IT Service Desk Manager - Lead 1st/2nd Line Support

The IT Business Support (BSG) team are responsible for providing 1st & 2nd Line technical support services and guidance to the business users of the IT systems and applications.

The IT Business Support Manager is responsible for overseeing day‑to‑day operations, implementing support processes, and maintaining high levels of user satisfaction. The IT Business Support Manager ensures that the IT Business Support team delivers high-quality, timely, and customer-focused support services, in accordance with the ITIL framework, the IT SLAs and the IT policies and procedures.

The ideal candidate will have a strong work ethic, world class customer service skills, a keen eye for detail and the ability to positively drive themselves and the team forward. This individual will act as a role model to the IT BSG Team, always acting in a courteous and professional manner, adhering to our core values.

• Lead, monitor & motivate the IT BSG team to achieve the team and individual objectives and KPI’s.
• Plan, assign and monitor the workload, tasks and performance of the IT BSG team.
• Provide feedback and recognition to the team through regular 121’s and appraisals.
• Ensure staffing levels are maintained through the regular shift rota and on-call rota.
• Enhance team skills by delivering continuous training and development.
• To effectively prioritise work in line with internal Service Level Agreements, internal Key Performance Indicators, Objectives and adhoc management requests.
• To take ownership of and to make sure all high priority Incidents / Requests are escalated to the senior management team as soon as they are identified.
• Be an escalation point for staff escalations and complaints & managing them through to remediation keeping the user informed of updates.
• To identify & raise Problems and communicate / escalate these via the appropriate channels.
• Assist team in resolving 1st / 2nd Line Technical issues; providing guidance & signposting for resolution.
• To formulate and / or re-engineer IT BSG processes, knowledgebase articles, how-to-guides & procedures to maximise operational efficiency using the ITIL framework.
• Prepare and present reports & statistics on IT BSG team activities and performance and provide input and feedback to senior management.
• Identify and implement opportunities for cost reduction and service improvement. This includes inventory, vendor management and procurement activities for desktop hardware and software.
• To suggest service & tool improvements to the Senior Management Team for the benefit of all staff.
• Provide timely evidence for all Audit related information requests.

Please note that this role operates a working pattern of Monday to Friday flexible from 8am until 6pm (excluding Bank Holidays) + On call requirements, rota’ed evenings & weekends when necessary.

Essential:

• ITIL Foundation or experience of working in an ITIL environment.
• Experience utilising processes for Incident Management, Request Fulfilment & Problem Management.
• Technical skills and experience in supporting various IT systems and applications, such as Windows OS, Active Directory, Intune, JAMF, Telephony and our current ITSM Tool, ServiceNow.
• Has a deep commitment to and passion for Continual Service Improvement.
• Ability to communicate at all levels; strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Able to produce clear and concise how-to guides, instructions and procedure documents.
• Ability to communicate clearly over the phone or face-to-face and maintain IT’s commitment to excellent customer service.
• Ability to build & maintain a strong rapport with both business users and internal team members.
• Ability to understand & articulate solutions; be able to propose solutions to business problems.
• Uses own initiative to take responsibility of workload; can pro-actively complete allocated tasks.
• Has a well-organised approach to work planning, time allocation to tasks and a flexible approach to daily routines to deliver the desired results.
• Has a positive ‘can-do’ attitude; is a team player, is helpful, friendly, collaborative & approachable.
• Is a fast and efficient learner; wants to learn more and self-develop.
• Can adapt quickly in a fast-paced ever-changing environment.
• Ability to stay calm under pressure.
• Maintains a confident & professional presence, has a strong work ethic and produces high‑quality work.
• Self-motivated to advance own knowledge & gain formal qualifications.

Desirable:

• Experience of working in an internally & externally audited and compliant environment.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Information Security, Computer Science, IT or similar.
• Management & Leadership Training or Certifications.
• ITIL Foundation, Specialist, Strategist or Leader Certifications.
• Service Desk Institute Training or Certifications.
• Technical qualifications such as Microsoft or CompTIA etc.

The Lancashire Way
At Lancashire, we believe our culture sets us apart. The way we behave and approach our work day-to-day is what makes us unique and creates a positive experience for our people, business partners and other stakeholders. Honesty and integrity in all we do is a given and The Lancashire Way reflects our true character and spirit.

• Straight-talking: We feel empowered to share thoughts and ideas, because everyone’s voice matters.
• Collaborative: We work together towards common goals, share knowledge and support each other.
• Hard-working: We all have a stake in the company’s success and are proactive in contributing to our goals and vision.
• Responsible: We focus on achieving tangible results with consistent standards across the Group.
• Positive: We engage with brokers, clients, communities, stakeholders and colleagues professionally and passionately as proud ambassadors of Lancashire.