Service Desk Manager (TechShack)

Ocado Retail; Hatfield; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Ocado Retail is hiring a Service Desk Manager to lead IT support across Hatfield and Sunderland, transforming incident, request, and knowledge management. You will champion a service-led culture, manage end-to-end ticket processes, and act as the Freshservice SME, exploring AI-driven capabilities to improve efficiency.

In this hybrid role, you’ll collaborate with stakeholders, report to the IT Service Operations Lead, and help shape ITIL-aligned workflows while ensuring high service quality

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading IT support teams across multi-site locations.
• Excellent stakeholder communication and escalation management.
• Hands-on experience configuring Freshservice or similar SaaS ITSM tools.
• Data-driven mindset to optimize Incident, Request, Knowledge Management.
• Willing to travel between Hatfield and Sunderland; hybrid work.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage support teams at Hatfield and Sunderland.
• Own and refine Incident, Request, and Knowledge Management processes.
• Foster a service-led culture across locations.
• Implement end-to-end ticket management with QoS metrics.
• Coordinate major incidents with clear, timely communication.
• Optimize Freshservice workflows, portals, dashboards, and automations.

Skills

People leadership

Stakeholder management

ITSM platform: Freshservice

Data-driven optimization

Flexible / hybrid work

Education

Relevant IT qualifications (degree/diploma)

Tools

Freshservice

ServiceNow

Jira Service Management

Job description

Service Desk Manager (TechShack)

Contract type: Permanent

Location: Hatfield (Apollo Court) / Sunderland (Hybrid working - 3 days in the office, with travel to Sunderland once or twice a month)

Working hours per week: 40 hours

Level: Manager

Reports to: IT Service Operations Lead

Application Closing Date: Monday 5th October

About us

Our mission is to deliver joy in every shop, through unbeatable choice, unrivalled service, and reassuringly good value. We’re also on a mission to empower our business with smart technology; we've recently launched our AI Academy, providing a tailored AI learning journey for every colleague.

We’re Ocado Retail, a market-leading joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S, and the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket, ocado.com. Not only is Ocado the only place to shop a full range of M&S food online, but it’s also the home to the widest online supermarket range in the UK and champion of small, independent brands. We’re also the brains behind Zoom by Ocado, our same-day grocery delivery service.

About this Role

As our Service Desk Manager, you will lead the transformation of our IT support experience. You will have a unique opportunity to shape and optimize our ITIL-aligned processes, master end-to-end ticket management, and drive a service-led culture across multiple key business locations. Operating at the heart of our IT operations, you will develop your leadership capabilities, run high-impact stakeholder communications, and maximise the potential of our modern ITSM tool, Freshservice, utilising modern AI-driven features.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the TechShack: Provide inspiring leadership and day-to-day management to our support teams at Apollo Court (Hatfield) and Sunderland, building a cohesive, collaborative, and high-performing unified team.

• Process Ownership & Optimisation: Design, own, and continuously refine our Incident, Request, and Knowledge Management processes, aligning them with ITIL best practices to ensure swift resolutions and an exceptional digital experience.

• Embed a Service-Led Culture: Champion a customer-first, proactive, and "service-led" mindset across both the Apollo Court and Sunderland teams, ensuring a consistent, high-quality, and supportive experience for all IT users.

• Ticket & Quality Management: Introduce and drive rigorous end-to-end ticket management practices, establishing clear Quality of Service (QoS) and operational metrics such as CSAT, First Contact Resolution, and SLA compliance.

• High-Impact Escalation & Communication: Serve as the key coordinator and escalation point for major incidents, managing communications with clarity, empathy, and speed during high-pressure scenarios.

• ITSM Excellence (Freshservice): Act as the subject matter expert for our ITSM platform, Freshservice. You will configure, optimise, and streamline workflows, portals, dashboards, and automations, while experimenting with AI-led capabilities to drive operational efficiency.

Who You Are

Essential Requirements

• Proven People Leader: Strong experience managing, mentoring, and developing IT support professionals, ideally across hybrid or multi-site locations.

• Outstanding Communicator: Highly skilled in stakeholder management, handling complex technical escalations, and translating technical details into clear, business-friendly updates.

• ITSM Tool Expert: Practical experience managing and configuring Freshservice (or a similar modern SaaS ITSM tool like ServiceNow or Jira Service Management).

• Data & Process Driven: A proven track record of optimizing Incident, Request, and Knowledge Management processes, using data to measure and demonstrate continuous improvements.

• Flexibility: Happy to work from the Hatfield office 3 days a week and travel to our Sunderland office once or twice a month (or vice versa).

Desirable Qualifications

• Relevant IT qualifications such as a degree, diploma, or equivalent professional IT training.

• ITIL certifications (v3 or v4), with a keen interest in the full breadth and future evolution of Service Management frameworks.

• Agile/Scrum certifications or experience working within an Agile delivery environment.

What’s in it for you

By joining Ocado Retail, you’ll have the chance to experience life at the world’s largest online retailer, work with an amazing bunch of people who challenge what’s possible each day, and grow your skills and career in online retail. You'll also be part of our AI Academy,