At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and mentor Service Desk Engineers while ensuring high-quality IT service delivery.
- Company: Millgate is focused on delivering exceptional managed IT services and client experiences.
- Benefits: Enjoy a collaborative culture with opportunities for team growth and development planning.
- Other info: Experience with Microsoft 365/Azure and service desk tooling is required.
- Why this job: This role is critical for maintaining strong client relationships and driving operational excellence.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in a Service Desk Manager role within an MSP environment is essential.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
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Role Purpose
The Service Desk Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and continuous improvement of Millgate's Service Desk function. The role ensures high-quality, consistent delivery of managed IT services, adherence to SLAs, and exceptional client experience. You will lead the Service Desk team, manage escalations, drive operational excellence, and collaborate across departments to ensure that services are efficient, scalable, and aligned with Millgate's strategy. This position is critical in maintaining strong client relationships while ensuring internal accountability, process discipline, and technical excellence.
Key Responsibilities
- Leadership & Team Management
- Lead, develop, and mentor Service Desk Engineers across all levels.
- Conduct regular one-to-ones, performance reviews, and development planning.
- Set and enforce expectations for ticket quality, communication standards, professional conduct, and documentation discipline.
- Foster a high-performance, accountable, and collaborative culture.
- Support succession planning and team growth in line with business demand.
- Service Delivery & Operational Management
- Own the end-to-end delivery of Service Desk operations.
- Ensure tickets are prioritised, assigned, and managed effectively in line with SLAs.
- Maintain strict adherence to ticket management standards, escalation procedures, and communication expectations.
- Act as the senior escalation point for high-priority incidents and client issues.
- Ensure proactive communication and clear expectations are set with clients throughout ticket lifecycles.
- Provide advice and technical expertise in the sale of new products and services to our clients.
- Promote current and future proof security and backup practices.
- Drive consistency across all Service Desk processes and workflows.
- SLA, KPI & Performance Management
- Monitor KPIs and SLAs across the Service Desk.
- Track and report on response and resolution times, ticket volumes and backlog, SLA performance and breaches.
- Identify trends, risks, and areas for optimisation.
- Drive corrective actions to improve service performance and efficiency.
- Incident, Problem & Escalation Management
- Take ownership of major incidents and ensure timely resolution.
- Lead post-incident reviews and root cause analysis activities.
- Ensure preventative measures are implemented to reduce recurrence.
- Oversee and refine escalation paths across service tiers and departments.
- Ensure high-quality escalation handling with appropriate context and documentation.
- Client Relationship & Service Experience
- Act as a senior escalation point for key clients and service-related concerns.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders.
- Ensure high levels of customer satisfaction through clear communication, reliable delivery, and professional engagement.
- Work closely with Account Management and Services Sales teams on service improvement and client growth opportunities.
- Continuous Improvement & Process Optimisation
- Identify inefficiencies, recurring issues, and process gaps.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives across Service Desk operations.
- Ensure all processes are documented, standardised, and audited regularly.
- Support automation and tooling improvements within the tech stack of systems used.
- Cross-Department Collaboration
- Work closely with Professional Services / Projects, Technical / Infrastructure teams, and Sales and Account Management.
- Ensure alignment between pre-sales, delivery, and support capabilities.
- Support onboarding of new clients into managed services.
Skills & Experience
Essential
- Proven experience in a Service Desk Manager or similar leadership role within an MSP environment.
- Strong knowledge of Microsoft 365 / Azure environments, networking fundamentals, and Service Desk tooling (e.g. PSA, RMM systems).
- Demonstrated experience in leading and developing technical teams, managing high-pressure incidents and escalations, and driving SLA/KPI performance.
Desirable
- Experience scaling service desk operations.
- Knowledge of automation, AI or Copilot within service environments.
- Experience contributing to service design and commercial alignment.
Senior Service Desk Leader - IT Ops & Client Excellence employer: Millgate
Millgate, located in the UK, prioritises high-quality IT service delivery and client satisfaction. The team fosters a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, ensuring that employees can grow alongside the business's demands.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Service Desk Leader - IT Ops & Client Excellence
✨Join the IT Consultancy Buzz
Get involved in local or virtual IT consultancy meetups and forums. This is where we can rub shoulders with industry professionals, get insights into what Millgate values, and even spot unadvertised opportunities. Don't miss out on these chances to make a name for ourselves in the IT world!
✨Show Off Your Skills
Create a personal project or case study relevant to the challenges Millgate might face. Use platforms like GitHub or Medium to share your findings. This not only demonstrates our consulting skills but shows a proactive attitude, making us stand out from the crowd when applying for that full-time gig.
✨Leverage LinkedIn for Connections
Follow and engage with the relevant thought leaders and influencers in IT consultancy on LinkedIn. Share insightful content and join discussions to gain visibility. A well-placed comment or shared article could catch the attention of someone at Millgate!
✨Direct Apply to Millgate
Let's not forget to apply directly through the Millgate website! Tailor your application to showcase our understanding of their consulting style and how we can contribute to their projects. A personalised approach can make a huge difference in landing that full-time position!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Service Desk Leader - IT Ops & Client Excellence
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:In IT consulting, it's all about problem-solving, so make sure your CV highlights your analytical skills and any relevant projects you've tackled. Mention specific technologies or methodologies you've used to resolve issues or improve processes; this shows you can think critically and deliver results, which is vital for us at Millgate.
Highlight Relevant Certifications:Certifications like ITIL, PMP, or even specific tech stack qualifications can really make you stand out. Make sure to include these in your CV, as they not only demonstrate your expertise but also your commitment to staying current in the field. We love seeing candidates who are proactive about their professional development!
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to connect personally with us at Millgate. Share stories about your experiences in IT consulting, and how they shaped your desire to join our team. Mention why you’re excited about this particular role, and how you see yourself contributing to our projects.
Keep It Clear and Concise:We're all busy, so make sure your application is easy to read. Use bullet points for key achievements, and don’t overload us with jargon. A clean, professional layout goes a long way. Remember, the clearer your application, the more likely we are to invite you in for an interview!
How to prepare for a job interview at Millgate
✨Brush Up on Your Technical Skills
For an IT consulting role, be ready to demonstrate your technical prowess. You might face questions on systems integration, cloud technologies, or even troubleshooting specific software. If you have experience with tools like AWS, Azure, or even specific programming languages, make sure you can talk about them fluently.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Approach
IT consulting is all about solving problems for clients. Think about how you can illustrate your approach to a past challenge using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). It's a great way to show how you tackle complex issues and come up with effective solutions.
✨Know the Business Impact of IT Solutions
When discussing your experiences, focus not just on the tech solutions you implemented, but also on their business impact. Employers want to see that you can connect IT with organisational goals. Prep examples that highlight how your tech contributions improved efficiency or reduced costs for past clients or projects.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
Since IT consulting often involves teamwork and client interactions, expect behavioural questions that assess your interpersonal skills. Be prepared with examples that demonstrate your adaptability, communication skills, and how you handle client feedback. Before the interview, think of situations where you worked closely with clients to create effective IT strategies or changes.
