At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic Tier 1 IT service desk, coaching engineers and managing ticket quality.
- Company: Specialist managed IT services provider focused on Microsoft 365 and cybersecurity.
- Benefits: Leadership opportunity, training support, and influence over team processes.
- Other info: Exciting career growth potential in a supportive environment.
- Why this job: Shape a growing team and make a real impact in the care sector.
- Qualifications: Solid 1st line experience and strong Microsoft 365 knowledge required.
The predicted salary is between 29700 - 36300 £ per year.
We are looking for a 1st Line Team Lead to run the Tier 1 function of our service desk, supporting a major care sector group with a large multi-site estate across England and Scotland alongside our wider client base. This is a working lead role: you will spend part of your time on the tools alongside the team and part running the desk - managing the queue, coaching the engineers, owning ticket quality and making sure nothing slips. The service desk sits at the heart of a newly signed managed service contract that is growing quickly, with a substantial site onboarding programme underway, and the Tier 1 team will grow with it. You will shape how that team works. You will report to the Service Delivery function and work closely with 2nd/3rd line and the dedicated account engineers.
What you will be doing:
- Leading the day-to-day running of the Tier 1 desk: queue management, workload allocation, prioritisation and cover planning.
- Working tickets alongside the team, leading from the front on quality and pace.
- Coaching and developing 1st line engineers: regular 1:1s, ticket quality reviews, training plans and onboarding of new starters.
- Owning ticket quality standards: notes, categorisation, time recording and adherence to the QA framework, including additional review of elevated-risk tickets.
- Monitoring queue health and first-time resolution rates, and acting on the trends.
- Acting as the first escalation point for difficult tickets and unhappy users before issues reach management.
- Maintaining and improving runbooks and knowledge base articles so the team can self-serve.
- Feeding recurring issues and improvement ideas into the wider service improvement process.
What we are looking for:
- Solid 1st line experience with at least some time spent as a senior, mentor or lead - you know what a well-run queue looks like because you have run one.
- Strong Microsoft 365 administration knowledge and good Windows troubleshooting depth.
- Experience with PSA/ticketing systems and RMM tooling, and opinions on how they should be used properly.
- A coaching instinct: you get satisfaction from making other engineers better, not just from closing tickets yourself.
- Calm under pressure, organised, and comfortable holding a standard even when the queue is deep.
- Clear communication with technical and non-technical audiences alike.
Advantageous:
- MSP or multi-client environment experience.
- Experience supporting the care or health sector.
- Exposure to Intune, Entra ID or basic networking.
- Willingness to obtain DBS clearance (required for this client).
What is in it for you:
- A genuine leadership opportunity in a growing business: this team will expand and you will build it.
- Influence over how the desk runs rather than inheriting someone else's process.
- Training and certification support, and a clear route into service management.
We are a specialist managed IT services provider focused on Microsoft 365, Azure, endpoint management and cybersecurity, working with clients in the care, healthcare and professional services sectors. Our approach is direct, technically rigorous and built around long-term client relationships rather than volume.
1st Line Team Lead - IT Service Desk (Care Sector MSP) in Surrey employer: Bleckfield Ltd
As an Infrastructure and Security Lead at our company, you will be part of a dynamic team dedicated to enhancing the security and infrastructure of a major care sector group. Our office in Leatherhead/Woking offers a supportive work culture that values employee growth and development, with opportunities for hybrid working in the future. We pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative environment where your contributions are recognised and rewarded, making it an excellent place for meaningful and impactful employment.
