Service Desk Manager

ASM Research, An Accenture Federal Services Company; Lorton (VA); On-site; USD 105,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

ASM Research seeks a Service Desk Manager to lead the internal IT Help Desk, ensuring prompt support and SLA adherence. You will direct staff, manage ticketing workflows, and drive service improvements across IT teams.

The role requires 4–6+ years in technical support with 2+ years in supervision, a Secret clearance, and experience with ServiceNow, Jira Service Management or Zendesk. Expect collaboration with Networks and Security on incidents and projects.

Qualifications

• 4–6+ years in technical support/help desk operations with 2+ years of direct supervisory experience.
• Secret Security Clearance.
• Strong knowledge of Windows/macOS, Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and networking fundamentals.
• Experience with ITSM/ticketing platforms (ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, Zendesk).
• Proven track record managing staff schedules, performance, and hiring.
• Excellent communication skills, both technical and interpersonal.
• Strong analytical skills with metrics to drive team performance.

Responsibilities

• Directly supervise Help Desk Analysts/Technicians: scheduling, attendance, workload distribution, and shift coverage.
• Conduct performance reviews, set goals, and provide coaching and disciplinary action when needed.
• Own ticket queue management — ensure SLAs are met, tickets are triaged, and escalations are handled promptly.
• Serve as the primary escalation contact for unresolved or high-priority issues.
• Recruit, interview, and onboard new Help Desk staff.
• Develop and maintain Help Desk policies, procedures, and documentation.
• Analyze performance metrics (ticket volume, resolution time, CSAT, SLA) and report to IT leadership.
• Monitor Tier 0 deflection for internal users and coordinate improvement opportunities.
• Oversee onboarding/offboarding processes (accounts, equipment, access provisioning).
• Manage the Help Desk's ticketing system configuration, workflows, and reporting.
• Collaborate with Network, Security, and Systems teams on incidents and IT projects.
• Identify trends and lead root-cause resolution initiatives.
• Ensure adherence to security and compliance policies across all support activities.
• Manage vendor/tool relationships related to help desk operations.
• Maintain staffing/coverage continuity during facility closures.
• Coordinate handoffs between day and extended hours teams to ensure continuous ownership.

Skills

Staff supervision

Windows/macOS proficiency

Active Directory

Microsoft 365

Networking fundamentals

Analytical with metrics

Excellent communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT/CS or related field

ITIL Foundation certification

CompTIA A+ certification

CompTIA Network+ certification

CompTIA Security+ certification

Tools

ServiceNow

Jira Service Management

Zendesk

Job description

Position Summary

The Service Desk Manager manages the day-to-day operations and staff of the internal IT Help Desk, ensuring employees receive prompt, effective technical support. This role owns team performance, staffing/scheduling, and service metrics, while partnering with IT leadership on process improvements and escalations.

Key Responsibilities

• Directly supervise Help Desk Analysts/Technicians: scheduling, attendance, workload distribution, and shift coverage.

• Conduct performance reviews, set goals, and provide ongoing coaching and disciplinary action when needed.

• Own ticket queue management — ensure SLAs are met, tickets are properly triaged, and escalations are handled promptly.

• Serve as the primary escalation contact for unresolved or high-priority technical issues.

• Recruit, interview, and onboard new Help Desk staff.

• Develop and maintain Help Desk policies, procedures, and standard operating documentation.

• Analyze performance metrics (ticket volume, resolution time, CSAT, SLA compliance) and report to IT leadership.

• Monitor and support Tier 0 (self-service/chatbot) deflection effectiveness for internal users, coordinating on trends and improvement opportunities.

• Oversee IT onboarding/offboarding processes (accounts, equipment, access provisioning).

• Manage the Help Desk's ticketing system configuration, workflows, and reporting.

• Collaborate with Network, Security, and Systems teams on incident/problem management and IT projects.

• Identify trends in recurring issues and lead initiatives for root‑cause resolution.

• Ensure adherence to security and compliance policies across all support activities.

• Manage vendor/tool relationships related to help desk operations as needed.

• Maintain staffing/coverage continuity plans to sustain internal Help Desk support during facility closures.

• Coordinate day-shift-to-night/weekend handoff with the Extended Hours team to ensure continuous ticket ownership across shift transitions.

Required Qualifications

• 4–6+ years of experience in technical support/help desk operations with 2+ years of direct supervisory experience managing a support team.

• Secret Security Clearance

• Strong knowledge of Windows/macOS, Active Directory, Microsoft 365, networking fundamentals.

• Experience with ITSM/ticketing platforms (ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, Zendesk, etc.).

• Proven track record managing staff schedules, performance, and hiring.

• Excellent communication skills, both technical and interpersonal.

• Strong analytical skills with experience using metrics to drive team performance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in IT, Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent experience).

• ITIL Foundation certification.

• CompTIA A+, Network+, or Security+ certification.

• Familiarity with automation/scripting (PowerShell) for process efficiency.

Compensation Ranges

Compensation ranges for ASM Research positions vary depending on multiple factors; including but not limited to, location, skill set, level of education, certifications, client requirements, contract‑specific affordability, government clearance and investigation level, and years of experience. The compensation displayed for this role is a general guideline based on these factors and is unique to each role. Monetary compensation is one component of ASM's overall compensation and benefits package for employees.

EEO Requirements

It is the policy of ASM that an individual's race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation or national origin are not and will not be considered in any personnel or management decisions. We affirm our commitment to these fundamental policies.

All recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications is done without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, or age. All decisions on employment are made to abide by the principle of equal employment.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements described in \"Knowledge, Skills and Abilities\" above are representative of those which must be met by an employee to successfully perform the primary functions of this job. (For example, \"light office duties' or \"lifting up to 50 pounds\" or \"some travel\" required.) Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with qualifying disabilities, who are otherwise qualified, to perform the primary functions.

Disclaimer

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

$105k - $125k

EEO Requirements

It is the policy of ASM that an individual's race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, gender identity, veteran status, sexual orientation or national origin are not and will not be considered in any personnel or management decisions. We affirm our commitment to these fundamental policies.

All recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications is done without regard to race, color, religion, sex, veteran status, disability, gender identity, or age. All decisions on employment are made to abide by the principle of equal employment.