Associate Director, IT Service Desk

UCSF Health; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

UCSF Health seeks an Associate Director of IT Service Desk to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of a multi-tier support organization serving clinical, academic, research, and administrative customers. The role leads managers and supervisors responsible for daily support operations, service quality, and performance management.

In partnership with Infrastructure Services and clinical stakeholders, you will drive service standards, SLA/KPI performance, incident response,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training
• 10+ years’ experience in information technology, customer experience, and service desk
• 5+ years experience leading teams in a management or leadership role in a fast-paced environment
• Expertise in managing vendor relationships, negotiating contracts, ensuring SLAs are met
• Proven executive leadership skills to lead cross-functional teams and drive organizational change
• Crisis management expertise for high-pressure incidents
• Ability to interpret, analyze, and apply policies and regulations
• Strong communication skills for directing small teams and presenting to stakeholders
• Experience in project management including scheduling, status reporting, and risk management
• Proven ability to delegate and make decisions while ensuring inclusivity and belonging

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for a multi-tier IT Service Desk
• Establish service standards, monitor SLAs and KPIs, and drive data-informed improvements
• Lead incident response, knowledge management, and performance management
• Collaborate with Infrastructure Services and clinical stakeholders to align service models
• Advocate for self-service, automation, AI-assisted support, and shift-left improvements
• Represent the Service Desk to UCSF leadership and support continuity planning
• Foster an inclusive, accountable, and service-oriented culture

Skills

Strategic leadership

Executive leadership

Vendor management

Cross-functional collaboration

Crisis management

SLA management

Communication

Project management

Diversity and inclusion

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

The Associate Director, IT Service Desk provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for UCSF’s Service Desk, including technical and clinical support services. This role is accountable for the vision, performance, and continuous improvement of a multi-tiered support organization serving clinical, academic, research, and administrative customers.

The Associate Director leads managers and supervisors responsible for daily support operations, service quality, workforce planning, incident response, knowledge management, and performance management. The role establishes service standards, monitors SLAs and KPIs, drives data-informed improvements, and ensures support models are aligned across channels, teams, and customer groups.

In partnership with Infrastructure Services, clinical stakeholders, and cross-functional IT teams, this role ensures reliable support for enterprise technologies, clinical workflows, and high-impact services. The Associate Director also leads long-term service desk strategy, including self-service, automation, AI-assisted support, shift-left opportunities, and service model improvements that enhance customer experience and operational efficiency.

As a senior leader, the Associate Director represents the Service Desk across UCSF, communicates performance and priorities to leadership, supports major incident response and service continuity planning, and fosters an inclusive, accountable, and service-oriented culture.

Department Overview:

University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is distinguished as a leading academic healthcare organization, home to groundbreaking discoveries, world-class education, and exceptional healthcare services. Infrastructure Services (IS) is the backbone of the technological infrastructure, assuring the technical services that enable the academic, medical, and research missions of the organization. Beyond a focus on maintaining systems and resolving issues, we are committed to nurturing the potential of our team members and empowering them to excel. UCSF Infrastructure Services provides 24x7 support to the University community, always upholding the highest level of responsiveness and reliability for our customers. IS values innovation and excellence in ensuring secure and efficient Information Technology (IT) services, regardless of the hour or complexity of the issue.

The Customer Experience team within Infrastructure Services is dedicated to supporting the vital work of UCSF. This team works to ensure that every interaction between UCSF's customers and IT services is smooth and positive, thereby facilitating crucial academic, medical, and research endeavors. The team includes IT Service Management, responsible for ensuring the right processes, people, and technology are in place to meet the unique demands of the research community. The Desktop Engineering sub-team takes charge of the design, deployment, and upkeep of desktop computers, providing reliable hardware for data analysis and research. The Desktop Field Services sub-team offers direct, hands-on assistance for hardware or software issues, effectively minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity. The Service Desk, serving as the primary contact for users facing IT issues, delivers prompt remote solutions or escalates problems as needed, allowing researchers to focus on their groundbreaking work. The Customer Experience team's overall aim is to provide a seamless user experience, swift resolution of issues, minimal downtime, and to align IT services with the broader objectives of UCSF's mission to advance health worldwide through innovative research.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training
• 10+ years’ experience working in one or more of the following fields: information technology, customer experience, and service desk
• 5+ years experience leading teams in a management or leadership role, particularly in a fast-paced, service-oriented environment
• Expertise in managing vendor relationships, negotiating contracts, and ensuring service level agreements (SLAs) are met
• Proven executive leadership skills with the ability to lead cross-functional teams, influence senior stakeholders, and drive organizational change
• Advanced skills in crisis management, including the ability to lead the team through high-pressure situations and critical incidents
• Advanced ability to interpret, analyze, and apply pertinent policies, procedures, regulations, and requirements
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and ability to communicate work assignments to small teams
• Demonstrated experience presenting technical information to audiences of technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Advanced project management skills and ability to delegate responsibility, track project progress, supervise others, and advise on competing priorities
• Significant experience working in a project-based environment using leading project management practices including schedule management, status reporting, and communication of project risks and issues
• Proven ability to delegate solutioning when appropriate to the proper resources. Demonstrated understanding of how decisions affect teams. Demonstrated ability to make decisions with integrity
• Extensive experience cultivating an inclusive environment that values equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging

Preferred Qualifications:

• Extensive knowledge and hands-on experience with clinical applications, systems, and devices, ensuring seamless functionality and minimal operational disruptions.
• In-depth understanding of clinical workflows and processes, with the ability to identify inefficiencies and implement improvements that enhance patient care and operational efficiency
• Comprehensive knowledge of healthcare regulations, standards, and compliance requirements, ensuring that all clinical support services adhere to these guidelines
• Expertise in managing and securing clinical data, ensuring data integrity, confidentiality, and compliance with HIPAA and other relevant regulations

Preferred Certifications:

• HDI Support Center Manager Certification
• ITIL Managing Professional Certification
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Epic Certification

Job Code

BUS TCHL SUPP MGR 2 (006054)

Assignment Category

Tier A Plan (target potential payout of 10%, maximum of 15%)