IT Service Desk Manager

Pure Retirement; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Cycle to work scheme

Enhanced maternity and paternity pay

Job summary

Pure Retirement is seeking an IT Service Desk Manager in the UK to lead first/second line support, drive performance and continuous improvement across the team. You will partner with the Head of IT to prioritise work and optimise service delivery.

You will develop a motivated, skilled team, embed standard ticket-handling processes and ensure high customer satisfaction through effective escalation and problem solving.

Qualifications

• Experience managing, coaching, mentoring and developing a team.
• Minimum of 12 months’ experience managing an IT team.
• Ability to implement and assess performance metrics.
• Ability to adapt management style based on the individual.

Responsibilities

• Lead, support and motivate a team of IT Technicians, providing first–class service to colleagues needing IT support.
• Take team leadership responsibility for the first/second line teams
• Manage the operational day–to–day running of the team, including absence management (holidays, sickness and lateness).
• Establish, monitor and report on Service Desk performance against agreed KPIs, SLAs and operational targets.
• Define and promote help desk and ticket–handling procedures within the team and wider business.
• Act as the escalation point for technical issues raised by the first/second line team, drawing on expertise across a broad range of technologies.
• Additional project work will be undertaken as required by the business.
• Provide software support for in–house business applications.
• Embed company policies and promote good practice within the team.
• Maintain documentation of internal processes and systems.
• Own asset management and the starters, movers and leavers process.
• Stay current with business application and external vendor information, changes and updates.
• Manage relationships with technology suppliers and service providers, ensuring value for money and high standards of service delivery.
• Help identify opportunities for cost optimisation and service improvement.
• Undertake any other ad hoc tasks as business needs dictate.

Skills

Active Directory

Group Policy

DHCP

DNS

Office 365

Virtualisation

TCP/IP Networking

Cloud services

Education

GCSE or higher in IT

ITIL Foundation or higher

Any IT industry qualification (MCSA/CCNA)

Further/Higher education qualifications

Tools

Jira

Azure DevOps

Job description

£36 - 40k depending on skills and experience

Salary dependent on experience, plus these benefits:

• 25 days holiday – plus bank holidays & Birthday off
• Cycle to work scheme
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay

Hours of work

Hours of work will be flexible and dictated by the needs of the business, therefore it is expected that the successful applicant will work those hours necessary to successfully discharge the duties of the role.

The role

Overview

As IT Service Desk Manager, you will be responsible for the leadership, performance and continuous improvement of the first/second line Service Desk team, ensuring colleagues across the Group receive fast, professional and effective IT support.

Working closely with the Head of IT and the wider Infrastructure Team, you will lead, support and motivate a team of IT Technicians, taking a logical approach to problem solving and prioritising work based on business impact and urgency.

This role combines hands–on team leadership with operational delivery, ensuring the Service Desk consistently meets agreed KPIs and SLAs. You will be responsible for developing a motivated, skilled and customer-focused team, embedding best–practice ticket–handling processes and acting as an escalation point for technical issues raised by first/second line colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, support and motivate a team of IT Technicians, providing first–class service to colleagues needing IT support.
• Take team leadership responsibility for the first/second line teams
• Manage the operational day–to–day running of the team, including absence management (holidays, sickness and lateness).
• Establish, monitor and report on Service Desk performance against agreed KPIs, SLAs and operational targets.
• Define and promote help desk and ticket–handling procedures within the team and wider business.
• Act as the escalation point for technical issues raised by the first/second line team, drawing on expertise across a broad range of technologies.
• Additional project work will be undertaken as required by the business.
• Provide software support for in–house business applications.
• Embed company policies and promote good practice within the team.
• Maintain documentation of internal processes and systems.
• Own asset management and the starters, movers and leavers process.
• Stay current with business application and external vendor information, changes and updates.
• Manage relationships with technology suppliers and service providers, ensuring value for money and high standards of service delivery.
• Help identify opportunities for cost optimisation and service improvement.
• Undertake any other ad hoc tasks as business needs dictate.

About The Person

Overview

You are a presentable and highly organised individual, with a keen attention to detail and a methodical, logical approach to problem solving. An effective communicator and leader, you are comfortable dealing with colleagues at all levels of the business, as well as external suppliers, in a professional and confident manner.

You bring a technical background with a good level of competency in both Windows Servers and Clients, along with an understanding of virtualisation and cloud services, and the drive to continually expand your knowledge.

You thrive in a fast–paced Service Desk environment, balancing competing priorities whilst maintaining high standards of customer service, team performance and operational control. Pragmatic by nature, you focus on achieving outcomes rather than becoming constrained by obstacles, remaining calm under pressure and bringing a level of control to stressful situations.

You bring sound judgement, a delivery–focused mindset and the ability to make the most of the resources available to you, ensuring progress continues even when circumstances are challenging. Most importantly, you are committed to continuous improvement and passionate about using technology to deliver an excellent service to colleagues across the business.

Qualifications, skills and knowledge

• Experience managing, coaching, mentoring and developing a team.
• Minimum of 12 months’ experience managing an IT team.
• Ability to implement and assess performance metrics.
• Ability to adapt management style based on the individual.
• Strong sense of pride and teamwork, with a willingness to aid in the success of the team.
• Enterprise IT knowledge, including a good level of competency in:
  • Active Directory
  • Group Policy
  • DHCP
  • DNS
  • Office 365
  • Virtualisation
  • TCP/IP Networking
• Experience using cloud services.
• Experience with Jira
• Experience with Azure DevOps.
• GCSE or higher in IT.
• ITIL Foundation or higher.
• Any IT industry qualification, e.g. MCSA / CCNA.
• Further/Higher education qualifications.

Put Customers First, Always

We put customers first – not as a principle, but as our foundation. Everything we do must earn their trust, bring them clarity, and deliver value. Our customers are the reason we exist.

Lead with Technology & AI

We don’t adopt technology to keep up – we use it to leap ahead. AI, automation, and data-driven tools aren’t just enablers – they’re how we scale, reduce manual work, and serve more customers.

Stronger Together

We work across the Group to deliver the best results for our customers. We share ideas, support each other, and succeed together – because we’re stronger when we work as one.

Take Ownership

We spot problems, fix them, raise the bar, and treat time, colleagues and customers like they matter – because they do. We take responsibility, and we do what’s right, even when it’s hard.

Stay Focused

We prioritise work that makes a real difference for customers, colleagues, and the business. We stay focused, cut out distractions, and approach work with clear purpose and intent.

Think Big. Build Bold

We never settle for “good enough”. We are always looking for ways to improve, grow, and challenge how things are being done. Bold ideas and innovative thinking help us build a better future.