Service Desk Manager (Management Information Systems)

Gulf Coast Blood; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free Parking

Career advancement

Job summary

Gulf Coast Blood in Houston is seeking a Manager – Service Desk to lead IT operations and end-user support across a regulated blood manufacturing environment. The role ensures reliable, secure, and responsive service desk delivery for donor centers, laboratories, manufacturing systems, and patient-care-critical technologies.

You will drive ITIL processes, SLAs, and incident management, mentor a team of analysts, manage vendor relationships, and ensure compliance with FDA, HIPAA, and GxP

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, Healthcare Informatics, or related field required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• 7–10+ years of experience in IT support, service desk, or IT operations.
• 3+ years in a leadership role managing service desk or support teams.
• Experience in healthcare, life sciences, blood banking, or regulated manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of ITIL frameworks; certification preferred.
• Experience working in validated systems and audit environments.
• Familiarity with ITSM platforms (ServiceNow, Ivanti, Jira Service Management).
• Experience supporting 24/7 operations in a mission-critical environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead Tier 1–2 service desk operations across clinical, laboratory, and corporate users.
• Ensure high-quality end-user support in a 24/7 environment.
• Establish and manage SLAs and OLAs aligned with regulatory expectations.
• Drive ITIL processes: Incident, Problem, and Request Management.
• Monitor KPIs and drive service improvements.
• Maintain continuous availability of critical systems (LIS, Donor Management, Manufacturing, ERP).
• Coordinate major incidents and disaster recovery efforts.
• Collaborate with Quality, Compliance, and Regulatory teams.
• Develop and mentor a high-performing team; manage vendors.

Skills

Leadership

ITIL knowledge

Healthcare IT

Service Desk Management

Vendor Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology

Master's degree preferred

Tools

ServiceNow

Ivanti

Jira Service Management

Job description

Join our team of heroes! Are you seeking daily adventure while advancing your career? Look no further.

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY

The Manager – Service Desk (IT Operations & End-User Support) leads the delivery of reliable, secure, and highly responsive IT support services across a regulated blood manufacturing environment. This role is critical to ensuring uninterrupted operations supporting donor centers, laboratory systems, manufacturing systems, and patient-care-critical technologies.

Just For You:

• Free Parking!
• Career advancement.
• Engaging and exciting opportunity to support an organization that SAVES LIVES.

Tips to thrive in our culture:

• Embody our Core Values of Commitment, Integrity, and Respect.
• Work to actively create experiences that inspire others to save lives, each and every day.
• Embrace doing it right, making connections, and creating desired experiences.
• Comply with all organizational policies and standards, including safety rules, and be willing to report actual and potential violations to the appropriate supervisor or manager.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Service Desk Leadership & Operations (35%)

• Lead and oversee Tier 1–2 service desk operations supporting clinical, laboratory, and corporate users.
• Ensure consistent, high-quality end-user support across all locations and functions.
• Manage support coverage to meet the needs of a 24/7 operational environment.

Service Delivery & ITIL Process Management (30%)

• Establish and manage SLAs and OLAs aligned with regulatory expectations and patient safety requirements.
• Drive ITIL-based processes, including Incident, Problem, and Request Management.
• Monitor service desk performance metrics and KPIs to ensure service effectiveness and efficiency.
• Identify trends and implement improvements to reduce recurring issues and enhance user experience.

Operational Support & System Availability (15%)

• Ensure continuous availability of IT support for critical systems, including:
• Laboratory Information Systems (LIS)
• Donor Management Systems
• Manufacturing Systems
• ERP and Business Applications
• Lead coordination and escalation for major incidents impacting business operations.
• Support disaster recovery processes and operational continuity efforts.

Compliance & Regulatory Alignment (10%)

• Partner with Quality, Compliance, and Regulatory teams to ensure adherence to FDA, AABB, HIPAA, and GxP standards.
• Ensure service desk processes align with audit and validation requirements.
• Maintain accurate documentation and support audit readiness.

Team Leadership & Vendor Management (10%)

• Develop, coach, and mentor a high-performing team of analysts and specialists.
• Foster a customer-focused, service-oriented culture.
• Manage vendor relationships for outsourced support services and service desk tools.
• Monitor vendor performance against agreed SLAs.

Required Qualifications:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Healthcare Informatics, or related field required.
• Master’s degree preferred.

Experience

• 7–10+ years of experience in IT support, service desk, or IT operations.
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing service desk or support teams.
• Experience in healthcare, life sciences, blood banking, or regulated manufacturing required.
• Strong knowledge of ITIL frameworks (certification preferred).
• Experience working in validated systems and audit environments.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting 24/7 operations in a mission-critical environment.
• Familiarity with ITSM platforms (e.g., ServiceNow, Ivanti, Jira Service Management).
• Experience with service desk analytics and reporting tools.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands:

• Work Environment: Hybrid (combination of in-office and remote work).
• Physical Requirements: Ability to sit or stand for extended periods.
• Travel: Occasional travel for site support or vendor engagements.
• Schedule: Standard business hours (Monday–Friday) with after-hours availability to support a 24/7 operational environment.

Who We Are:

Since 1975, Gulf Coast Blood has been one of the nation’s largest community blood centers, serving 170 hospitals across 26 counties. Headquartered in Houston, we support the world’s largest medical complex—the Texas Medical Center—while operating 18 donor centers and hosting more than 7,000 mobile blood drives each year. As an FDA-accredited nonprofit, we provide high-quality human cellular material for both scientific and therapeutic use.

Some Jobs Change Lives. Others Save Them.

Think you have what it takes to save lives with us? We want to hear from you.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER STATEMENT

Gulf Coast Blood is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants for positions are considered without regard to race/ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, military status, protected veteran status, disability status, genetic testing results, or any other basis or characteristic prohibited by applicable law, statute, regulation or Executive Order.