At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to ensure smooth IT support for colleagues at Help for Heroes.
- Company: Join Help for Heroes, a charity dedicated to supporting the Armed Forces community.
- Benefits: Enjoy 29 days annual leave, health benefits, and a generous pension scheme.
- Other info: Remote work with occasional travel; be part of a collaborative and impactful team.
- Why this job: Make a real difference while developing your leadership skills in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in IT service desk and strong people leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 € per year.
Location: Remote with regular travel to Head Office in Downton, Wiltshire (typically 1 day a week) and occasional travel to other UK locations.
Hours: Full time, 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
We have an exciting opportunity for a Service Desk Manager to join our IT team at Help for Heroes and play a vital role in making sure colleagues have the technology and support they need to deliver life-changing work for the Armed Forces community.
About the Role
As our Service Desk Manager, you’ll lead a small, expert team that keeps Help for Heroes running smoothly every day, making sure colleagues can access the tools, systems and support they need to deliver life-changing support for the Armed Forces community.
You will:
- Lead day‑to‑day service desk operations, ensuring tickets are prioritised well, progressed promptly and communicated clearly through to resolution.
- Act as the escalation point for high‑impact incidents, coordinating response and ensuring clear updates for colleagues.
- Use service performance reporting to spot trends and drive continuous improvement.
- Own and embed strong IT service management practices across incident, problem and change, including chairing the Change Advisory Board.
- Line manage and develop the service desk team, creating a positive, resilient culture with clear expectations, coaching and support.
- Lead service improvements and small operational projects, supporting procurement and the smooth onboarding of new services into business as usual.
About You
Are you someone who enjoys turning complex support challenges into calm, consistent service for others? Do you bring a customer‑first mindset and the confidence to lead and coach a small team, while also rolling up your sleeves when needed? If you’re motivated by improving how things work, using data to spot patterns, and strengthening IT service management practices, you could be a great fit.
To be considered, you’ll need experience in an IT service desk or support environment and demonstrable people leadership. You’ll also need to be able to travel to our Head Office in Downton around once a week, with occasional travel to other UK locations (including London) where required.
You’ll thrive in this role if you:
- Bring a customer‑first mindset and communicate clearly, building trust and managing expectations with empathy.
- Stay calm under pressure, taking ownership of escalations and coordinating effective incident response.
- Enjoy coaching and developing others, creating a positive, resilient team culture.
- Use insight and service performance data to spot trends, prioritise improvements and strengthen ways of working.
- Have a solid understanding of IT service management and a practical approach to continuous improvement.
Please note: You’ll need to be willing and able to travel as required for meetings and service activity, including to Downton (SP5 3RB) and occasionally London or other UK locations. You may also be asked to stay away from home overnight on occasion, where required for the performance of duties.
About the Team
You’ll be part of our IT team, supporting colleagues across the charity with the systems, devices and services they rely on every day. We’re a collaborative, pragmatic group that brings together frontline support and specialist expertise across the full technology function. We work closely together to keep services reliable, secure and continuously improving so the wider charity can focus on delivering support to the Armed Forces community.
In return we can offer you:
- Belonging to a team who make a difference to our community and value equality, diversity and inclusion.
- 29 days’ annual leave plus 8 bank holidays, regardless of service – plus your birthday off to celebrate!
- Opportunity to buy and sell up to 5 days annual leave per year.
- Added to our free health scheme from day one, including discount on dental, opticians, massages, and more – with the option to upgrade.
- 3 volunteer days per year to support the Help for Heroes community.
- A generous salary sacrifice pension scheme with an 8% employer contribution and a minimum 3% employee contribution, plus life insurance up to 4× salary as an active member.
Interview Process:
A competency‑based interview via Microsoft Teams. Interviews are expected week commencing 8 June 2026. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high number of strong applications. We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all backgrounds.
Service Desk Manager in Downton employer: Help for Heroes
Help for Heroes is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and inclusive work culture that prioritises the well-being of its employees while making a meaningful impact on the Armed Forces community. With generous benefits such as 29 days of annual leave, a health scheme from day one, and opportunities for professional growth, you will thrive in a collaborative environment that values your contributions and encourages continuous improvement. The role of Service Desk Manager not only allows you to lead a dedicated team but also provides the chance to make a real difference in the lives of those who serve our country.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Service Desk Manager in Downton
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections on LinkedIn or other platforms. Let them know you're on the hunt for a Service Desk Manager role and ask if they can refer you or share any leads.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research common questions for Service Desk Manager roles and practice your responses. We recommend using the STAR method to structure your answers – it’ll help you showcase your experience effectively.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your skills in real-time! If you get the chance, demonstrate your problem-solving abilities during interviews. Use examples from your past experiences to illustrate how you’ve handled high-impact incidents or led service improvements.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Help for Heroes.
We think you need these skills to ace Service Desk Manager in Downton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Service Desk Manager role. Highlight your experience in IT service management and people leadership, as these are key aspects of the job. We want to see how your skills align with our mission at Help for Heroes!
Showcase Your Customer-First Mindset:In your application, emphasise your customer-first approach. Share examples of how you've built trust and managed expectations in previous roles. This will help us see how you can contribute to our team's goal of delivering life-changing support.
Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Skills:We love candidates who can turn complex challenges into smooth solutions. Use your application to showcase specific instances where you've successfully resolved high-impact incidents or improved service delivery. This will show us you're the right fit for leading our service desk operations.
Apply Through Our Website:Don't forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it makes the whole process smoother for everyone involved.
How to prepare for a job interview at Help for Heroes
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on IT service management principles and practices. Familiarise yourself with common service desk operations, incident response strategies, and how to use performance data to drive improvements. This will show that you're not just a leader but also someone who understands the technical side of things.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led a team in the past. Think about times when you’ve coached others, managed escalations, or created a positive team culture. Be ready to discuss your approach to developing team members and how you handle challenges under pressure.
✨Emphasise Customer Focus
Since this role is all about supporting colleagues, be prepared to talk about your customer-first mindset. Share specific instances where you’ve built trust and managed expectations effectively. Highlight how you ensure clear communication during high-impact incidents.
✨Be Ready for Competency Questions
As the interview will be competency-based, think about the key competencies required for the role. Prepare answers that demonstrate your ability to prioritise tasks, manage incidents, and lead service improvements. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses clearly.
