IT Service Desk Support Specialist

Music & Arts; Frederick (MD); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Music & Arts is seeking an IT support specialist to provide frontline Tier 1 assistance for store, field, corporate, remote, and hybrid users. You will troubleshoot hardware, software, and access issues, document activities, and coordinate escalations to maintain SLA targets.

Qualifications include a high school diploma or GED and 1–3 years in IT support or related fields, with strong communication skills for technical and non‑technical users.

Qualifications

• Requires strong IT help desk or service desk background in a retail or corporate setting.
• Ability to communicate clearly with both technical and non‑technical users.
• Willingness to work off hours as needed.

Responsibilities

• Provide Tier 1 IT support to end users across store, field, corporate, remote, and hybrid environments.
• Resolve issues with hardware, software, access, and basic network connectivity.
• Document work, manage escalations, and maintain knowledgebase entries.

Skills

Analytical skills

Collaboration

Customer focus

Initiative

Interpersonal communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Active Directory

Microsoft 365

Exchange Online

Microsoft Teams

OneDrive

SharePoint

VPN

MFA

MDM

Ticketing systems

POS system

LAN/Wi‑Fi

Job description

This role provides frontline IT support for store, field, corporate, remote, and hybrid users. The position focuses on resolving support requests, maintaining user access, supporting end-user devices and applications, coordinating escalations, meeting service-level expectations, maintaining accurate records, and improving support documentation.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Effectively, professionally, and respectfully represent Information Systems staff, teams, and services to the end-user community.
• Provide Tier 1 IT support to end users and system administrators across store, field, corporate, remote, and hybrid work environments.
• Answer questions, troubleshoot issues, instruct users on hardware and software functionality, and communicate support procedures and company policy.
• Answer, evaluate, prioritize, and resolve incoming calls, e-mails, chats, and ticket requests while maintaining accurate work history records in the ticketing system.
• Triage requests based on urgency, business impact, user impact, operational need, and service-level expectations.
• Lead users through diagnostic procedures to resolve desktop, laptop, application, account access, connectivity, remote access, mobile device, hardware, peripheral, and basic network issues.
• Perform basic user account and access support, including account setup, password resets, account unlocks, permissions, group membership updates, profile changes, e-mail access support, and related login issues.
• Support productivity tools and enterprise applications by assisting with access, configuration, functionality questions, user instruction, and basic troubleshooting.
• Support mobile devices, remote access, and hybrid work access by assisting with enrollment, authentication, configuration, connectivity, synchronization, and application access issues.
• Perform device imaging, deployment, replacement, endpoint setup, and lifecycle support for desktops, laptops, peripherals, and store or field equipment.
• Assist with IT asset inventory, equipment logistics, device tracking, shipping, receiving, replacement, and hardware refresh activities.
• Support store technology and POS-related requests, including user access, profiles, basic troubleshooting, documentation, and escalation coordination.
• Maintain ownership of issues through follow-up, documentation, escalation tracking, user communication, and final resolution, even when work is routed to another team.
• Communicate with escalation teams to resolve network, telecom, phone, power, infrastructure, application, security, and access-related issues in a timely manner.
• Meet or exceed SLA targets by using contact lists, escalation lists, documentation, prioritization standards, and established support procedures.
• Create, update, and maintain knowledgebase documentation to improve support quality, training, consistency, and first-contact resolution.
• Identify recurring issues, process gaps, and improvement opportunities that enhance the quality, speed, and consistency of IT support.
• Maintain an in-depth working knowledge of supported systems, services, support procedures, policies, and escalation paths.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.
• High school diploma or GED required.
• 1 to 3 years of relevant work experience in IT support, service desk, help desk, desktop support, retail systems support, or a related technical support function.
• Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and courteously with technical and non-technical users through phone, e-mail, chat, ticketing, and in-person support channels.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, document work accurately, follow established procedures, and maintain ownership of issues through resolution.
• Ability to provide support during off hours as business needs require.

Technical Skills

• Windows desktop and laptop support
• Active Directory
• Microsoft 365 suite
• Exchange Online and Outlook support
• Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• VPN and remote access troubleshooting
• MFA and authentication support
• Security groups, distribution groups, permissions, and licensing
• iOS and Android mobile device support
• MDM support
• Desktop imaging and deployment
• IT asset inventory and logistics
• Ticketing systems, incident management, problem management, and SLA management
• Basic LAN, Wi‑Fi, and network troubleshooting

