IT Service Desk Manager

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and mentor a team of service desk analysts (1st and 2nd Line) and a team of application specialists, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.  

• Oversee the resolution of IT incidents and service requests, ensuring adherence to service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs).  

• Coordinate with vendors for hardware, software, and cloud service support, negotiating contracts and ensuring vendor performance meets organizational standards.  

• Integrate cloud platform support (e.g., AWS, Azure, Microsoft 365) into service desk processes, ensuring the team is equipped to handle related queries.  

• Develop and implement service desk policies, procedures, and workflows to optimize efficiency and user satisfaction.  

• Monitor ticket queues, analyze trends, and implement solutions to reduce recurring issues or improve response times.  

• Act as an escalation point for complex technical or customer issues, collaborating with infrastructure teams or vendors as needed.  

• Maintain and enhance the IT service management system (e.g., Manage Engine, ServiceNow, Remedy, Jira), ensuring accurate reporting and documentation.  

• Drive training programs to upskill the team on emerging technologies, cloud platforms, and vendor-specific tools.  

• Manage budgets for service desk operations, including vendor agreements and cloud subscriptions, optimizing costs without compromising quality.  

• Produce regular performance reports for senior leadership, highlighting metrics, challenges, and improvement plans.  

• Ensure compliance with IT security policies, data protection regulations, and vendor obligations.  

Skills and Qualifications:

• Proven experience in IT service desk management or a supervisory role (3+ years preferred).  

• Strong understanding of IT support processes, including incident management, problem management, and ITIL frameworks.  

• Experience managing vendor relationships, from procurement to SLA enforcement.  

• Familiarity with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and their integration into support operations.  

• Knowledge of desktop and server operating systems, networking basics, and common enterprise applications.  

• Excellent leadership and people management skills, with a track record of building high-performing teams.  

• Analytical mindset to interpret data, improve processes, and drive operational efficiency.  

• Exceptional communication skills to liaise with team members, vendors, and senior stakeholders.  

• Relevant certifications (e.g., ITIL v4 Foundation, Microsoft AZ-900, PMP) are advantageous.  

Personal Attributes:

• Decisive and approachable, with a focus on team morale and customer satisfaction.  

• Strategic and forward-thinking, adept at balancing technical and business priorities.  

• Resilient, with the ability to manage pressure and adapt to evolving technology landscapes.  

Working Conditions:

• Primarily office-based with hybrid flexibility, with occasional on-call availability for critical incidents.  

• May involve travel to vendor sites or other company locations as needed.  

GSF Car Parts is one of the UK’s leading automotive parts distributors, supplying thousands of independent garages throughout the UK and Ireland with parts, tools, garage equipment and specialist training. The group has over 194 branches nationwide and a turnover exceeding £500 million. Built on the heritage and success of a dozen local brand identities acquired over several years, we have traded as one brand since November 2021. Our branch network is bolstered by centralised support and expertise from specialist departments in key areas such as procurement and supply chain, marketing and national accounts. The business also benefits from integrated IT systems, which include our industry leading catalogue system, Allicat, and access to the Group's national garage programme, Servicesure