Hays
Service Desk Lead/ Junior Service Manager
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We are currently recruiting for a Service Desk Lead / Junior Service Manager on behalf of a growing organisation operating within the Defence sector. As the business continues to expand its customer base, a newly created opportunity has arisen to act as the bridge between technical teams and end customers, ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality IT services.
This position is ideal for an experienced Service Desk Lead, Service Desk Supervisor, or Service Desk Manager looking to take the next step into Service Management. The role offers genuine career progression and the opportunity to gain exposure across service delivery, continual service improvement, customer engagement, and operational governance. The position is offered on a hybrid basis, with three days per week based near Andover.
Your new role
As the Junior Service Manager, you will play a key role in driving service excellence across the organisation and its customer base. You will take ownership of monitoring IT service processes, ensuring they are clearly documented, effectively communicated, and continuously improved to support both business objectives and customer expectations. Working closely with operational teams, you will focus on enhancing the customer experience through efficient, tailored, and increasingly digitised service solutions.
- You will support the organisation's service improvement plans, ensuring actions are tracked, managed, and delivered successfully.
- Working collaboratively with stakeholders across the business, you will help drive a culture of continual improvement and ensure initiatives achieve measurable outcomes.
- A significant aspect of the role will involve monitoring and reporting on service performance against agreed SLAs and KPIs.
- You will analyse service trends, identify opportunities for improvement, and work with internal teams to implement enhancements that strengthen overall service delivery.
- Previous exposure to ITIL best practice is essential, and an ITIL qualification would be advantageous, although equivalent practical experience within an ITIL-focused environment will also be considered.
- You will monitor service desk performance, review open tickets, identify recurring issues, and produce meaningful management information and reporting.
- Through the analysis of service data, you will provide insights that support strategic decision-making and help shape future service models.
- The organisation is undergoing a significant period of growth and transformation, with a strong focus on strengthening its cybersecurity and information security capabilities. As the business works towards further maturity in its security and governance frameworks, including ISO27001 alignment, you will support the development and maintenance of scalable service management processes capable of supporting future growth and customer requirements.
- Due to the pace of change across the organisation, we are seeking an individual who is adaptable, solutions-focused, and comfortable operating within evolving environments.
- You will have a flexible approach, be able to balance competing priorities, and bring a proactive and creative mindset to problem-solving.
- You will also be responsible for managing the organisation's IT asset inventory, ensuring technology assets are tracked effectively and replaced at the appropriate time.
- Through forecasting and reporting, you will provide valuable information to support budgeting, asset life cycle management, and future technology planning.
- Working alongside service owners and key stakeholders, you will coordinate regular service reviews and develop performance dashboards that provide clear visibility of service performance, trends, and opportunities for improvement.
- These insights will support informed decision-making and provide valuable updates to senior management.
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What you'll need to succeed
To be successful in this role, you will have previous experience leading or supervising within a service desk, IT support, or service delivery environment. Whilst the position does not initially include direct line management responsibility, you will be comfortable taking ownership of service performance, driving improvements, and influencing stakeholders across the business.
- You will possess a strong understanding of ITIL principles and have experience working within structured service delivery environments where customer service and continual improvement are key priorities.
- Strong analytical skills are essential, with the ability to identify trends, produce meaningful reporting, and recommend practical improvements.
- You will be an excellent communicator who can build effective relationships with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- A customer-first mindset, combined with professionalism, enthusiasm, and strong organisational skills, will enable you to succeed in a role that sits at the centre of service delivery and customer engagement.
- This is not a hands-on technical support role. Instead, we are looking for someone who can analyse service performance, identify opportunities for improvement, drive operational excellence, and help develop a mature service management function that supports the organisation's continued growth.
- Please note, due to the nature of the organisation's end customers, this role will require BPSS clearance.
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What you'll get in return
- Salary up to £47,000
- Annual Leave: 32 days annual leave (including bank holidays), with the option to buy and sell holiday
- Up to 6% company pension plan
- Individual life assurance and personal accident cover
- Access to the employee benefits portal (including access to private medical, private dental, discounted gym membership, and discounted shopping at over 100 brands and outlets)
In return, you will join a growing and ambitious organisation at an exciting stage of its development. You will have the opportunity to take the next step in your Service Management career, gain exposure to strategic service delivery initiatives, and play a key role in shaping the future of IT services within the business.
The organisation offers a competitive salary, hybrid working, ongoing professional development, and genuine opportunities for career progression within a growing and evolving environment.
Desired Skills and Experience
As the Junior Service Manager, you will play a key role in driving service excellence across the organisation and its customer base. You will take ownership for monitoring IT service processes, ensuring they are clearly documented, effectively communicated, and continuously improved to support both business objectives and customer expectations. Working closely with operational teams, you will focus on enhancing the customer experience through efficient, tailored, and increasingly digitised service solutions.
- A significant aspect of the role will involve monitoring and reporting on service performance against agreed SLAs and KPIs.
- You will analyse service trends, identify opportunities for improvement, and work with internal teams to implement enhancements that strengthen overall service delivery.
- Previous exposure to ITIL best practice is essential, and an ITIL qualification would be advantageous, although equivalent practical experience within an ITIL-focused environment will also be considered.
Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job, you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers, which can be found at hays.co.uk.
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