Role Summary

This role provides frontline IT support for store, field, corporate, remote, and hybrid users. The position focuses on resolving support requests, maintaining user access, supporting end-user devices and applications, coordinating escalations, meeting service-level expectations, maintaining accurate records, and improving support documentation.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Effectively, professionally, and respectfully represent Information Systems staff, teams, and services to the end-user community.
• Provide Tier 1 IT support to end users and system administrators across store, field, corporate, remote, and hybrid work environments.
• Answer questions, troubleshoot issues, instruct users on hardware and software functionality, and communicate support procedures and company policy.
• Answer, evaluate, prioritize, and resolve incoming calls, e-mails, chats, and ticket requests while maintaining accurate work history records in the ticketing system.
• Triage requests based on urgency, business impact, user impact, operational need, and service-level expectations.
• Lead users through diagnostic procedures to resolve desktop, laptop, application, account access, connectivity, remote access, mobile device, hardware, peripheral, and basic network issues.
• Perform basic user account and access support, including account setup, password resets, account unlocks, permissions, group membership updates, profile changes, e-mail access support, and related login issues.
• Support productivity tools and enterprise applications by assisting with access, configuration, functionality questions, user instruction, and basic troubleshooting.
• Support mobile devices, remote access, and hybrid work access by assisting with enrollment, authentication, configuration, connectivity, synchronization, and application access issues.
• Perform device imaging, deployment, replacement, endpoint setup, and lifecycle support for desktops, laptops, peripherals, and store or field equipment.
• Assist with IT asset inventory, equipment logistics, device tracking, shipping, receiving, replacement, and hardware refresh activities.
• Support store technology and POS-related requests, including user access, profiles, basic troubleshooting, documentation, and escalation coordination.
• Maintain ownership of issues through follow-up, documentation, escalation tracking, user communication, and final resolution, even when work is routed to another team.
• Communicate with escalation teams to resolve network, telecom, phone, power, infrastructure, application, security, and access-related issues in a timely manner.
• Meet or exceed SLA targets by using contact lists, escalation lists, documentation, prioritization standards, and established support procedures.
• Create, update, and maintain knowledgebase documentation to improve support quality, training, consistency, and first-contact resolution.
• Identify recurring issues, process gaps, and improvement opportunities that enhance the quality, speed, and consistency of IT support.
• Maintain an in-depth working knowledge of supported systems, services, support procedures, policies, and escalation paths.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.
• High school diploma or GED required.
• 1 to 3 years of relevant work experience in IT support, service desk, help desk, desktop support, retail systems support, or a related technical support function.
• Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and courteously with technical and non-technical users through phone, e-mail, chat, ticketing, and in-person support channels.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, document work accurately, follow established procedures, and maintain ownership of issues through resolution.
• Ability to provide support during off hours as business needs require.

Minimum Requirements

• High school diploma or GED required.
• 1 to 3 years of relevant work experience in IT support, service desk, help desk, desktop support, retail systems support, or a related technical support function.
• Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and courteously with technical and non-technical users through phone, e-mail, chat, ticketing, and in-person support channels.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, document work accurately, follow established procedures, and maintain ownership of issues through resolution.
• Ability to provide support during off hours as business needs require.

Technical Skills

• Windows desktop and laptop support
• Active Directory
• Azure AD / Microsoft Entra ID
• Microsoft 365 suite
• Exchange Online and Outlook support
• Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• VPN and remote access troubleshooting
• MFA and authentication support
• Security groups, distribution groups, permissions, and licensing
• iOS and Android mobile device support
• MDM support
• Desktop imaging and deployment
• Device lifecycle management
• IT asset inventory and logistics
• POS system support
• Ticketing systems, incident management, problem management, and SLA management
• Basic LAN, Wi‑Fi, and network troubleshooting
• Enterprise application support
• Knowledgebase documentation

Special Attributes and Competencies

• Analytical Skills: Able to explore information, data, reports, and other sources to identify issues, extract meaningful insights, and creatively resolve problems that improve business performance.
• Collaboration: Able to develop cooperation and teamwork while working with cross‑functional groups, escalation teams, vendors, store teams, field teams, and business stakeholders.
• Customer Focus: Able to meet the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers, act with users in mind, and recognize the importance of the end customer experience.
• Initiative: Able to identify opportunities and issues, independently follow through on work activities, learn detailed instructions quickly, and adapt to a fast‑paced environment.
• Interpersonal Communication: Able to communicate clearly, concisely, and courteously through verbal, written, ticketing, and presentation channels with all levels of the company.
• Organizational Skills: Able to manage multiple priorities, stay on track, maintain strong attention to detail, complete work thoroughly, and meet deadlines in a high‑volume support environment.
• Why Guitar Center? Here's just some of the rewards:

For our employees who are musicians we offer the unique opportunity of gig leave--take time off to share your music with the world and return to your job after your tour! Guitar Center offers robust benefits and perks, including Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K plus company match, mental health support, paid sick/holiday/vacation time, employee discount program, and tuition reimbursement options.

Pay Rate:$65,000-$70,000/yr depending on background and experience.

The job posting is not necessarily reflective of actual compensation that may be earned, nor a promise of any specific pay for any specific employee, which is always dependent on actual experience, education, and other factors. The pay range(s) listed are provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different in other locations.

With a career at Guitar Center, you become part of the world's largest multichannel musical instrument retailer. Whether at our Stores, Contact Centers, Distribution Centers, or Support Center, Guitar Center employees have a common goal: to help people find their sound and fill the world with more music.

Music & Arts is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides fair and equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status prohibited under Federal, State, or local laws. All employment decisions are based on valid job‑ related requirements.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our website, you may request a reasonable accommodation to express interest in a specific opening. You can request reasonable accommodation by calling 1‑818-735-8800 ext. 2862 or by sending an email [e-mail].