IT Service Desk Manager, Corporate IT (Philippines Remote)

The IT Service Desk Manager leads the IT Service Desk, ensuring effective Level 1 support across the organization. The role is responsible for service performance, operational governance, team leadership, employee experience, continual service improvement, and the ongoing development of support capabilities to meet business needs.

Key Responsibilities and Outputs

• Provide overall leadership and management of the IT Service Desk team, ensuring a high-quality, employee-focused support service.
• Own the operational performance of the IT Service Desk, including service levels, customer satisfaction, ticket resolution metrics, and workforce management.
• Define, track, and report on Service Desk KPIs and SLAs, providing clear direction and accountability for performance targets.
• Drive continual service improvement initiatives, including the identification, documentation, standardization, and automation of repetitive incidents and service requests.
• Collaborate closely with the Corporate IT Engineering and IT Service Management teams, as well as other technical teams, to improve escalation processes, knowledge transfer, and overall service quality.
• Ensure effective incident, request, and escalation management processes are in place and consistently followed.
• Manage Service Desk staffing, scheduling, and resource allocation to provide global support coverage based on business demand and operational trends.
• Oversee ticket queues and employee support channels to ensure timely responses, effective resolution, and a positive employee experience.
• Lead major escalations and coordinate support activities during high-priority incidents.
• Develop and maintain Service Desk policies, procedures, and operational standards aligned with ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) and organizational best practices.
• Manage team performance through objective setting, regular reviews, coaching, feedback, and recognition.
• Support the professional development of team members, identifying training needs and enabling career growth opportunities.
• Lead the IT Service Desk Center of Excellence, driving improvements in quality, knowledge management, documentation standards, and training materials.
• Analyze incident and request trends to identify root causes, recommend improvements, and reduce recurring support issues.
• Produce regular operational and management reports highlighting service performance, risks, trends, and improvement opportunities.
• Partner with internal stakeholders (e.g. IT Engineering, IT Business Partnering, The People Team, Security) to improve the employee support experience.
• Lead recruitment and onboarding activities for the Service Desk team as required.
• Promote a culture of accountability, customer service excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the development of the broader Corporate IT support strategy.
• Maintain awareness of business priorities and ensure the IT Service Desk operations align with organizational objectives.
• Take ownership of personal development and remain current with relevant technologies, service management practices, and industry trends.

Essential:

• Demonstrated experience managing an IT Service Desk or Technical Support function in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in IT support, service delivery, and operational management, acquired through substantial practical experience.
• Strong understanding of IT Service Management (ITSM) principles and service delivery best practices.
• Strong working knowledge of macOS and Windows endpoint management, including Jamf and Microsoft Intune.
• Experience managing service performance through KPIs, SLAs, and operational reporting.
• Broad understanding of web technologies and Software as a Service (SaaS) environments.
• Experience collaborating with engineering and infrastructure teams on escalations and service improvements.
• Proven track record of identifying support trends and driving corrective actions and process improvements.
• Experience with ITSM and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms, preferably Jira Service Management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience managing customer escalations and major support incidents.
• Ability to build strong relationships with business stakeholders and technical teams.

Desirable:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related discipline is preferred but not required.
• Experience coaching, mentoring, and developing team members.
• Experience producing executive-level reporting.
• Experience working in an omnichannel contact center environment supporting AI-enabled tools, online chat, ticketing systems, and email channels.

Personal attributes:

• An inspiring and collaborative leader with the ability to engage, motivate, and guide teams through change and improvement initiatives.
• Strong attention to detail and a disciplined approach to maintaining high standards of service delivery.
• A passion for delivering an exceptional customer experience and building a customer-focused culture.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple priorities and competing demands.
• Collaborative, with the ability to make sound decisions and perform effectively under pressure.
• Broad understanding of online software platforms, SaaS environments, and relevant IT support technologies.
• Strong commercial awareness and an understanding of the education technology sector, its customers, and their needs.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across technical teams, business functions, and external partners.
• Analytical and improvement-focused, with the ability to identify trends, solve problems, and drive operational efficiencies.