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Service desk manager

Find out what a service desk manager in government does and the skills you need to do the job at each level.

Last updated 7 December 2023 — See all updates

What a service desk manager does

A service desk manager is responsible for managing the first- and second-line technical support for all departmental IT applications and services across sites, including end-user computing. This includes multi-function devices and specialised IT equipment.

In this role, you will also be responsible for ensuring support for existing and emerging information and communications technology (ICT) services, including providing technical advice to project teams.

Service desk manager role levels

There are 4 service desk manager role levels, from service desk analyst to head of service desk.

The typical responsibilities and skills for each role level are described in the sections below. You can use this to identify the skills you need to progress in your career, or simply to learn more about each role in the Government Digital and Data profession.

1. Service desk analyst

A service desk analyst interacts with customers.

At this role level, you will:

  • perform tasks such as taking calls from customers and trying to resolve their queries
  • know when to escalate issues to your manager

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • AO (Administrative Officer)
  • EO (Executive Officer)
Skill Description

Asset and configuration management

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • track, log and correct information to protect assets and components

Continual service improvement

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness of developing process efficiency and common ways in which processes are optimised
  • support specific activities to improve development processes
  • spot or identify obvious deficiencies

Customer service management

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • resolve user requests to a minimum of the agreed service level agreement
  • empathise with the end user
  • use customer-focused metrics to achieve a satisfying outcome

Ownership and initiative

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • own an issue until a new owner has been found or the problem has been mitigated or resolved

Service focus

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness of different products and services

Service reporting

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • produce relevant reports in a standard format and agreed timeframe
  • work with important stakeholders to discuss any changes in the reporting processes
  • add a commentary that provides an interpretation of the data set

Technical understanding

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness of the relevant subject matter and a high level understanding of what it involves

User focus

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness or understanding of user experience analysis and its principles
  • explain the purpose of user stories and the focus on user needs

2. Senior service desk analyst

A senior service desk analyst monitors inbound calls, supports operators in service resolution and intervenes in difficult calls.

At this role level, you will:

  • own and update the script for service desk analysts
  • coach and develop one or more service desk analysts, and manage availability

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • EO (Executive Officer)
  • HEO (Higher Executive Officer)
Skill Description

Asset and configuration management

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • track, log and correct information to protect assets and components

Continual service improvement

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance, and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions

Customer service management

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • maintain a high level of customer service and have the confidence to deal with complex complaints
  • use empathy to satisfy customer demands

Ownership and initiative

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • own an issue until a new owner has been found or the problem has been mitigated or resolved

Problem management

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • investigate problems in systems, processes and services, with an understanding of the level of a problem (for example, strategic, tactical or operational)
  • contribute to the implementation of remedies and preventative measures

Service focus

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • take inputs and establish coherent frameworks that work

Service management framework knowledge

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • You have a Level 3 service management framework qualification

Service reporting

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • produce relevant reports in a standard format and agreed timeframe
  • work with important stakeholders to discuss any changes in the reporting processes
  • add a commentary that provides an interpretation of the data set

Technical understanding

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness of the relevant subject matter and a high level understanding of what it involves

User focus

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify and engage with users or stakeholders to collate user needs evidence
  • understand and define research that fits user needs
  • use quantitative and qualitative data about users to turn user focus into outcomes

3. Service desk manager

A service desk manager identifies emerging issues and is a knowledge expert.

They are responsible for the resourcing and development of the team, including the preparation and co-ordination of service transition activities.

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • HEO (Higher Executive Officer)
  • SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
Skill Description

Asset and configuration management

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • track, log and correct information to protect assets and components

Continual service improvement

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance, and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions

Customer service management

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • translate ‘lessons learnt’ from complaint cycles into continual service improvement
  • take responsibility for the full range of customer service functions, including reviewing customer service satisfaction
  • investigate which processes can be automated and the ways to do so

Ownership and initiative

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • take accountability for issues that occur and be proactive in searching for potential problems
  • achieve excellent user outcomes

Problem management

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • initiate and monitor actions to investigate patterns and trends to resolve problems
  • effectively consult specialists where required
  • determine the appropriate remedy and assist with its implementation
  • determine preventative measures

Service focus

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • take inputs and establish coherent frameworks that work

Service management framework knowledge

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • You have a Level 3 service management framework qualification
  • demonstrate knowledge of the life cycle or capability elements of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)

Service reporting

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • use your data analytics skills to enhance business performance

Technical understanding

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand the core technical concepts related to the role, and apply them with guidance

User focus

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally
  • explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user
  • champion user research to focus on all users
  • prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so
  • offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use

4. Head of service desk

A head of service desk is responsible for managing a team who provides first- and second-line technical support.

At this role level, you will:

  • ensure support of existing and emerging information and communications technology (ICT) services, and provide technical advice to project teams
  • ensure that the support team undertakes development so that they can advise on future projects and current issues
  • manage and monitor service desk service level agreements (SLAs) and performance

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
  • G7 (Grade 7)
Skill Description

Asset and configuration management

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • track, log and correct information to protect assets and components

Continual service improvement

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • analyse current processes, and identify and implement opportunities to optimise them
  • lead and develop a team of experts to deliver service improvements
  • help to evaluate and establish requirements for the implementation of changes by setting policy and standards

Customer service management

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • translate ‘lessons learnt’ from complaint cycles into continual service improvement
  • take responsibility for the full range of customer service functions, including reviewing customer service satisfaction
  • investigate which processes can be automated and the ways to do so

Ownership and initiative

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • take accountability for issues that occur and be proactive in searching for potential problems
  • achieve excellent user outcomes

Problem management

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • ensure that the right actions are taken to investigate, resolve and anticipate problems
  • co-ordinate the team to investigate problems, implement solutions and take preventive measures

Service focus

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • see the bigger picture by taking groups of services and investigating how to get the best of underlying services

Service management framework knowledge

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • You have a Level 3 service management framework qualification
  • demonstrate knowledge of the life cycle or capability elements of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)

Service reporting

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • use prediction methodologies to derive and maintain a holistic view of important trends across multiple processes

Technical understanding

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand the core technical concepts related to the role, and apply them with guidance

User focus

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • give direction on which tools or methods to use
  • demonstrate experience in meeting the needs of users across a variety of channels
  • bring insight and expertise in how user needs have changed over time to ensure they're met by the business
  • apply strategic thinking to provide the best service for the end user
Role Shared skills
End user computing engineer

Asset and configuration management

Continual service improvement

Ownership and initiative

Service focus

Service reporting

Technical understanding

User focus

Problem management

Service management framework knowledge

Application operations engineer

Asset and configuration management

Continual service improvement

Ownership and initiative

Service focus

Technical understanding

User focus

Problem management

Service management framework knowledge

Business relationship manager

Asset and configuration management

Continual service improvement

Ownership and initiative

Service focus

Service reporting

Technical understanding

User focus

Service management framework knowledge

Change and release manager

Asset and configuration management

Continual service improvement

Ownership and initiative

Service focus

Technical understanding

User focus

Problem management

Service management framework knowledge

Command and control centre manager

Asset and configuration management

Continual service improvement

Ownership and initiative

Service focus

Technical understanding

User focus

Problem management

Service management framework knowledge

Updates

Published 7 January 2020

Last updated 7 December 2023

7 December 2023

  • The indicative job grades for 2 role levels have been corrected. The grades for the level 'senior service desk analyst' are now EO and HEO. The grades for level 'service desk manager' are now HEO and SEO.

7 January 2020

  • First published.