Lead - Managed Service Desk

Role Purpose:

The Service Desk & IT Support Delivery Unit (SDU) Leader is accountable for the end-to-end delivery, operational performance, and commercial health of the Managed Service Desk Delivery Unit within the IT Managed Services Business Unit. The role owns three interlocked service lines - IT Support (onsite/remote end-user services), Service Desk (24x7 single point of contact), and L1 Application Functional Support - delivered to enterprise and government clients under SLA / XLA-driven managed services contracts.

Operating within an ITIL v4-aligned Service Value System, the SDU Leader ensures consistent service quality, customer experience, financial performance, and continuous improvement, while building a high-performing, ITIL-mature delivery organization.

Mandatory Selection Criteria:

• Service Desk & IT Support Management Experience: Minimum 3 years in a manager-level role leading Service Desk (SD) and IT Support operations.
• Managed Services / Service Provider Background: Prior employment with a managed services provider delivering Service Desk and IT Support under SLA-driven contracts (non-negotiable).
• ITIL v4 Certification: Valid ITIL v4 Foundation certification (minimum). ITIL 4 Managing Professional or Specialist modules preferred.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related discipline.
• Scale of Operation: Demonstrated leadership of multi-tier (L1/L2) teams of 100+ resources across multiple customer accounts.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Service Delivery & Operational Leadership

• Own end-to-end delivery of Service Desk, IT Support, and L1 Application Functional Support services across all managed contracts within the Delivery Unit.
• Ensure 24x7 service availability, shift coverage, and resource readiness across all customer environments.
• Act as the single point of accountability for service delivery performance, escalations, and contractual obligations.
• Drive consistent adoption of ITIL v4 practices across Incident, Service Request, Problem, Change Enablement, Knowledge, and Service Level Management.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for major incidents, customer escalations, and complex service issues.

2. ITIL v4 Process Governance

• Govern adoption of ITIL v4 Service Value Chain activities - Engage, Plan, Improve, Design & Transition, Obtain/Build, Deliver & Support - across the Delivery Unit.
• Maintain mature, auditable processes for Incident, Request, Problem, Change Enablement, Knowledge, and Continual Service Improvement (CSI).
• Ensure SOPs, runbooks, escalation matrices, and knowledge articles are documented, reviewed, and continuously updated.
• Lead internal and external audits (ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 20000, customer governance audits) and ensure timely closure of findings.

3. Service Desk Operations

• Lead 24x7 Service Desk operations as the single point of contact for end-users across multiple client accounts.
• Govern full ticket lifecycle management within ITSM tools - logging, classification, prioritization, routing, resolution, and closure.
• Drive First Call Resolution (FCR), reduce re-opened tickets, and increase self-service adoption.
• Implement workforce management practices including shift rostering, queue management, schedule adherence, and surge planning.

4. IT Support / End-User Services

• Lead L1 and L2 onsite and remote IT support teams across customer environments.
• Oversee endpoint lifecycle management including imaging, deployment, patching, hardening, and decommissioning using tools such as Microsoft Intune and SCCM/MECM.
• Govern Active Directory, Azure AD / Entra ID user provisioning, access management, and joiner-mover-leaver (JML) processes.
• Ensure VIP and executive support services meet white-glove service standards.
• Oversee Microsoft 365 operations (Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive) at L1/L2 level.

5. L1 Application Functional Support

• Lead L1 Application Functional Support teams covering government applications, e-services portals, ERP systems, case management, and business applications.
• Ensure structured functional triage, business rule validation, and escalation to L2/L3 application teams.
• Drive documentation, knowledge transfer, and training to ensure operational readiness across functional modules.

6. SLA / XLA / KPI Governance & Reporting

• Own SLA, OLA, and XLA performance across all service lines, ensuring ≥ 98% SLA compliance baseline.
• Govern operational KPIs including CSAT, FCR, MTTR, abandon rate, and others with executive-level reporting.
• Develop dashboards and management reports for leadership and customer governance forums.
• Lead monthly and quarterly service review meetings (MSR/QBR) with customers.

7. Customer & Stakeholder Management

• Act as senior delivery interface for customer stakeholders, PMO, and business owners.
• Build trust through proactive communication, risk management, and delivery consistency.
• Manage expectations, scope changes, and contractual discussions in coordination with Account Management and Legal teams.
• Identify and drive opportunities for service expansion, automation, and value-added services.

