Service Desk Manager

Job Title

Service Desk Manager

Agency

Tarleton State University

Department

Client Services

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Stephenville, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Tarleton State University, a distinguished Doctoral National Comprehensive University, invites applications for the position of Service Desk Manager in Information Technology - Client Services. As part of a vibrant academic community dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, and service, this role offers the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to a university that values innovation, collaboration, and inclusive growth. Join us in advancing knowledge and transforming lives—on campus and beyond. Tarleton State University continues to grow its impact across Texas, with four distinct campuses located in Stephenville, Fort Worth, RELLIS-Bryan and Waco, along with a robust online community that extends our reach even further.

At the heart of it all is Stephenville, where Tarleton State offers a dynamic environment for faculty and staff. From a lively live music scene and numerous local festivals to rich traditions rooted in the surrounding community, Stephenville provides a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere.

No matter where you're located—on campus or online—you are part of a mission that transforms lives and makes a difference across the state of Texas and beyond.

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Important Immigration Information:

A Presidential proclamation issued on September 19, 2025, imposes a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025. Please be advised that Tarleton State University will NOT pay this fee. Therefore, if you need immigration sponsorship for your employment, we recommend that you consult with your private immigration counsel at your own expense to ascertain whether your current immigration status would make a potential offer of employment from Tarleton State University subject to this fee.

In addition, on January 27, 2026, Texas Governor Abbot issued a moratorium on the filing of any new H-1B unless approved by the Texas Workforce Commission. Accordingly, if you will now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status this moratorium may affect our ability to employ you should you be selected as the final candidate.

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The Service Desk Manager, under the direction of the Director of Client Services, is responsible for leading and managing the IT Service Desk team, which serves as the university’s first point of contact for IT support. This role oversees Tier 1 service delivery through phone, walk-in, and online channels while ensuring a high-quality support experience for the university community. The Manager also manages the university’s relationship with a third-party call center vendor, monitoring service-level agreement (SLA) compliance and ensuring alignment with university support standards.

The Service Desk Manager provides operational leadership for the university’s central IT support desk. This includes oversight of daily service desk functions, staff supervision, performance measurement, user experience improvement, and ITSM system utilization. The position plays a key role in ensuring timely and effective resolution of support requests and manages the performance of both internal teams and outsourced call center services. The Manager supports responsible use of university-approved artificial intelligence (AI) tools and automation to improve service delivery and operational efficiency.

The position is in-office and located on the Tarleton State University main campus in Stephenville, Texas. Work hours are Mon-Fri; 8 AM-5 PM or as work requirements indicate. Serves as a Campus Security Authority (CSA).

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Service Desk Operations & Leadership

• Oversees daily operations of the IT Service Desk, ensuring timely and effective resolution of support requests.
• Recruits, hires, supervises, and develops service desk staff, including full-time employees and student workers. Enforces ethical, regulatory, and performance standards. Oversees and manages personnel issues.
• Facilitates the analysis of project needs, risks, and recommended solutions.
• Prioritizes, schedules, and directs activities of a project team.
• Directs the development of project or task plans, resource estimates, and schedules.
• Coordinates activities with the management of other organizational units and vendors.
• Directs the preparation of project documentation and reports for clients and management.
• Oversees and coordinates the evaluation, selection, and purchase of computing resources and consulting services.
• Monitors and analyzes key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess service effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.
• Develops and maintains service-level agreements (SLAs) and ensures compliance with response and resolution time targets.
• Maintains knowledge base documentation and self-service resources for end users, using approved AI-assisted tools where appropriate and reviewing generated content for accuracy.

Vendor Management & Call Center Outsourcing

• Serves as the primary liaison between the university and the outsourced call center vendor.
• Monitors vendor performance against contractual SLAs and key performance metrics.
• Develops project or area budgets and assists with budget development as needed. Tracks expenditures and revenues.
• Ensures a seamless integration between the vendor’s operations and the university’s internal IT support structure.
• Provides feedback to the vendor and recommends process improvements to enhance service quality.
• Facilitates regular review meetings with the vendor to address challenges, track performance, and align on service expectations.

User Experience & Support Excellence

• Fosters a culture of customer service excellence, ensuring a positive and productive user experience.
• Acts as an escalation point for complex or high-priority support issues.
• Gathers feedback from faculty, staff, and students to refine support processes.
• Promotes the use of self-service tools and knowledge bases to improve efficiency.

