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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead global IT Service Desks, manage budgets, and enhance service delivery.
- Company: Join a dynamic team in Manchester, driving IT excellence across multiple sites.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working with occasional office visits and competitive daily rates.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of IT service management, shaping employee experiences globally.
- Qualifications: ITIL certification, ServiceNow expertise, and strong stakeholder management skills required.
- Other info: Contract role from May 2025 to December 2025, ideal for experienced IT professionals.
The predicted salary is between 54000 - 84000 £ per year.
Location: Manchester (occasional office visits)
Contract: 1 May 2025 – 31 December 2025
Setup: Contract Daily Rate (inside ir35)
Role Overview
We are seeking a seasoned Global IT Service Desk Lead to oversee multi-site IT Service Desks across six locations in a multi-vendor landscape. You’ll harness ITIL best practices to drive ITSM processes, leverage the ServiceNow platform for seamless service request management and integrations, and forge strong stakeholder and vendor relationships to underpin a world-class employee experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Service Management & Strategy: Lead the end-to-end Service Desk strategy, aligning roadmaps to business and IT priorities; embed ITIL-based workflows and SLA/OLA frameworks.
- ITSM & Tools: Utilise ServiceNow Products (including incident, problem and change modules) to automate ticketing, reporting and service improvement plans; bonus points for deep ServiceNow skillset.
- Performance & Reporting: Define and manage KPIs (CSAT, SLA adherence, volume metrics); analyse trends to drive continuous improvement and root-cause analysis.
- Budget & Cost Management: Own the Global IT Service Desk budget; track spend vs. forecast; negotiate contracts to maximise value and efficiency.
- Stakeholder & Vendor Management: Build and maintain relationships with regional IT Directors, Business Technology Groups and external suppliers; coordinate support, escalations and continuity planning.
- Collaboration: Partner with Incident Management and Command Centre teams to ensure rapid resolution; support problem management in implementing remedial actions.
Must-Have Skills
- Budget and cost management
- ITIL v3/v4 certification
- ITSM service request management
- Hands-on experience with ServiceNow Products
- Stakeholder management across senior levels
- Vendor selection, negotiation and performance oversight
Global IT Service Desk Lead employer: Airswift
Contact Detail:
Airswift Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Global IT Service Desk Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with ITIL best practices and ensure you can discuss how you've applied them in previous roles. This will show us that you understand the framework and can lead the Service Desk strategy effectively.
✨Tip Number 2
Highlight your experience with ServiceNow, especially if you have hands-on skills with its incident, problem, and change modules. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've used these tools to improve service management.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your approach to stakeholder and vendor management. Think of instances where you've successfully built relationships or negotiated contracts, as this is crucial for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your analytical skills by being ready to talk about how you've defined and managed KPIs in the past. Discuss any trends you've identified and how you've driven continuous improvement based on data analysis.
We think you need these skills to ace Global IT Service Desk Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in IT service management, particularly with ServiceNow and ITIL practices. Use specific examples that demonstrate your leadership in managing multi-site service desks.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for IT service management and detail how your skills align with the key responsibilities outlined in the job description. Mention your experience with budget management and stakeholder relationships.
Highlight Relevant Certifications: Clearly list your ITIL v3/v4 certification and any other relevant qualifications. This will help you stand out as a candidate who meets the essential requirements for the role.
Showcase Your Achievements: Use quantifiable metrics to showcase your achievements in previous roles, such as improvements in CSAT scores or SLA adherence. This will provide concrete evidence of your ability to drive performance and continuous improvement.
How to prepare for a job interview at Airswift
✨Showcase Your ITIL Knowledge
Make sure to highlight your understanding of ITIL best practices during the interview. Be prepared to discuss how you've implemented ITIL workflows in previous roles and how they contributed to service improvement.
✨Demonstrate ServiceNow Expertise
Since the role requires hands-on experience with ServiceNow, come ready to share specific examples of how you've used its modules for incident, problem, and change management. Discuss any automation or reporting improvements you've achieved using the platform.
✨Prepare for Budget Discussions
As budget management is a key responsibility, be ready to talk about your experience in tracking spend versus forecast. Bring examples of how you've negotiated contracts to maximise value and efficiency in past roles.
✨Emphasise Stakeholder Relationships
Building strong relationships with stakeholders is crucial for this position. Prepare to discuss how you've successfully managed relationships with senior-level stakeholders and external vendors, including any challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
