Computing & Distribution Helpdesk Advisor

The Open University; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

The Open University is seeking a Computing & Distribution Helpdesk Advisor in Milton Keynes. You will provide frontline IT support to students and staff, log enquiries, and liaise with distribution teams to ensure timely delivery of materials.

The role includes on-site work with occasional home-working weeks and a shift pattern. Essential criteria include helpdesk experience, customer service, strong communication, and ability to manage priorities under pressure.

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a Helpdesk or Service Desk environment.
• Proven customer service experience.
• Strong communication and multitasking abilities.
• Ability to use initiative and adapt to changing priorities.
• Competent with IT systems, browsers and MS Office.
• Ability to interact directly with students.
• Remain calm under pressure and exercise good judgement.

Responsibilities

• Provide frontline IT support via webchat, email, and phone.
• Record enquiries in the VOICE system.
• Coordinate with distribution centre teams and assist with order processing.
• Raise queries with delivery suppliers.
• Contribute to knowledge base and help train new staff.
• Attend meetings and represent the helpdesk.
• Develop relationships with stakeholders across the University.
• Assist with projects, pilots and testing.
• Handle day-to-day administration including reporting.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge and skills.

Skills

Helpdesk experience

Customer service

Communication skills

Administration processes

Initiative & judgement

MS Office / IT basics

Job description

Computing & Distribution Helpdesk Advisor

Advert Reference Number: 2036 Job Location: Milton Keynes Department: Student Computing and Distribution Helpdesk Salary: £27,319 to £30,378 Closing Date: 15 November 2026 Weekly Working Hours: 37 Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 30 November 2027 Welsh Language: Not Applicable

Change your career, change lives

The Open University is the UK's largest university, a world leader in flexible part‑time education, combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).

About the Role

Open University Student Computing and Distribution Helpdesk Advisors provide frontline support, answering student and staff enquiries on technical queries and delivery of course materials, resolution to customer queries both internal and external and dealing with changing forms of contact to include telephony, email, web chat and social media. They also record all contact via The Open University systems for analysis and review of trends. Additionally, in this role you will work with other areas of the University to resolve technical queries impacting on customers and colleagues.

Please note that for this role, staff will be required to work on site in Milton Keynes, the only exception to this being, 1 week in approximately 10 weeks, when the successful candidate will be able to work from home. Due to the nature of this role, there is a requirement to work a shift pattern which will be either 8.00am to 4.00pm or 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing frontline support and resolution, answering student and staff enquiries on IT issues and course material deliveries. Triaging as appropriate, through webchat, email, and telephone.
• To record, track and update details of enquiries in a customer record management system (VOICE).
• Liaising with relevant departments at our distribution centre and assist with order processing, documentation and providing proof of deliveries to students.
• Raise queries and claims with our delivery suppliers.
• Identify best practice that can be shared with others.
• Liaise with other service areas on new and existing service/products.
• Support testing of new systems to help development and implementation.
• Contribute towards the knowledgebase, taking responsibility to update information through an agreed process and assist in training of new members of the helpdesk.
• Attend meetings and working groups as helpdesk representative, adapting and utilising an appropriate communication style.
• Develop good working relationships with stakeholders across the University.
• Undertake and contribute towards projects/pilots and testing as requested by your line manager or other relevant University employee.
• Undertake day to day administration related tasks, including, but not limited to, reporting and analysis, providing conclusions when requested.
• Maintain appropriate knowledge and skills to enable you to be aware of, and to apply these to your work and customers.

About You

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of working in a Helpdesk or Service Desk environment ideally providing Computing or IT support, or experience of a customer facing environment.
• Demonstrable experience of providing customer service.
• Communication skills commensurate with this role and the ability to respond to a varied customer base and queries.
• Proven experience of organising, managing and improving administration processes, demonstrating organisational ability and problem solving capability.
• The ability to use initiative and judgment to respond quickly and flexibly to conflicting demands.
• A competent user of IT systems, web browsers and Microsoft Office products including the ability to find or provide a solution when software fails to install or run.
• The ability to interact directly with students.
• The ability to remain calm and effective under pressure with t he ability to exercise good judgement when managing competing priorities.

Desirable Criteria:

• Knowledge of distribution and dispatch processes.
• Experience of using a Customer Relationship Management system.
• Knowledge of relevant legislative frameworks e.g., GDPR, Freedom of Information.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

Next steps in the Recruitment process

Interviews are likely to be held in the week commencing 30 November 2026.

Early closing date notification

While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented.

If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength.We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.