Service Desk Manager

Location: Lancaster

Permanent Salary: £39,105 - £45,163 (Grade 7)

Closing Date: Sunday 27th October

Interview Date: Friday 1st November

Lancaster University is an established thriving UK university with a world-class reputation for excellence in research, teaching and engagement. Lancaster is consistently ranked in the top universities in all three major UK league tables and continues to build a growing reputation both nationally and internationally. Our Lancaster University values believe in respecting each other by being open and fair and promoting diversity, we build strong communities by working effectively together in a supportive way and we create positive change by being ambitious in our learning, expertise and action.

As the Service Desk Manager you will lead our frontline IT support team, ensuring high-quality customer service and efficient resolution of technical issues for students and staff. Your role will involve managing daily operations, mentoring and developing team members, and implementing best practices to improve service delivery. You will also collaborate with other teams across ISS to support IT projects, reporting any service issues or potential service improvements identified, and maintain an excellent experience for our customers. A strong focus on customer service excellence, problem-solving, and continuous improvement is essential for this position.

Required experience, skills & abilities:

1. Educated to degree level, or equivalent professional qualification and/or experience working in a relevant area of IT (Essential)
2. Relevant IT Qualification, ITIL or equivalent current experience (Desirable)
3. Previous experience of managing Service Desk activities, with the ability to lead, motivate and develop staff across an organisation (Essential)
4. Proven track record of managing customer expectations and handling difficult or escalated cases with professionalism, empathy, and a customer-focused approach. (Essential)
5. Experience in supporting users in a Microsoft operating system environment, specifically Windows 10 or 11, as well as applications including, but not limited to, Office365. (Essential)
6. Experience of Linux distributions and macOS support (Desirable)
7. Experience of supporting end user devices and IT equipment within a Higher Education environment (Desirable)
8. Experience of working in a team-based IT support environment, the application of ITIL processes and of supporting colleagues in similar roles (Essential)
9. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, coupled with the emotional intelligence to develop strong professional relationships with all staff. (Essential)
10. Experience of providing excellent customer service in an IT environment, demonstrating the ability to communicate technical information clearly and effectively to a diverse range of users. (Essential)
11. Ability to approach problem-solving in a pragmatic, organised, and efficient manner, with the capability to document and convey technical information to colleagues (Essential)
12. Proven track record of personal development within IT Service, along with a commitment to ongoing growth (Essential)

This is a full-time, indefinite post with some flexibility to work some of your time remotely, but it is primarily a campus based role.

If interested, apply now and submit your CV alongside a coversheet (Coversheet optional, up to a maximum of two A4 pages).

The University strives to be diverse and inclusive, a place where we can all be ourselves. We offer family friendly, flexible working arrangements, with forums and inclusive facilities to support our staff.

We promote equality of opportunity and diversity within the workplace and welcome applications from all sections of the community.