The Service Desk Team Lead is accountable for ensuring L1 and L2 engineers resolve incidents within SLA, maintain healthy queue flow, follow service management processes, and continuously develop capability through the Staff Enablement Model. The role manages the L1 and L2 service desk team, working collaboratively with the Engineering Team Leader to drive shift-left capability building and maintain operational service delivery. The role reports to the Technical Operations Manager.
Success in this role requires operational discipline (queue health, SLA achievement, process compliance), team performance management (capability development, coaching, performance accountability), and collaborative problem-solving with Engineering and Service Management leadership to deliver sustainable service improvements.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Service Delivery
- Incidents assigned to L1 and L2 are resolved within SLA.
- First contact resolution rates remain high through effective L1 capability and proper triage.
- Queue remains healthy with steady flow and no unnecessary stagnation.
- Workload is balanced across the team based on capability and capacity.
- Escalations between tiers are justified and appropriate, with each tier exhausting their scope before escalating.
- VIP and critical incidents receive rapid, coordinated response.
- Major incidents are supported effectively while maintaining BAU coverage and SLA targets.
- Service transitions from projects and customer onboardings are coordinated effectively, ensuring complete handovers that do not impact operational service delivery.
- Operational barriers and systemic risks are identified and escalated before they cause service degradation.
- Knowledge base contains accurate, current documentation that enables incident resolution and reduces repeat escalations.
- May be required to participate in on-call rotation to provide after-hours support for escalated incidents and maintain service continuity
Workforce Planning & Roster Management
- Service continuity is maintained through complete shift handovers with no dropped incidents across the Service Desk and Field Technicians.
- Shift coverage remains adequate across all operating hours.
- Service standards remain consistent across all shifts.
- Resource constraints and roster gaps are escalated early to Head of Delivery with recommended solutions (across The Service Desk & field technicians).
Service Management Process Compliance
- Service Desk engineers follow Incident Management processes including proper documentation, communication, and escalation procedures.
- Engineers execute changes through established Change Management processes when applicable.
- Ticket handling and process adherence meet established quality standards (to Knowledge Base).
- Strong collaborative relationship is maintained with Service Management Lead on process adherence.
Team Performance via Staff Enablement Model
- Service Desk Engineers achieve their Goals & Objectives through regular 1:1s and performance conversations.
- Service Desk Engineers contribute to Continuous Service Improvement initiatives that reduce toil, eliminate repeat escalations, and build capability.
- Engineers work on their Learning & Development plans to maintain and grow technical expertise.
- High performers are nominated for Rewards & Incentives recognition based on demonstrated outcomes.
- Performance issues are identified early and escalated to Head of Delivery with supporting evidence
Personal Performance & Professional Standards
- Personal Goals & Objectives are achieved as defined in the Staff Enablement Model.
- Continuous Service Improvement initiatives are led that deliver measurable operational improvements.
- Company values are demonstrated through honest communication, genuine ownership, and creating a psychologically safe environment.
- Collaborative relationships are maintained with Engineering Team Leader, Service Management Lead, Technical Operations Manager and Head of Delivery.
Key Competencies & Experience
- Proven experience (4-6 years minimum) in service desk operations with demonstrated progression from L1 through L2 roles, including hands-on experience managing operational challenges and coordinating team responses.
- Demonstrated people leadership capability through previous Team Lead, Supervisor, or acting management experience, including performance conversations, coaching, and capability development
- Strong operational discipline with demonstrated ability to maintain focus on queue health, SLA compliance, and process adherence even during high-pressure periods or major incidents.
- Solid technical foundation across Windows environments, M365 administration, Active Directory basics, networking troubleshooting, and common service desk technologies sufficient to provide L1 guidance and triage escalations intelligently.
- ITIL V4 certification with practical experience applying service management principles in operational contexts including incident management, problem identification, and service level management.
- Strong pattern recognition skills with ability to identify recurring issues, spot bottlenecks, and surface systemic problems before they escalate into service failures.
- Advanced proficiency with service desk platforms (ServiceNow, or equivalent) including reporting capabilities, queue management features, and workflow automation.
- Preferred experience includes previous acting Team Lead responsibilities, major incident coordination, or quality assurance roles demonstrating operational leadership capability.
- Preferred certifications include CompTIA Network+, Security+, Microsoft
Attributes
- Balanced leadership approach demonstrated through ability to switch between operational management and strategic people development, maintaining focus on both immediate service delivery and longer-term team capability
- Courageous people management including ability to have difficult performance conversations, provide direct feedback, and address underperformance early rather than avoiding conflict
- Operational excellence mindset demonstrated through attention to detail, systematic approach to problem-solving, and commitment to maintaining service desk discipline even when under pressure.
- Influential communication skills including ability to have direct "get this done" conversations with peers without formal authority, escalate issues appropriately to management, and coordinate across shifts and teams effectively.
- Calm under pressure particularly during major incidents, high-volume periods, or operational chaos, maintaining systematic approach and helping others stay focused on priorities.
- Pattern recognition and systemic thinking shown through ability to connect individual incidents to broader patterns, identify root causes of operational issues, and propose improvements that address underlying problems.
- Collaborative coordination style demonstrated by working effectively alongside L1/L2 engineers without creating friction, influencing through credibility rather than authority, and building consensus on operational approaches.
- Technical credibility with humility evidenced by providing guidance when needed but escalating appropriately when issues exceed scope, admitting uncertainty rather than guessing, and maintaining respect for L2 technical depth.
- Proactive problem-solving orientation including identifying issues before they escalate, removing blockers without waiting to be asked, and taking initiative to maintain operational flow.
- Strong situational awareness with ability to read the operational environment, prioritise competing demands, and make quick decisions about where to focus attention during dynamic situations.
- Commitment to quality and standards shown through consistent enforcement of ticket quality expectations, process adherence, and documentation standards without being rigidly bureaucratic.
- Flexibility and adaptability to handle shifting priorities, cover different operational needs as they emerge, and adjust approach based on what the service desk requires in real-time.
How to Apply
Please send your CV to kristen.brinker@infotrust.com.au.
