Head of Service Desk Operations

**Position Summary**:
The Head of Service Desk is responsible for overseeing and managing the support operations within a UK-based Managed Service Provider (MSP). This role involves leading a team of support professionals and ensuring the delivery of high-quality technical support services to clients to the highest level of customer satisfaction. The role will collaborate with various stakeholders, including customers, internal teams, and external vendors, to ensure efficient incident resolution and exceptional customer service experiences.

**Key Responsibilities**:

- **Leadership and Team Management**:_
- Provide strong leadership to the support team, providing guidance, coaching andperformance feedback,fostering a positive and collaborative work environment.
- Recruit, train, and manage a team of support professionals, ensuring they have the necessary skills and resources to deliver exceptional customer service.
- Set performance objectives and conduct regular performance reviews for team members.
- Foster a positive and collaborative work culture of continuous improvement, encouraging innovation and efficiency in support processes.
- Develop and implement customer service strategies to meet and exceed customer satisfaction goals.
- Identify areas for improvement and propose initiatives to enhance the overall customer experience.
- **Support Operations Management**:_
- Oversee all aspects of the support operations, including incident management, problem resolution, and service request fulfilment.
- Develop and implement support strategies, policies, and procedures to meet customer needs and business goals.
- Monitor and analyse support metrics, such as response times, resolution rates, and customer satisfaction scores, and take proactive measures to improve performance.
- Coordinate with other teams, such as projects and service delivery, to ensure effective collaboration and timely issue resolution.
- Manage relationships with third-party vendors and partners, ensuring service level agreements (SLAs) are met.
- **Customer Engagement and Satisfaction**:_
- Serve as a point of escalation for critical customer issues, ensuring prompt and effective resolution.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, acting as their trusted advisor and ensuring their satisfaction with support services.
- Proactively communicate with customers, keeping them informed about support activities, service improvements, and relevant updates.
- Conduct customer feedback surveys and analyse the results to identify areas for improvement.
- **Process Improvement and Innovation**:_
- Continuously evaluate and enhance support processes to increase efficiency, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
- Stay updated with industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies in the MSP domain.
- Identify opportunities for innovation and automation, leveraging tools and technologies to streamline support operations.
- Drive initiatives to enhance self-service capabilities and knowledge management systems.
- **Performance Metrics and Reporting**:_
- Define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for the customer service team.
- Generate reports and analyse data to measure team performance, identify trends, and propose actionable insights.
- Develop and implement improvement plans based on performance analysis.

**Requirements**:

- **Education and Experience**:_
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., computer science, information technology) or equivalent practical experience.
- Proven experience in a customer service management role, preferably in an IT support environment.
- Strong technical background and familiarity with IT support processes and systems.

**Customer Service Skills**:

- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact with customers, team members, and stakeholders effectively.
- Ability to remain calm and professional when handling difficult customer situations.
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to think critically to resolve complex technical issues.
- Demonstrated ability to manage and prioritise multiple tasks in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
- **Leadership and Management Skills**:_
- Demonstrated experience in leading and managing a team, including performance management and coaching.
- Ability to motivate and inspire team members to deliver exceptional customer service.
- Strong organisational and multitasking skills to manage priorities and meet deadlines.
- **Technical Knowledge**:_
- Strong understanding of IT service management frameworks (e.g., ITIL) and best practices.
- Solid analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a track record of driving continuous improvement.
- Proficiency in IT support concepts, including hardware, software, network troubleshooting, and system administration.
- Familiarity with customer relationship management (CRM) tools and ticketing systems.
- Up-to-date knowledge of emerging technologies and trends in