Helpdesk Manager

Location

Wallingford, Oxfordshire | United Kingdom

Job description

Are you currently a Service Desk Manager, looking for the next step in your career? Do you want to work in a rewarding and dynamic environment?

If so, this might be the role for you! We have an amazing opportunity within MMR as we are looking to expand our team with our new Helpdesk Manager, contributing to the support of our global business. Joining a vibrant and collaborative IT team, this role would suit someone who has previous experience within a similar role and is looking for the next step. This is a fantastic opportunity for those who seek a dynamic and thriving work environment. Be part of something extraordinary at MMR!

A bit about us:

MMR is an independent, global consumer and sensory research agency specialising in food, drink, personal and household care research. We are industry leaders, guiding best in class innovation for our clients – partnering with over 50% of the top 100 global food and drink brands.

Our team of over 800 highly engaged, multi-disciplined employees are primarily dynamic research professionals, sensory experts and data scientists. We’re a diverse bunch, with backgrounds in R&D, insight, marketing, sensory science, data sciences and psychology. We also boast a true global reach with offices in Wallingford (near Oxford), London, New York, Shanghai, Singapore, Mumbai, Sao Paulo, Cali (Colombia), Bangkok and Durban.

What makes MMR special?

We are a “people first” company that prides itself on collaboration, honesty and mutual trust. Don’t take our word for it though, check us out on Glassdoor. You’ll see we’re currently rated at 4.8 out of 5 as an employer destination and a massive 97% of our employees would recommend working for us to a friend. Add to that 99% of our people approve of our CEO and you a general feel of what it means to be part of the MMR family.

Main Responsibilities

• Successfully lead & manage the helpdesk team, driving a culture of service excellence and continuous improvement through: Line management of technical and team lead staff members, including 1-2-1's, annual reviews, development, and succession planning.
• Defining, reporting on, and improving performance in terms of team and individual KPIs .
• Ownership of P1 tickets and driving to resolution ensuring the customer kept always informed, ensuring SLA's and customer expectations are met.
• Working with the Project team / Sysadmin Team to transition projects to Internal support services.
• Providing Escalation point to Service Desk Engineer, providing 2nd/3rd line support before escalation of the ticket to Sysadmin / Dev team.
• Managing recruitment of technicians necessary to run a successful service desk effectively.
• Proactively report service desk metrics, successes and areas requiring attention to the senior management team
• Deliver continuous service improvement objectives set by the senior management team.
• Build and maintain exceptional relationships with customers based on integrity.
• Implement a customer satisfaction review process and ensure that feedback is reviewed and responded to in all instances where low satisfaction is reported.
• Key point of contact internally for Helpdesk team. Essential support when you need it 24/7 365 days
• Managing relationships with external vendors and service providers. Negotiation skills for optimal service levels and pricing.
• Strategic Thinking Alignment of helpdesk goals with overall business objectives and IT strategy. Strategic planning for anticipating future support needs and technology trends.
• Ownership of New Starter and Leaver process
• Ownership of Asset Management

Requirements

In order to excel in this role, you must demonstrate competency in key behavioural and technical skills:

Behavioural

• Self-Starter – You must be someone who has perpetual motivation for this industry. There is always lots to learn and do, you must be able to show a keen interest in progressing with tasks at a good speed and be actively seeking things that needs to be addressed within your remit.
• Self-Management – Can switch between different tasks according to business needs, coping with changing priorities and keeping others informed of possible issues.
• Communication – Communicates and explains clearly, professionally, and concisely, both verbally and in writing.
• Teamwork – Maintains open and honest relationships with colleagues building trust and confidence.
• Client Service - Communicates clearly with the client, taking time to keep them informed and being responsive to their requests. Building the client’s trust and confidence in MMR to deliver a high-quality service.
• Learning and Improving – Aims to learn as much as possible and take up opportunities for new experiences. Consolidates learning in a structured way.
• Developing others – Ensuring team are clear on expectations and priorities and supported to deliver on their goals.

Key Technical Skills

• Proven experience as a Service Desk Manager with a global team focus.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to make well-informed decisions during critical incidents.
• Hands-on experience supporting hardware, software, and infrastructure, primarily in a Microsoft stack.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365, Azure, Office, and Windows 10/11 administration.
• Solid experience with Windows Server 2012+, Active Directory / Azure AD, and networking.
• In-depth understanding of Cyber Security principles, concepts, and technologies.
• Familiarity with MSP tools (PSA, RMM), remote access, technical documentation, disaster recovery, and backup technologies.
• Previous experience implementing new service procedures.

Additional Skills

• Knowledge of risk assessment and management for proactive issue identification and mitigation.
• Strong documentation skills for maintaining accurate records. Clear and concise communication through documentation for knowledge transfer.
• Skills in budget management, resource allocation, and cost control for the helpdesk function.
• Experience in designing and implementing training programs. Commitment to the professional development of the helpdesk staff.

Job tags

Salary