• Monitor and manage support solutions and incident management provided by the team to our customers for efficiency, accuracy, and completeness

• Develop and implement incident escalation procedures and ensure that newly implemented processes are consistently executed.

• Isolate recurring incidents and trends to ensure that troubleshooting efforts are effective and consistently addressed until permanent solutions are found.

• Provide support for project/service transition to operations by participating in testing, identifying bug fixes, developing knowledge articles and identify resource needs for early lifecycle support for new services.

• Mentors and develops team growth by identifying areas for improvement and pathways to advancement.

• Leads by example, projecting a positive attitude and a willingness to mentor and support others as needed.

Specific Responsibilities: 

Service/Process Leadership

• Develop and implement strategies for continuous improvement of service desk experience for NUIT customers.

• Manages and motivates a team of twelve (12) level 1 service desk analysts who receive assigned incident tickets, phone calls, emails and other communications from customers requesting technical support for related desktop, laptop, peripherals and IT related issues.

• Accounting and budgeting for service desk operation. Maintain cost per contact within establish targets.

• Supervises the day-to-day operations of the service desk, setting specific customer service standards and standard operating procedures for the service desk.

• Identifies, researches, and resolves complex technical problems.

• Creates and manages escalation procedures and ensures service levels are maintained.

• Documents, tracks, and monitors problems to ensure resolution in a timely manner.

• Ensures that all support requests are well documented in the IT ticketing system from the creation of the ticket to the successful resolution.

• Manages and improves the IT knowledge base system.

• Perform scheduling for the service desk to ensure coverage during normal business hours and on-call support as required.

• Works with IT support team resources to ensure proper processes are created and followed to inform, track and support our customers.

• Communicates with internal customers, team members, and management regularly during all aspects of help desk operations and ongoing technical issues.

• Creates and manages reports to upper-level management about all aspects of IT technical management including SLAs.

• Monitor and manage support solutions and incident management provided by the team to our customers for efficiency, accuracy, and completeness.

• Develop and implement incident escalation procedures and ensure that newly implemented processes are consistently executed.

• Isolate recurring incidents and trends to ensure that troubleshooting efforts are effective and consistently addressed until permanent solutions are found.

• Provide support for project/service transition to operations by participating in testing, identifying bug fixes, developing knowledge articles and identify resource needs for early lifecycle support for new services.

Operational Support

• Facilitate operational meetings in relation to regular process improvement activities related to service desk.

• Measures interpret and analyze data collected in the service management tool to prepare reports and statistics for use by management to identify trends. Identify areas to focus on customer education and training activities.

• Provides information that allows support processes to be optimized, incidents to be reduced, and management planning to be carried out.

• Recommends changes in the operation of the service support functions to respond to changing customer requirements/expectations and to improve management of customer service issues.

• Assist with other departmental activities as required to maintain the required levels of service to our customers.

• Interact with customers regularly to build relationships and ensure customer satisfaction through Quality & Service Value.

• Lead process improvement teams.

​Project Leadership

• Accountable for all Service Desk Process improvement projects – Initiate, plan, build, control and close.

• Work closely With Project Management Office to apply project management principles and industry best practices to all approved projects.

• Lead and participate in project scope development, project status reporting, schedules project execution, manage vendor performance and customer expectations, and facilitate meetings. Interact closely with the PMO for planning and status reporting.

• Coordinate IT resources for the project and operational support.

Supervises & Manages

• Provide work direction and/or supervise staff such as subordinates, contractors, vendors, students, etc.

• Provide leadership and guidance in organization development towards a high performing team focused on improving customer experience.

• Day to day management of service desk team for efficient and effective use of resources.

• Provide supervisory responsibilities to develop and grow a high performing team – talent management, performance evaluations, and staff development.

• Motivate and guide team members to continuously improve performance deliverables.

• Foster a team atmosphere within the organization and other departments by interacting with others in an honest and professional manner, listening to and valuing the opinions and ideas of others, sharing knowledge, and helping others to accomplish goals.

• Respond flexibly & positively to change through active involvement.

• Work with other IT staff in functional or cross-functional teams to meet goals, objectives, and responsibilities.

• Conduct regular refresher training for the team on processes & policies.

• Set the example in establishing and maintaining a professional demeanor in conducting job duties and accepts accountability for their performance and being accountable for their performance.

• Develop and maintain expert level knowledge and skills in technical and professional areas, individual and as a team.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business or a related information technology field.

• Five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in an information technology area related to the duties to be performed, including experience overseeing large teams, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• At least three (3) years’ experience with IT Service/Help Desk operations supporting a diverse customer base.

• Experience managing large, diverse teams.

• Experience working in a fast-paced, cross-functional and multi-team environment.

• ITIL Foundation Certification is a plus.

• Experience with a help desk ticketing system is a must; knowledge of Footprints, KACE, Casper is a plus.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Ability to work through complex problems, both technical and functional, identify root cause and recommend solutions.

• Ability to independently manage tasks, projects, and timelines.

• Monitor, measure, and communicate progress on key service improvement initiatives and projects, revising timelines and efforts based on team members’ task-specific status updates.

• Ability to foster a collaborative and service-oriented work environment.

• Demonstrable ability to write and assess requests for proposals (RFPs), service level agreements (SLAs) and related documentation.

• Exceptional customer service values and skills, including the ability to successfully resolve conflict constructively and to maintain a positive relationship with executive sponsors.

• Ability to collect and analyze data using tools such as data modeling and data flow diagrams.

• Experience planning and leading staff training on customer experience improvement and technical support portfolio changes.

• Proven success engaging partners and leading projects to completion.

• Must possess initiative, good organizational skills, attention to detail, sound business judgment and excellent written/verbal skills.

• Proven ability to motivate, develop, and direct team members.

• Receives direction and produces results in a timely manner with minimum oversight.

• Prioritizes to meet deadlines while producing high-quality results.

• Communicates effectively and professionally with users, customers, and other IT personnel.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business or a related information technology field.

• Proven equivalent experience at a large educational research institution.

• Five or more years of management experience leading a team that delivers IT support to a diverse group of customers that includes executives.

• Knowledge of ITIL® V3 Service Operations; ITIL V3 Foundations Certification.

• Vendor management experience.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Skills and knowledge in organizational change management.

• Ability to work under pressure and consistently meet deadlines.

• Curiosity in new & emerging technologies, with a desire to implement for the betterment of campus and stakeholder experiences.

Working Conditions:

Must be available for after hours support and weekend on-call support as needed.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States.