Service Desk Manager

Smurfit Kappa; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Office in Dublin

Job summary

Smurfit Westrock is seeking a Service Desk Manager in Dublin to lead the Service Desk function, ensuring reliable, customer-focused IT services while driving continuous improvement. You will oversee Incident Management, Request Management, Service Desk, and Field Engineering, aligning with business goals and IT transformation initiatives.

The role requires strong leadership, stakeholder management, and a proven track record in SLA-driven environments.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading Service Operations or Service Desk teams in a complex IT environment.
• Strong leadership across multiple locations and teams.
• Extensive experience in Incident Management, Request Management, Service Desk and Field Engineering.
• Experience working in SLA-driven service environments with focus on customer experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage business stakeholders, customers and supplier relationships effectively.
• Strong escalation management skills, including coordination of major incidents.
• Experience measuring, monitoring and reporting service performance metrics.
• Knowledge of IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks, including ITIL principles.
• Experience driving continual service improvement initiatives and operational change.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills with ability to work across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong written and verbal Business English skills.
• Experience working within manufacturing, industrial, or operational business environments.

Responsibilities

• Leading and developing a Service Desk team, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Managing day-to-day operations across Incident Management, Request Management, Service Desk, and Field Engineering services.
• Ensuring service delivery meets agreed service levels and operational performance targets.
• Acting as a key escalation point for business-critical incidents and service issues.
• Building strong relationships with business stakeholders to understand needs and improve service outcomes.
• Managing supplier relationships and driving performance against contractual service commitments.
• Monitoring, analysing, and reporting on service performance metrics, trends, and SLA adherence.
• Leading the successful introduction and transition of new services, processes, and operational improvements into business-as-usual operations.
• Driving continual service improvement initiatives that enhance customer experience and operational efficiency.
• Ensuring compliance with service management policies, procedures, and governance requirements.
• Supporting teams through change while maintaining high levels of engagement and performance.

Skills

Service Desk Lead

Incident Management

Stakeholder Management

ITIL Knowledge

People Leadership

Supplier Management

Escalation Mgmt

Communication Skills

Job description

About Smurfit Westrock

At Smurfit Westrock, we are a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions, operating in more than 40 countries and serving customers across a wide range of industries. We combine innovation, technology, and operational excellence to deliver smarter, more sustainable outcomes for our customers and communities.

Service Desk Manager - Dublin

About Smurfit Westrock

At Smurfit Westrock, we are a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions, operating in more than 40 countries and serving customers across a wide range of industries. We combine innovation, technology, and operational excellence to deliver smarter, more sustainable outcomes for our customers and communities.

Our technology teams play a critical role in enabling the business to operate efficiently, remain competitive, and deliver exceptional service. As we continue our digital transformation journey, we are investing in technology, people, and processes that support the future growth of our organisation.

About The Team

The Service Delivery team is at the heart of the IT experience across Smurfit Westrock. The team ensures colleagues have reliable, responsive, and high-quality support services that enable them to work effectively every day.

Working closely with colleagues throughout Europe, the team manages critical IT service functions including Service Desk operations, Incident Management, Request Management, and Field Engineering. Their focus is not only on resolving issues efficiently but also on continually improving services, enhancing customer experience, and supporting the wider IT transformation agenda.

As part of this team, you will work alongside technology leaders, business stakeholders, and external partners to deliver services that directly support operational continuity and business performance.

Role Summary

As the Service Desk Manager, you will lead the Service Desk function, ensuring the delivery of reliable, customer-focused IT services while driving continuous improvement across service operations. This role is critical in maintaining business productivity, supporting operational resilience, and enabling the successful adoption of new technologies and ways of working.

You will combine people leadership, operational excellence, and stakeholder engagement to ensure services consistently meet business needs and deliver measurable value to colleagues across the organisation.

What You'll Be Doing

• Leading and developing a Service Desk team, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Managing day-to-day operations across Incident Management, Request Management, Service Desk, and Field Engineering services.
• Ensuring service delivery meets agreed service levels and operational performance targets.
• Acting as a key escalation point for business-critical incidents and service issues.
• Building strong relationships with business stakeholders to understand needs and improve service outcomes.
• Managing supplier relationships and driving performance against contractual service commitments.
• Monitoring, analysing, and reporting on service performance metrics, trends, and SLA adherence.
• Leading the successful introduction and transition of new services, processes, and operational improvements into business-as-usual operations.
• Driving continual service improvement initiatives that enhance customer experience and operational efficiency.
• Ensuring compliance with service management policies, procedures, and governance requirements.
• Supporting teams through change while maintaining high levels of engagement and performance.

The Impact You'll Make

This role has a significant impact on both the employee experience and the operational effectiveness of the organisation.

By leading a critical support function, you will ensure colleagues receive the reliable technology services they depend on to perform their roles successfully. Your leadership will help strengthen service performance, improve customer satisfaction, drive operational excellence, and support the delivery of strategic transformation initiatives.

You will have the opportunity to influence how services are delivered, improve operational processes, and build a high-performing team that contributes directly to the success of Smurfit Westrock's digital future.

Essential Qualifications, Skills & Experience

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Proven experience leading Service Operations or Service Desk teams within a complex IT environment.
• Strong leadership experience with the ability to develop and manage teams across multiple locations.
• Extensive experience of Incident Management, Request Management, Service Desk operations, and Field Engineering processes.
• Experience working within SLA-driven service environments with a strong focus on customer experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage business stakeholders, customers, and supplier relationships effectively.
• Strong escalation management skills, including the coordination of major incidents.
• Experience measuring, monitoring, and reporting service performance metrics.
• Knowledge of IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks, including ITIL principles and best practices.
• Experience driving continual service improvement initiatives and operational change.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills with the ability to work across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong written and verbal Business English skills.
• Experience working within manufacturing, industrial, or operational business environments.

Desirable:

• Experience supporting IT transformation or operating model change initiatives.
• Advanced knowledge of ITIL processes and service management governance.

Location & Flexible Working

At Smurfit Westrock, we recognise that flexibility is important. We offer a hybrid working environment, providing the opportunity to combine home and office-based working. Expectation is minimum of 3 days onsite in our office in Dublin.