Service Desk Team Lead

Brakes; Ashford; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food service provider in Ashford is seeking a Service Desk Team Lead to oversee daily operations of the Service Desk. This full-time role requires extensive experience in customer support, leadership skills, and the ability to mentor a team. The ideal candidate will possess a degree and relevant certifications, contributing to a diverse and inclusive culture. Commitment to excellent service and performance metrics is essential for success in this position.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in a Service Desk or similar support environment.
• Proven leadership, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; superior phone etiquette.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations of the Service Desk team.
• Analyse team performance to identify areas for improvement.
• Conduct call audits and ticket reviews to maintain quality standards.
• Act as a customer liaison to resolve escalated issues.

Skills

Service Desk experience

Leadership skills

Negotiation skills

Customer support

Attention to detail

Multi-tasking

Troubleshooting skills

Education

Degree or equivalent experience

IT Service Management (ITSMv3) certification

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Active Directory

JIRA

Enterprise hardware/software knowledge

Job description

Job Description

Team Lead, Service Desk (Europe)

Hybrid - Ashford, Kent.

Sysco are recruiting for a Service Desk Team Lead to join the Service Desk function within the Information Technology team on a full-time, permanent basis.

Reporting to the Service Desk Manager, this role provides leadership to a team of Level 0 / 1 Service Desk Associates. You will oversee daily operations, performance adherence, training, metric reporting, and serve as a liaison for special projects and escalations. This position is critical to delivering excellent customer support and continual service improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations of the Service Desk team, ensuring schedule adherence, service metrics, and individual performance are maintained
• Analyse team performance to identify areas for coaching, improvement, and training
• Mentor team members on career development plans, diversity and inclusion, and annual goal attainment
• Conduct call audits and ticket reviews to maintain quality standards
• Act as a customer liaison to resolve escalated issues
• Participate in and lead training sessions for new hires and existing team members
• Collaborate with other functional leads on process development and knowledge management
• Act as escalation point for unresolved incidents and interdepartmental conflicts
• Lead post-incident critiques to drive continuous improvement
• Work closely with Business Technology teams to identify L1-resolvable issues and enhance support readiness
• Assist with special projects as assigned

Skills and Experience

• Extensive experience in a Service Desk or similar support environment
• Proven leadership, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills
• Exceptional customer support and interpersonal skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication; superior phone etiquette
• Strong initiative, attention to detail, and judgment
• Ability to multi-task and participate in flexible schedules / on-call rotations
• Deep knowledge of enterprise hardware / software, Microsoft Office, Active Directory, JIRA, and network tools
• Advanced troubleshooting skills and professional team collaboration

Education and Certifications

• Degree or equivalent experience preferred
• IT Service Management (ITSMv3) certification preferred
• Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification is a plus

Additional Information

At Sysco International everyone is welcome. We don’t want you to ‘fit our culture’ we want you to help define it and we actively celebrate the unique talents of each and every colleague. We don’t just look at your CV, we’re more focused on who you are and your potential. As part of our values, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone has a voice, is appreciated and has the same opportunities. We work hard to ensure that everyone feels part of our business, as we care for one another and connect the world through food and trusted partnerships. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that everyone belongs and thrives at Sysco International and we recognise that Sysco International can only thrive when everyone feels they belong. We'll do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, speak to our resourcing team who will be happy to support you.