8. Financial & Commercial Management

• Own Delivery Unit P&L including revenue assurance, cost control, utilization, and forecasting.
• Manage resource costs, overtime, subcontracting, licensing, and tooling within approved budgets.
• Conduct monthly financial performance reviews and ensure alignment with contracted revenue.
• Ensure billing accuracy through validation of deliverables and consumption tracking.

9. Pre-Sales, RFP & Solutioning Support

• Support pre-sales and sales teams in RFPs, tenders, and solution development.
• Develop proposals including SoW, staffing models, transition plans, RACI matrices, and pricing inputs.
• Participate in customer presentations, due diligence, and bid defense sessions.

10. Transition, Onboarding & Transformation

• Lead end-to-end service transitions including due diligence, knowledge transfer, shadowing, reverse shadowing, and hypercare.
• Define onboarding plans, milestones, exit criteria, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Drive transformation initiatives including automation, AI-enabled Service Desk, self-service, and shift-left strategies.

11. AI, Automation & Continual Service Improvement (CSI)

• Drive adoption of AI-enabled Service Desk capabilities including intelligent triage, virtual agents, and AI-assisted resolution.
• Identify and implement automation opportunities using RPA, workflow automation, and self-healing scripts.
• Maintain CSI register and deliver measurable improvement initiatives with defined business impact.
• Ensure governed and practical use of AI with measurable outcomes and human oversight.

12. People Leadership & Capability Development

• Lead and develop a multi-tier team including Team Leads, Shift Leaders, Engineers, and Functional Analysts.
• Define career development paths, training plans, and certification roadmaps.
• Drive performance management, coaching, feedback, and recognition programs.
• Foster a culture of accountability, customer focus, and operational excellence.

13. Compliance, Risk & Security

• Ensure compliance with information security policies, data protection regulations, and contractual obligations.
• Maintain compliance with ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 20000, and ISO/IEC 27001 standards applicable to managed services delivery.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 10 years of total IT experience, including at least 3 years as a Service Desk & IT Support Manager.
• Mandatory prior experience with a Service Provider / Managed Services Provider, delivering Service Desk and IT Support under SLA-based contracts for enterprise or government clients.
• Proven leadership of multi-tier (L1/L2), multi-location teams of 40+ resources across multiple customer accounts.
• Demonstrated experience managing 24x7 operations with measurable SLA / XLA performance outcomes.
• Hands-on experience in customer onboarding, service transition, and steady-state operations.
• Strong track record of contributing to RFPs, RFQs, SoWs, technical proposals, and pre-sales solutioning.
• Experience working in ITIL v4-aligned environments with mature ITSM governance practices.
• Exposure to Qatar / GCC enterprise or government accounts is a strong advantage.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

1. ITSM Platforms

• ServiceNow, BMC Remedy / Helix, ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus, Ivanti, Symphony Summit (or equivalent enterprise ITSM tools)
• SLA configuration, workflow design, reporting, dashboards, and service automation

2. End-User Computing & Microsoft Stack

• Microsoft 365: Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive
• Active Directory, Azure AD / Entra ID, Group Policy, Conditional Access
• Microsoft Intune, SCCM / MECM, Autopilot - endpoint deployment, patching, and compliance
• Windows 10/11 support and macOS fundamentals
• Mobile device management (MDM)

3. Remote Support & Productivity Tools

• Remote support tools: Bomgar / BeyondTrust, TeamViewer, Quick Assist, Ivanti
• Knowledge management platforms and self-service portals

4. AI, Automation & Analytics (Awareness Level)

• AI Service Desk and Virtual Agent platforms, intelligent ticket classification
• RPA tools: UiPath, Power Automate, and workflow automation solutions
• Power BI or equivalent reporting and analytics tools

CORE COMPETENCIES

1. Leadership & People Management

• Strong executive presence with ability to engage Director and PMO-level stakeholders
• Leadership of large, multi-disciplinary teams (100+ resources)
• Coaching, mentoring, and succession planning

2. Service Delivery & Governance

• Deep practical understanding of ITIL v4 framework
• SLA / XLA / KPI design, governance, and reporting
• Strong customer-centric and experience-driven service mindset

3. Commercial & Strategic

• P&L ownership, gross margin management, and utilization optimization
• RFP / SoW development, pricing strategy, and solution design
• Vendor and subcontractor management

4. Behavioral Competencies

• Outcome-driven, accountable, and customer-obsessed mindset
• Calm and structured under pressure during major incidents and escalations
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills
• Bias toward measurable improvement and pragmatic innovation