Service Desk Manager

Kuvare; Cedar Rapids (IA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in Cedar Rapids is seeking a Manager of the Service Desk to lead a high-performing team. This role involves supervising technicians, managing support processes, and driving IT operational excellence. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in IT support and a proven leadership track record. Responsibilities include overseeing service requests, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and collaborating with IT teams for effective incident resolution.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in IT support, 2+ years in leadership.
• Experience with Incident & Change Management, ITSM/ITIL.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and mentor Service Desk Technicians.
• Oversee support requests, ensuring timely resolutions.
• Develop reports on team performance and ticket metrics.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem-Solving

Organizational Skills

Time Management

Tools

Microsoft Office

Zendesk

ServiceNow

Jira

Job description

Kuvare is on a mission to serve hardworking consumers overwhelmed by the complexities of retirement and is built from the ground up to do so. Our unified financial hub protects the retirement of everyday Americans and the distributors, carriers and investors that serve them. We create life insurance and annuity products that protect consumers’ retirements, and are simplified for distributor partners and financial professionals to sell and service.

Kuvare family of companies:

Retail Annuity and Life Insurance Solutions:
- United Life Insurance Company
- Guaranty Income Life Insurance Company
- Lincoln Benefit Life

Institutional Insurance:
- Kuvare Life Re

Bespoke Insurance Solutions:
- Ignite Partners

About the role

The Manager of the Service Desk is responsible for leading a high-performing team that supports end-user computing and systems operations across Kuvare’s U.S. offices. This role ensures timely resolution of service requests and incidents, enhances support processes, promotes user satisfaction, and collaborates across departments to drive IT operational excellence. The manager will mentor technicians, maintain SLAs, and contribute to broader infrastructure initiatives by coordinating escalations, reporting trends, and promoting continuous improvement.

What you'll do

· Supervise, mentor, and evaluate Service Desk Technicians.

· Lead hiring, onboarding, and professional development initiatives.

· Define and communicate career growth paths for service desk roles.

· Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Operational Management

· Oversee the intake, categorization, prioritization, and resolution of all support requests via ticketing systems, phone, and email.

· Maintain ownership of the service desk queue, ensuring timely resolution and escalation as needed to meet SLA commitments.

· Provide hands-on support when remote troubleshooting is insufficient (e.g., hardware issues, peripheral delivery).

· Promote effective use of the Service Desk Platform across business units and support functions.

· Maintain accurate and complete documentation of support activities and resolutions.

Process Optimization & Reporting

· Develop and publish weekly, monthly and/or quarterly reports on team performance and ticket metrics.

· Identify process inefficiencies and recommend improvements aligned with ITIL and maturing enterprise support models.

· Contribute to the expansion of internal knowledge bases and end-user training documentation.

· Coordinate with system administrators and other IT teams to “shift left” where feasible.

· Provide leadership during critical incident response and act as the primary escalation point for the service desk.

· Collaborate with SMEs and infrastructure teams for swift and accurate resolution.

· Ensure proper incident logging, tracking, and post-resolution analysis

· Leverage diagnostic tools, remote support platforms, and software deployment tools to aid in support.

· Maintain understanding of supported systems, hardware, and software in the organization.

· Ensure proper maintenance of IT assets including printers, workstations, and conference room equipment.

· Deploy pre-packaged software using distribution tools and processes as requested by end users.

Facilities Support

· Provide first-line support for minor facility issues as needed.

· Ensure proper functioning of in-office technology and equipment

Strategic Contributions

· Identify and report emerging trends in support tickets and user behavior.

· Recommend technology and service improvements aligned with business needs.

· Partner with procurement to support acquisition and deployment of hardware and software

Qualifications

Experience

· 5+ years of experience in IT support, system administration, or help desk roles, with at least 2 years in a leadership capacity

· Proven track record managing service desk operations and personnel

· Experience in an enterprise environment with Incident & Change Management and ITSM/ ITIL

· Strong organizational and time management skills with keen attention to detail

· Effective communicator, capable of engaging with users, peers, and executives

· Skilled in Microsoft Office and enterprise ticketing tools (e.g., Zendesk, ServiceNow, Jira).

· Self-starter with a high degree of initiative and follow-through

· Demonstrated problem-solving and analytical abilities.

The pay range for this role is:

100,000 - 130,000 USD per year (Rosemont)