Service Desk Team Lead

King's Service Centre; Quintrell Downs; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent educational institution based in Newquay is seeking a Service Desk Team Lead. This role involves leading a dedicated team to provide exceptional IT support while ensuring customer satisfaction. The ideal candidate should have experience in management, strong interpersonal skills, and a commitment to continuous improvement. This position offers a hybrid work model, competitive benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.

Benefits

10% Performance related bonus

30 Days holiday

Contributory pension scheme

Free access to Linkedin Learning

Qualifications

• Experience in a management role is highly desirable.
• Strong report writing skills and communication abilities.
• Ability to adapt and understand new technologies.

Responsibilities

• Manage team performance and deliver excellent customer service.
• Ensure quality management within the Service Desk.
• Act as a Duty Incident Manager as required.

Skills

Experience in a Team Lead / Manager role within IT

Strong interpersonal skills

Technical understanding of an enterprise support environment

Effective time management skills

ITIL Foundation or prepared to achieve qualification

Job description

Service Desk Team Lead

Application Deadline: 9 October 2025

Department: IT Services

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Newquay, Cornwall, UK

Reporting To: Hayley King

Description

Overview of role

As a senior member of the Service Desk team, you will be responsible for ensuring the delivery of an efficient and high quality front line support service to Staff, Students and associates of King’s College London. The post holder will serve as a lead and escalation point for a team of Service Desk Analysts, supporting and enabling them to provide the highest standard of IT and Estates services, delivering exceptional customer satisfaction and a personalised service, whilst achieving the defined service performance KPIs.

This post holder will be responsible for the direct line management of a team of Service Desk staff, coaching and motivating them to deliver excellent customer service in a pressurised environment, and actively managing the team’s rota to ensure that staffing levels are maintained to meet agreed service level targets.

Working with the Service Desk Manager you will maintain 'quality management' within the Service Desk to ensure we meet or exceed customer expectations.

The applicant will require strong interpersonal, influencing, communication and report writing skills with the ability to interact appropriately with users of various skill levels, remaining calm and courteous while working to resolve challenging incidents and dealing with customer escalations.

Experience in a management role is highly desirable, however, applicants with training and leadership experience will be considered.

The post holder must be willing to undertake training to provide First Aid and Fire Warden cover for the office.

The post may be required to act as an out of hours Duty Incident Manager.

Some travel may be required (predominantly between the Quintrell Downs office and College campuses in London).

The normal hours for this post are 8.5 per day, covering 07:00-18:00, on a 5-in-7 basis, however the post holder will need to be flexible to accommodate unexpected staffing issues, e.g., sickness.

The post holder may also be required to work a Nightshift (21:00-07:30) in an emergency.

Key Skills & Experience Required

• Experience in a Team Lead / Manager role within IT or Facilities Management
• Strong interpersonal, influencing, communication and report writing skills, interacts appropriately with users of various technical skill levels, remains calm and courteous while working to resolve incidents and deal with customer escalations
• Ability to show empathy in professional environment
• Technical understanding of an enterprise / complex support environment
• Ability to adapt and understand new technologies, and a drive to seek out emerging industry best-practice
• Strong technical competencies resulting from previous working experience within a complex support environment
• Strong reporting skills, with the ability to interpret data in order to ensure KPI’s are met, and to contribute towards Continual Service Improvement
• Methodical approach to problem solving and attention to detail, and a passion for continual service improvement
• Proficient documentation skills; able to fully document operational requirements, proposed solutions, processes, and data flows effectively
• Effective time management skills; with the ability to work on multiple tasks simultaneously, requiring experience with prioritizing tasks due to shifting priorities, fluctuating workloads, and deadline pressures
• ITIL Foundation or prepared to achieve qualification
• Full Driving Licence or the ability to get to the Quintdown office within 60 minutes, using public transport or other means

Employee Benefits

• Hybrid Working - Minimum of 5 days per month in the office
• 10% Performance related bonus
• 30 Days holiday and maximum of 8 public holidays (pro-rata)
• Sick pay
• 4 Discretionary Christmas Closure Days
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life Assurance cover
• Service time - 3 Volunteer days per year
• Free onsite parking & Bike racks
• Annual leave purchase scheme - up to a maximum of 10 days (subject to national minimum wage requirements)
• Student Discount (access to Totum, Unidays & Student Beans)
• CycleScheme
• TechScheme
• Opportunities for formal training and professional certification
• Free access to Linkedin Learning
• Free access to Future Learn short courses
• Potential for internal promotion and advancement

Equality, diversity & inclusion

We are an inclusive and welcoming employer that encourages a wide range of applicants. We embrace diversity and want everyone to be able to bring their whole selves to work and succeed.

This is in line with King's College London (KCL).