Strategic Support Associate, Service Desk

jackson; Lansing (MI); On-site; USD 25,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Jackson is seeking a Strategic Support Associate to join the Associate Technology Operations Service Desk. You will be the central contact for users, handling incidents, service requests, and communications to maintain smooth business operations.

Responsibilities include logging requests, diagnosing issues, and updating knowledge bases while maintaining security and strong interdepartmental relationships. You will work Monday–Friday within 7:00am–7:00pm EST.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in a 2- or 4-year IT, CS, or cybersecurity program.
• Internship or IT support experience preferred.
• Experience with desktops, laptops, printers, Windows 10/11, AD, Office 365.
• Able to communicate technical and non-technical issues clearly.

Responsibilities

• Receive, log, and manage incoming service requests and incidents.
• Diagnose and resolve hardware, software, network, and access issues.
• Triage requests to Level 2/3 and escalate as needed.
• Maintain occupancy rate and high availability for calls.
• Update knowledge base and documentation.
• Record details in service management system.
• Generate reports on ticket trends and satisfaction when required.

Skills

Exceptional customer service

Excellent communication

Independent worker

Fast-paced environment

Problem solving

Windows 10/11 knowledge

Active Directory

Office 365

Education

2- or 4-year IT program

Tools

Ticketing system

Job description

Job Purpose

Jackson's Strategic Support Program (SSP) is designed to create a talent pipeline, providing on-demand staffing to various departments and teams within our organization. As a Strategic Support Associate (SSA), you will join our talented population of associates, performing critical daily business support functions which directly impact customer satisfaction. The Service Desk SSA will be a member of Jackson's Associate Technology Operations Service Desk team. They will act as the central point of contact between users and the IT organization. The associate's primary purpose is to ensure that incidents, service requests, and communications are managed efficiently to maintain smooth business operations. This position will support day-to-day IT Operations functions and continuously improve the program while maintaining security and strong relationships with internal departments. The Service Desk operates Monday - Friday 7:00am- 7:00pm EST.

Essential Responsibilities

• Receive, log, and manage incoming service requests and incidents via phone, email, or ticketing system.
• Diagnose and resolve technical issues related to hardware, software, network connectivity, and user access.
• Triage service requests and incidents to Level 2 and Level 3 support teams and elevate as needed.
• Maintain an 85% occupancy rate to ensure high availability for incoming calls.
• Provide courteous, professional, and timely support to all users.
• Communicate clearly and effectively, ensuring users are informed of issue status and resolution steps.
• Maintain a positive and service-oriented attitude in all interactions.
• Update knowledge base articles and contribute to documentation for common issues and solutions.
• Record detailed information on all support activities in the service management system.
• Generate reports on ticket trends, resolution times, and user satisfaction when required.
• Follow established IT policies, procedures, and operating level agreements (OLAs).
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives to enhance service quality and efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with security and confidentiality standards.
• Work closely with other IT teams to resolve issues and improve service delivery.
• Stay current with new technologies, tools, and best practices relevant to the role.
• Participate in training sessions and team meetings to maintain technical proficiency.
• Leverage internal AI-driven platforms to enhance Service Desk capabilities to reduce call volume.

Other Duties

• Performs other duties and/or projects as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Exceptional customer service skills.
• Demonstrate a willingness to learn.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to effectively communicate technical and non-technical issues both verbally and in writing.
• Positive, flexible, and self-motivated attitude.
• Detail-oriented with excellent follow-up skills.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage time and multiple priorities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to understand new materials quickly and apply new information, concepts, and procedures in a constructive manner.
• Knowledge of hardware and software platforms, including desktops, laptops, printers, peripherals, Windows 10/11, Active Directory, Microsoft Office 365 and mobile devices (iPhone/iPad, Android).
• Demonstrated proficiency in using the Microsoft Office suite of applications including Microsoft Project, Visio, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and Excel.
• Flexible shifts offered Monday - Friday from 7:00am - 7:00pm with a minimum shift requirement of 4 hours.
• Weekly maximum of 29 hours, with 18 hours required.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in a 2 or 4 year program focused on information technology, computer science, or cybersecurity preferred.
• Internship experience in IT or Security strongly preferred.
• Experience in IT support or computer networking strongly preferred.
• 1+ years broad experience working with a variety of different technology platforms, inclusive of hardware, software, desktop and networks required.
• Experience supporting a wide variety of hardware and software platforms, including: Desktops, laptops, printers, peripherals, Windows 10/11, Mac OS, Active Directory, Office 365 and mobile devices (iPhone/iPad, Android) required.

Current Shift Need

• Monday's: 6:55am-11am
• Tuesday's: 6:55am-11am
• Wednesday's: 6:55am-11am and 3-7pm
• Thursday's: 6:55am-11am
• Friday's: All day, specifically 6:55am-7pm

Jackson is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. The Company subscribes to and endorses federal and state laws and regulations relating to equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, legally-recognized disability, marital status, legally-protected medical condition, citizenship, anc