IT Service Desk Manager

Murphy is recruiting for an IT Service Desk Manager to work within the ever-growing IT team at Golborne - WA3 3JD. Operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and the USA, Murphy provides better engineered solutions to infrastructure sectors including transportation, water, power and natural resources. So that our teams out on projects can run smoothly, it is vital that we have robust support functions in place. We are committed to fostering an engaging and collaborative work environment in which each person’s career is nurtured and developed. We focus on employee development, providing a culture of innovation and positive work-life balance.

The IT Service Desk Manager is responsible for ensuring the IT Service Desk fulfils its role as the primary point of contact between IT and end users, leading the delivery of a high-quality, customer-focused support service. They oversee the effective triage, prioritisation and information capture for all incoming incidents and requests, while driving the ongoing improvement of the Service Desk to meet evolving business and digital demands through the adoption of ITIL best practice, automation, self-service and continual service improvement.

A day in the life of a Murphy IT Service Desk Manager:

• Lead and manage the 1st Line Service Desk team, providing coaching, mentoring, performance management, and progression planning.
• Ensure the Service Desk operates as the primary point of contact for all IT incidents, service requests, and enquiries, consistently delivering excellent customer service.
• Oversee the triage, prioritisation, and escalation of incidents in alignment with ITIL incident management processes and SLA requirements.
• Monitor team workloads, ensuring tickets are accurately logged in our ITSM tool, updated, escalated, and resolved within agreed service levels.
• Act as an escalation point for complex or high-priority incidents within the IT Service & Operations function.
• Manage the day-to-day workload of the IT Service Desk team, providing guidance, motivation, and support to achieve high-quality service delivery.
• The role acts as the Major Incident Management lead for critical incidents, responsible for initiating and managing bridge calls, coordinating internal and external resolver teams, ensuring timely communication, and driving incidents through to resolution with minimal service disruption.
• Ensure operational activities, including SOC alert handling, end-user support, site mobilisations, and asset management, are completed efficiently and accurately.
• Oversee asset tracking, CMDB updates, and IT equipment provisioning to ensure compliance with company and IT operational standards.
• Support the rollout, configuration, and ongoing support of core IT systems, Teams Rooms VC suites, and mobile devices across the business.
• Maintain service governance across IT services, ensuring compliance with internal policies, ITIL practices, and regulatory requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives by reviewing Service Desk processes, analysing incident trends, and implementing solutions in collaboration with 2nd/3rd line support and other IT teams.
• Ensure operational procedures, IT policies, and ITIL-aligned processes are consistently applied across the team.
• Respond promptly to SOC alerts, performing investigations, remediations, and escalations as required.
• Ensure end-user devices are deployed and maintained according to organisational security standards, applying technical controls and collaborating with Information Security to manage risks.
• Assist with the implementation of new security measures, technical controls, and operational safeguards.
• As required, provide operational support for IT projects, including new service go-lives, site mobilisations, and technical deployments.
• Collaborate with Desktop, Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Application Support, and Programme teams to ensure seamless delivery of IT services.
• Maintain Service Desk performance metrics, including SLA adherence, KPIs, ticket volumes, and backlog management.
• Implement, review, and maintain the Service Desk SIP (Service Improvement Plan) to drive ongoing service excellence.
• If required, act as deputy for the Head of IT Service & Operations, making operational decisions and leading initiatives when required.
• Support IT Operations outside core hours when necessary to meet business and operational needs.
• Encourage knowledge sharing, mentoring, and skill development across the IT Operations team. Promote a culture of collaboration, continuous learning, and high performance aligned with ITIL best practices.

Still interested? Does this sound like you?

• Previous experience in an IT Service Desk operational role and transformation experience of developing a service desk, or equivalent.
• Team leadership experience in an IT operations environment.
• Practical experience of managing office changes and Site IT delivery and support.
• Previous experience of integrating ITIL processes.
• Excellent customer engagement, the ability to communicate effectively at all levels and strong organisational skills.
• Good understanding of IT security standards and their practical application to IT Operations.
• Previous experience investigating incidents and report writing.
• Full driving license is required as travel to other sites will sometimes be required.