We are seeking an experienced MSP Helpdesk Manager to lead our Houston-based technical support team. This role is responsible for overseeing daily helpdesk operations, managing a multi-tiered support staff (Level 1 through Level 3), ensuring SLA compliance, and driving continuous improvement in service delivery for our managed services clients. The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise, strong leadership skills, and a proven track record of managing escalations, including complex Level 3 technical issues.
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced MSP Helpdesk Manager to lead our Houston-based technical support team. This role is responsible for overseeing daily helpdesk operations, managing a multi-tiered support staff (Level 1 through Level 3), ensuring SLA compliance, and driving continuous improvement in service delivery for our managed services clients. The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise, strong leadership skills, and a proven track record of managing escalations, including complex Level 3 technical issues.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage and lead the day-to-day operations of the MSP helpdesk team, including Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 support staff.
- Oversee ticket queue management, ensuring timely response and resolution in accordance with client SLAs.
- Serve as the final escalation point for complex Level 3 technical issues, including advanced network, server, and infrastructure troubleshooting.
- Monitor helpdesk KPIs (first response time, resolution time, ticket backlog, customer satisfaction) and drive improvement initiatives.
- Recruit, train, mentor, and evaluate helpdesk technicians and team leads.
- Develop and enforce standard operating procedures, knowledge base articles, and escalation workflows.
- Collaborate with account managers and clients on recurring issues, major incidents, and root cause analysis.
- Coordinate with vendors and third-party providers for hardware, software, and infrastructure support.
- Conduct regular team meetings, performance reviews, and one-on-ones with direct reports.
- Ensure proper documentation of all support activities within the PSA/ticketing system (e.g., ConnectWise or similar).
- Participate in on-call rotation planning and after-hours escalation procedures as needed.
- Support budgeting, staffing plans, and reporting for the helpdesk department.
Required Qualifications
- 8+ years of progressive IT support experience, with at least 3+ years in a supervisory or management role within an MSP or similar environment.
- Strong working knowledge of Level 3 technical issues, including advanced troubleshooting of networks (LAN/WAN, VPN, firewalls), servers (Windows/Linux), Active Directory, virtualization (VMware/Hyper-V), and cloud platforms (Azure/AWS/M365).
- Proven experience managing helpdesk teams supporting multiple clients in a managed services model.
- Solid understanding of ITIL best practices, SLA management, and ticketing/PSA systems.
- Excellent leadership, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to interface directly with clients and executives.
- ITIL Foundation Certification.
- Experience with remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools.
- Ability to work on-site in Houston, TX, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Preferred Qualifications
- Relevant certifications such as CompTIA A+/Network+/Security+, Microsoft (MS-102, AZ-104), Cisco (CCNA), or ITIL Foundation.
- Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent experience).
- Experience with security tools, backup/disaster recovery solutions, and compliance frameworks.
- Prior experience in a client-facing MSP account management capacity.