Service Desk Lead

UC Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

UC Santa Barbara is seeking a Help Desk Lead to provide operational leadership for BFS and FARM service delivery. You will coordinate ServiceNow ticket intake, triage, and customer support, while promoting consistent processes and self‑service resources.

You will develop knowledge resources, dashboards, and service performance metrics, working with cross‑functional teams to improve response times and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
• 1–3 years demonstrated experience in ticket management, triage, and workflow administration within the ServiceNow platform.
• 1–3 years strong background in customer support, with a proven ability to manage escalations and maintain high service standards.
• 1–3 years proven experience creating, maintaining, and publishing knowledge base articles, user guides, and standard operating procedures.
• 1–3 years ability to analyze ticket data, service metrics, and aging reports to generate operational dashboards and identify trends.
• 1–3 years demonstrated track record of identifying operational inefficiencies and recommending process improvements to enhance the customer experience.
• 1–3 years strong collaborative skills to work effectively with subject matter experts and cross‑functional teams to coordinate ticket resolutions.

Responsibilities

• 40% ServiceNow Administration and Ticket Management: Provides day‑to‑day administration and coordination of ServiceNow requests and workflows supporting BFS and FARM services.
• 25% Customer Support and Service Excellence: Promotes a positive customer experience by providing responsive support, clear communication, and consistent service delivery practices.
• 20% Knowledge Management and Process Documentation: Develops and maintains knowledge resources that improve service consistency, employee productivity, and self‑service capabilities.
• 15% Reporting, Process Improvement, and Operational Support: Develops and maintains service delivery dashboards and operational reports.

Skills

Knowledge management

ServiceNow

Dashboards

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

ServiceNow

Job description

Job Summary

Under the general direction of the Associate Controller, the Help Desk Lead provides operational leadership and day‑to‑day support for the Business and Financial Services (BFS) and Finance and Resource Management (FARM) service delivery model. The position serves as the primary coordinator for ServiceNow ticket intake, triage, customer support, knowledge management, and service improvement initiatives. The Service Desk Lead is responsible for ensuring timely, accurate, and customer‑focused responses to service requests while supporting the development of consistent business processes, service standards, and self‑service resources.

Job Functions And Percentages Of Time

• 40% ServiceNow Administration and Ticket Management

  Provides day‑to‑day administration and coordination of ServiceNow requests and workflows supporting BFS and FARM services.

  • Monitor and triage incoming ServiceNow requests, incidents, and inquiries.
  • Assign tickets to appropriate functional teams and monitor progress through resolution.
  • Ensure service requests are routed, prioritized, and resolved in accordance with established service standards.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for ticket escalations and customer follow‑up.
  • Monitor ticket queues, aging reports, and service metrics to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
  • Support implementation and enhancement of ServiceNow forms, workflows, catalogs, and reporting tools.
  • Coordinate testing and validation activities related to ServiceNow improvements and enhancements.
• 25% Customer Support and Service Excellence

  Promotes a positive customer experience by providing responsive support, clear communication, and consistent service delivery practices.

  • Respond to customer inquiries and provide guidance regarding BFS and FARM services.
  • Develop and maintain standard communication templates and customer response tools.
  • Ensure customers receive timely updates regarding service requests and issue resolution.
  • Identify recurring customer concerns and recommend solutions to improve service delivery.
  • Collaborate with functional teams to establish service standards and customer support expectations.
  • Support customer outreach, awareness campaigns, and service‑related communications.
• 20% Knowledge Management and Process Documentation

  Develops and maintains knowledge resources that improve service consistency, employee productivity, and self‑service capabilities.

  • Develop, maintain, and publish knowledge base articles, FAQs, procedures, and training materials.
  • Partner with subject matter experts to document business processes and service procedures.
  • Establish standards for knowledge article creation, review, and maintenance.
  • Identify opportunities to expand self‑service capabilities and reduce ticket volume.
  • Monitor knowledge article usage and recommend improvements based on customer feedback and analytics.
  • Support onboarding and training efforts related to BFS and FARM services.
• 15% Reporting, Process Improvement, and Operational Support

  Supports operational effectiveness through reporting, analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.

  • Develop and maintain service delivery dashboards and operational reports.
  • Analyze ticket data, service trends, and customer feedback to identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Recommend process improvements that enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.
  • Support implementation of new services, workflows, and operational initiatives.
  • Participate in special projects related to service delivery, customer experience, and business process improvement.
  • Provide recommendations to leadership regarding service performance, resource needs, and operational priorities.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
• 1–3 years demonstrated experience in ticket management, triage, and workflow administration within the ServiceNow platform.
• 1–3 years strong background in customer support, with a proven ability to manage escalations and maintain high service standards.
• 1–3 years proven experience creating, maintaining, and publishing knowledge base articles, user guides, and standard operating procedures.
• 1–3 years ability to analyze ticket data, service metrics, and aging reports to generate operational dashboards and identify trends.
• 1–3 years demonstrated track record of identifying operational inefficiencies and recommending process improvements to enhance the customer experience.
• 1–3 years strong collaborative skills to work effectively with subject matter experts and cross‑functional teams to coordinate ticket resolutions.

Preferred Qualifications

• 1–3 years previous experience providing service desk or operational support within a business, financial, or resource management environment.
• 1–3 years specialized training or certification in ServiceNow administration, portal implementation, or workflow configuration.

Special Conditions Of Employment

• This position is a career appointment, ending after 18 months of employment.
• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employee sponsorship.
• Satisfactory criminal history background check.
• UCSB is a Tobacco‑Free environment.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.

“Misconduct” Means Any Violation Of The Policies Governing Employee Conduct At The Applicant’s Previous Place Of Employment, Including, But Not Limited To, Violations Of Policies Prohibiting Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Or Other Forms Of Harassment, Or Discrimination, As Defined By The Employer. For Reference, Below Are UC’s Policies Addressing Some Forms Of Misconduct: UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy, UC Anti‑Discrimination Policy, Abusive Conduct in the Workplace.

UC Vaccination Programs Policy

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs.

As a condition of Physical Presence at a Location or in a University Program, all Covered Individuals must participate in any applicable Vaccination Program by providing proof that they are up‑to‑date with any required vaccines or submitting a request for exception in a mandate program or properly declining vaccination in an opt‑out program no later than the compliance date.

• Covered Individuals: A Covered Individual includes anyone designated as Personnel or Students under this policy who physically accesses a University Facility or Program in connection with their employment, appointment, or education/training.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Reasonable Accommodations

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