Technology & Process Improvement

• Identifies opportunities to streamline workflows and enhance service desk efficiency.
• Uses university-approved AI tools, where appropriate, to identify recurring support issues, analyze service trends, and recommend improvements to service desk workflows and processes. Reviews AI-generated findings for accuracy and protects sensitive information in accordance with university requirements.
• Ensures integration of the service desk with other IT support functions (Tier 2 and Tier 3).
• Leverages IT Service Management (ITSM) tools (e.g., TeamDynamix) to improve ticket tracking, reporting, and automation. Uses approved AI-assisted capabilities, where appropriate, to support ticket classification, routing, summarization, and analysis of service trends, with staff review of outputs.
• Ensures AI-assisted support activities comply with university information security, data privacy, and technology governance requirements.
• Oversees, designs, and controls the processes for supporting the delivery of IT services. Monitors and analyzes operations metrics. Implements continuous improvement methodologies to include corrective actions.
• Performs limited advanced technical duties in support of large or multiple project teams’ projects and operations. Serves as a technical resource for other staff members.
• Stays current with IT support trends and recommends improvements aligned with industry standards.

Training & Staff Development

• Trains and mentors service desk staff to ensure high-quality support and professional growth.
• Develops onboarding and training programs for new hires and student workers. Provides guidance on responsible use of approved AI-assisted support tools, including protection of sensitive information and verification of generated content.
• Participates in training and professional development with a special emphasis on leadership development, management, industry-related acumen, and project and operations management.
• Encourages collaboration with other IT teams to enhance problem-solving and technical knowledge.

Minimum Qualifications

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in applicable field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Three years of related experience.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet applications.
• Knowledge of basic project and operations management including decision-making, scheduling, prioritizing, quality assurance, delegating, monitoring work tasks, reporting, negotiating, basic vendor relations, advanced customer relations skills, proposal writing, business acumen, persuasive communication, and adaptability to change.
• Knowledge of team leadership skills including motivating team and group processes, team collaboration, empowering, coaching, mentoring, training, ethical integrity, and supervising staff.
• Industry-related skills to include knowledge of the IT industry and trends, knowledge of IT security regulations, and proficiency with the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL).
• Ability to use approved AI-assisted tools responsibly in IT support, protect sensitive information, and evaluate outputs for accuracy and suitability.
• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.
• Excellent written communication, analytical, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain the security and integrity of critical infrastructure, which may include communications systems, computer networks and systems, cybersecurity systems, electrical grid, hazardous waste treatment system, or water treatment system.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three years of experience in IT support or service desk management, preferably in a higher education environment, or a related role.
• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Strong computer skills.
• Knowledge of applicable industry and market trends.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Experience managing IT service teams in a higher education or similar environment.
• Strong knowledge of IT Service Management (ITSM) best practices (e.g., ITIL framework).
• Experience managing vendor relationships or outsourced IT support services.
• Proficiency with ticketing systems and remote support tools.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills.
• ITIL certification or experience implementing ITIL-based processes.
• Experience with TeamDynamix or similar ITSM platforms.
• Experience managing student workers in a university IT setting.
• Experience using AI-assisted tools or workflow automation to improve IT support operations, documentation, or service reporting.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Salary Range:

The target base annual salary range is $53,496.80 up to $70,987.56 and may be negotiable based on funding availability and candidate experience/skillset in relation to the minimum requirements of this position.

We are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package for full-time and qualifying part-time employees. Our Careers Page offers an overview of the great benefits we offer; for detailed information visit our Benefits Information page.

Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit a completed application for consideration. Initial review of applications will begin immediately and continue until position is filled.

Application Procedure:

During the application process applicants have one opportunity to enter the requested information, upload documents and Submit the application. Applicants will not be able to make changes or add additional documents once the application materials have been submitted via "Submit" action.

Employment applications must include:

• Completed online application
• Cover Letter / Letter of Interest addressing qualifications
• Curriculum Vitae or Resume
• At least 3 current professional references and their full contact information

Applications received by Tarleton State University must have all job application data entered. Failure to provide all job application data could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. “See resume” is not an acceptable entry in the job application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.