Help Desk Manager

Who We Are:

Heidrick & Struggles (Nasdaq: HSII) is a premier provider of global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions, serving the top organizations' senior-level talent and consulting needs. As trusted leadership advisors, we partner with our clients to develop future-ready leaders and organizations, bringing together our services and offerings in executive search, diversity and inclusion, leadership assessment and development, organization and team acceleration, culture shaping, and on-demand, independent talent solutions. Heidrick & Struggles pioneered the executive search profession more than 70 years ago. Today, the firm provides integrated talent and human capital solutions to help our clients change the world, one leadership team at a time.®

Additional information on the firm can be found at www.heidrick.com.

The Role:

The Help Desk Manager is responsible for high-quality customer service, seamless user experience across all support channels, effective problem resolution, and continuous improvement in support processes. They will accomplish this by overseeing the outsourced help desk operations, implementing proactive analytics, managing a self-service portal, and integrating AI support solutions. The ideal candidate will need strong technical and customer service skills, a deep understanding of ITSM, a strategic thinker, strong leadership skills, and experience with AI-driven customer service technologies.

Responsibilities:

Management of Outsourced Help Desk:

• Vendor Management: Liaise with outsourced help desk providers to ensure SLAs are met and service quality is maintained.
• Contract Management: Oversee contract negotiations, renewals, and compliance with service agreements.
• Performance Monitoring: Regularly review help desk performance metrics and reports, ensuring alignment with company standards.
• Strategic thinking: Always think strategically and provide valuable insights to help shape and improve a modern support system.
• Training and Onboarding: Coordinate with the vendor to ensure their staff is well-trained and up to date on company protocols and technologies.
• Staffing and scheduling: Partner with vendors to maintain proper staffing and coverage.

Proactive Analytics:

• Data Analysis: Utilize analytics tools to monitor help desk performance, identify trends, and predict potential issues.
• Reporting: Generate regular reports on key performance indicators (KPIs), customer satisfaction, and areas for improvement.
• Process Improvement: Develop and implement strategies based on data insights to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of support services.
• Issue Prevention: Identify recurring issues and implement preventive measures to reduce ticket volume and improve user experience.

AI Support Integration:

• AI Tool Implementation: Lead the integration of AI tools such as chatbots, virtual assistants, and automated ticketing systems into the help desk operations.
• System Maintenance: Oversee the maintenance and optimization of AI support tools, ensuring they function correctly and efficiently.
• Training and Adoption: Facilitate training for internal staff and the outsourced help desk team on using AI tools effectively.
• Continuous Improvement: Stay updated on the latest AI technologies and incorporate relevant advancements into the help desk strategy.

Management of Self-Service Portal:

• Portal Development and Maintenance: Oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of the self-service portal, ensuring it meets user needs and company standards.
• Content Management: Implement best practices and procedures to ensure the portal contains up-to-date and relevant information, including FAQs, knowledge base articles, and troubleshooting guides.
• User Experience (UX) Optimization: Continuously improve the portal’s interface and usability based on user feedback and analytics.
• Promotion and Adoption: Develop and execute strategies to encourage user adoption of the self-service portal, reducing the volume of direct help desk inquiries.
• Integration: Ensure seamless integration of the self-service portal with other support tools and platforms.

Leadership and Collaboration:

• Team Leadership: Provide leadership and guidance to the help desk team, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture. Partner with Regional support managers to ensure a seamless support experience.
• Stakeholder Communication: The incumbent will act as a point of contact between the help desk and other departments, ensuring clear communication and efficient issue resolution. The incumbent will also assist in managing and coordinating major incidents and incident response.
• Budget Management: Develop and manage the budget for help desk operations, ensuring cost-effectiveness and financial accountability.
• Customer Focus: Ensure the help desk delivers high customer satisfaction by addressing issues promptly and effectively.

Required Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience: Minimum of 7 years of experience in IT support or help desk management, with at least 4 years in a leadership role. Experience managing outsourced services is preferred.
• Technical Skills: Strong knowledge of IT support systems, help desk software, AI technologies, and self-service portal management. Proficiency in data analytics tools.
• Interpersonal Skills: Excellent leadership and strategic thinking skills and demonstrated effective communication and problem-solving skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Business Ethics: Leads by example as outlined in the Company Code of Conduct. This includes but is not limited to honesty, integrity, discretion, and professional standards. Discreet and able to always maintain strict confidentiality.
• Certifications: ITIL certification or similar.
• Office Requirements: This hybrid position requires 2 days a week in our Chicago headquarters office.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Jira Service Management and Confluence.
• Experience with implementing and managing AI-driven customer support solutions.
• Knowledge of advanced analytics and business intelligence tools.

Heidrick & Struggles is an equal-opportunity employer committed to hiring qualified, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, veteran or military status, or citizenship status.

Heidrick & Struggles is committed to providing reasonable accommodations and/or adjustments during our recruitment process. If you are selected for an interview and require accommodation and/or adjustment, please inform your talent acquisition professional.