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- Tasks: Lead and evolve our Service Desk into a high-performing, customer-centric engine.
- Company: Join Aro, a leading independent IT and communication expert with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, private medical insurance, and 25 days holiday plus your birthday off!
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment while driving service innovation.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in managing IT Service Desk functions and strong leadership skills.
- Other info: Hybrid role with opportunities for career advancement and a focus on employee wellbeing.
The predicted salary is between 56000 - 84000 ÂŁ per year.
Location: Cardiff, (Hybrid) with UK travel
Salary: up to ÂŁ70,000 + Car allowance
Contract type: Permanent
About the role
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Head of Service Desk to join our team here in Cardiff. This position sits on the ARO Services first line of the Cloud, Cyber, and IT (CCIT) Business Unit, reporting to the Director of Services. The ARO Services function oversees both Professional and Managed Services across all technical domains. We are looking for an experienced Manager of Managers to lead and evolve our Service Desk function into a high-performing, customer-centric engine. You’ll be responsible for driving operational excellence, fostering team talent, enhancing the customer journey, and championing service innovation. This is a leadership role that blends service delivery oversight, people development, and process optimisation—all aligned to ARO growth ambitions.
The Scope of this role includes ARO Service Desk provision for first and second line along with Field Services, Network Operations Centre and defined remote sites and any other teams as agreed from time to time with the Director of Services. Please note that this is a Hybrid role with onsite requirement 3 days a week. You must be able to commute to the office and have your own transport.
What you’ll do
- Strategic & Operational Leadership: Own the entire Incident and Major Incident Management lifecycle, including governance, response, resolution, and improvement initiatives. Lead and deliver continual service improvement (CSI) programmes, including automation, shift‑left strategies, and customer self‑service enhancements. Develop and manage department budget, resource planning, and tooling strategies, including ITSM platforms and performance dashboards. Maintain accurate capacity planning and forecast models to ensure appropriate headcount and cost management. Collaborate with Sales and Account Management to ensure operational readiness aligns with commercial objectives.
- Team Growth & Culture: Build and nurture a skilled, high-performing Managed Services team through clear progression plans and mentorship, enabling career advancement. Conduct regular performance reviews, coaching sessions, and return‑to‑work interviews to support staff wellbeing and accountability. Embed a culture of learning, inclusion, knowledge‑sharing, and innovation. Champion employee engagement and track sentiment via structured surveys and feedback loops.
- Customer Excellence: Act as a senior customer advocate and escalation point, proactively addressing incidents, complaints, and feedback. Own customer satisfaction metrics such as CSAT and NPS, using insights to drive enhancements. Participate in client‑facing activities like Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), service reviews, and solution road mapping. Lead customer journey mapping initiatives and implement feedback loops to strengthen trust and satisfaction. Assure Service Transition is a seamless process for each client allowing Service Take‑on, Early Life Support and subsequent BAU. Grow a culture that celebrates success based on customer insight and performance.
- Governance, Risk & Compliance: Ensure operational policies and procedures align with ITIL, ISO, GDPR, and other relevant frameworks. Maintain clear audit trails, SLA adherence, and service reporting.
What we are looking for?
Essential:
- Proven experience leading a Managed Services or IT Service Desk function within an MSP.
- Experience of managing Managers within the function.
- Strong operational knowledge of ITIL frameworks, particularly Incident, Problem, Change, and Major Incident Management.
- Demonstrable success in driving team performance through KPIs, coaching, and career development initiatives.
- Excellent customer‑facing communication skills across written, verbal, and presentation formats, including high‑stakes incident or escalation scenarios.
- Proficiency in ITSM and PSA tools (e.g. Autotask, ServiceNow) and interpreting data from ticketing/reporting platforms.
- Budget management and resource planning experience, including rota development and capacity forecasting.
- Strong technical literacy across common service desk technologies (Microsoft 365, remote desktop tools, networking basics, endpoint support).
- Ability to lead process improvement and continuous service optimisation initiatives.
- Experience working under compliance standards (e.g. ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials+, GDPR).
Desirable:
- ITIL v4 certification at Managing Professional or Strategic Leader level.
- Experience introducing or managing automation, AI‑enhanced triage, or self‑service platforms in a service desk setting.
- Familiarity with RMM platforms and integrations into PSA/ITSM tools.
Who are we?
Aro has 25 years’ experience in Collaboration, Connectivity, Cloud and Infrastructure and Cyber Security services both in the UK and Internationally and has a nationwide presence with offices across the UK. As one of the UK’s leading independent IT and communication experts our mission is to deliver a seamless technology experience to all end users. To make that vision a reality, we need bright, tenacious and inspiring talent to help drive our performance, growth and achieve this mission. To make us successful we focus on strong communication, a culture based on fun, trust and collaboration. We have created a modern workplace environment, which is full of engaged, energetic, positive and curious people whose productivity, resilience and wellbeing allow them to thrive. In 2021 we were awarded the People Insight’s Outstanding Workplace Award, which celebrates organisations building positive workplace cultures and acting on employee feedback to spark positive change.
Why Work for Aro?
At Aro we are committed to creating an excellent employee experience. Our employees, culture and additional benefits all make Aro a great place to work. Come join us! We offer a wide range of benefits and incentives to our employees including:
- Company Pension Scheme and matching contributions
- Company Perks portal
- Private Medical insurance
- Life assurance
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays plus holiday trading
- Your Birthday off, on us!
- Health Club and Wellbeing Scheme
- Aro Shares after 12 months employment
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Technical Training Academy and E‑learning
- Hybrid working
If even 80% of this matches your experience and attributes, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Head of Service Desk (IT MSP) in Cardiff employer: ARO
Contact Detail:
ARO Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Service Desk (IT MSP) in Cardiff
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, or even hit up LinkedIn. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Head of Service Desk role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company, understand their values, and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs. Practice common interview questions and think about how you can showcase your leadership skills.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your achievements! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, highlight your successes in managing teams and improving service delivery. Use specific examples to demonstrate how you've driven performance and customer satisfaction.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team at Aro.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Service Desk (IT MSP) in Cardiff
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Head of Service Desk role. Highlight your leadership experience, especially in Managed Services, and any relevant ITIL knowledge. We want to see how you can drive operational excellence!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about this role and how your background aligns with our mission at Aro. Don’t forget to mention your customer-centric approach and any innovative ideas you have for enhancing service delivery.
Showcase Your Achievements: When detailing your past roles, focus on specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to lead teams and improve service desk functions. Use metrics where possible to show how you've driven performance and customer satisfaction—numbers speak volumes!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at Aro!
How to prepare for a job interview at ARO
✨Know Your ITIL Inside Out
Since this role heavily relies on ITIL frameworks, make sure you brush up on your knowledge of Incident, Problem, Change, and Major Incident Management. Be ready to discuss how you've applied these principles in your previous roles and how they can drive operational excellence.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Head of Service Desk, you'll be managing managers. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams, developed talent, and fostered a high-performing culture. Highlight specific instances where your leadership made a tangible impact on team performance or customer satisfaction.
✨Demonstrate Customer-Centric Thinking
This role is all about enhancing the customer journey. Be prepared to share your strategies for improving customer satisfaction metrics like CSAT and NPS. Discuss any initiatives you've led that focused on customer feedback and how you used those insights to drive service improvements.
✨Get Familiar with the Tools
Proficiency in ITSM and PSA tools is essential. If you're familiar with platforms like Autotask or ServiceNow, be ready to discuss your experience with them. If not, take some time to learn about their functionalities and how they can optimise service desk operations.
