IT Support Bar Lead

At Keywords, we are using our passion for games, technology and media to create a global services platform for video games and beyond. Our aim is to become the “go to” provider of technical services. We enable leading content creators and publishers to leverage our expertise and capacity across the lifecycle of interactive content. In so doing we empower our clients to remain lean and agile, and to focus on creating the most engaging experiences.

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Support Bar Lead to oversee employee support across our studios, globally. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of IT support and service desk operations for our local office and ensuring our team is providing an efficient and effective service to our internal users. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Support Bar Lead with excellent communication and leadership skills, who is looking to make an impact within a fast-paced and dynamic environment. This role reports to the Head of Local Support and will involve working closely with colleagues in other offices to deliver a seamless service to our users.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the local IT support function, ensuring reliable, timely, and high-quality support for all employees within the studio environment.
• Work closely with global IT teams and departments to align local support processes with company-wide standards and best practices.
• Coordinate and deliver onboarding for new employees, ensuring their equipment, accounts, and systems are set up correctly and on time.
• Provide technical support for meeting room setups, including AV systems, conferencing tools, and hybrid work collaboration technologies.
• Troubleshoot and resolve hardware and software issues, escalating complex or systemic problems to global support or infrastructure teams as appropriate.
• Manage and maintain the local Asset Management and Stock Management Systems, ensuring accurate tracking and efficient equipment lifecycle management.
• Create, update, and maintain clear documentation for local systems, support procedures, and user guides, in coordination with global standards.
• Own and monitor local support channels (e.g., ticketing system, email, in-person, chat), ensuring timely and professional resolution of requests.
• Collaborate with global teams to escalate and resolve high-impact or cross-regional issues, ensuring alignment with broader IT strategy and infrastructure.
• Use support data and trends to identify and implement proactive improvements to local IT processes and user experience.
• Foster a positive, collaborative team culture, leading by example with a proactive, solution-oriented mindset.
• Take ownership of local IT projects and initiatives, as well as ad hoc tasks assigned by regional or global leadership.

Essential:

• Proven leadership experience in IT Systems - in a supervisory or lead capacity.
• Strong technical background in Microsoft Desktop and Server products, with a hands-on approach when needed.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking and ability to align technology solutions with business objectives.
• Exceptional communication skills, able to clearly convey complex information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Skilled in team leadership and mentoring, with a track record of developing high-performing support teams.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to guide others through structured problem-solving processes.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritise and delegate effectively, managing multiple projects and competing demands.
• High level of integrity; capable of handling sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Collaborative and approachable, fostering a positive and solution-focused team culture.

Desirable:

• Technical knowledge of the Microsoft Stack, Windows Server, Windows Networking, Active Directory.
• Understanding of Firewalls and Gateways (Palo Alto preferred).
• Understanding of VPN tunnelling, IPSEC (site-to-site, point-to-site).
• Experience in the video games industry.
• Project management experience or certification (e.g., PRINCE2, Agile) would be an advantage.
• Experience with support of Engineering software (VisualStudio etc) and Art software (Autodesk, Adobe products and similar).
• Full UK Driving License.

Role Information:

• Location: Europe, United Kingdom, Liverpool
• Employment Type: Full Time, Permanent
• Working Pattern: In-Office
• Group Income Protection
• Group Life Assurance
• Private Medical Insurance
• Bonus
• 25 days Holiday (plus 8 bank holidays)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Enhanced Employer Pension Contributions
• Cyclescheme
• Tech Scheme