Service Desk Team Leader (1st line)

We are looking for a Customer Services Centre Team Leader to join the Next Generation Managed Services (NGMS) Team for our Customer Services Team, part of the Microsoft Productivity portfolio. This role oversees incident management, service request fulfilment, and user experience, while driving continual service improvement, operational efficiency, and adherence to SLAs. You will be the Service Owner of the End User Service Desk Service Description and will be accountable and responsible for the delivery of the service with specific attention on the proactive run and operate activities, looking at automation and improved ways of working to deliver value to our clients and efficiencies within the team. Key Responsibilities Service Desk Operations Lead day-to-day Service Desk operations (1st line support) Ensure effective handling of incidents, service requests, and escalations Monitor and manage ticket queues to ensure SLA compliance Drive consistent service delivery aligned to ITIL best practices Servicing customer requests relating to their use of Microsoft services. These will range from basic changes (e.g. MACD/JML processes) through to more complex changes to environments (e.g. scaling AVD infrastructure) where team skills allow. Analysing, maintaining and improving the service catalogue of customer requests Ensuring that all communication, interactions, assignments, details and actions are clear, effective and timely and that your team are doing the same consistently Quality Assurance, be responsible for maintaining high-quality, consistent, and cost-effective services. Regular reporting against key performance indicators ensures adherence to agreed metrics and service level agreements. People Management & Leadership Manage, mentor, and develop Service Desk analysts Set performance objectives and conduct regular reviews Build a high-performing, customer-centric team culture Identify training and capability gaps and drive development plans in line with the Microsoft divisions technical direction Support workforce planning, recruitment, and onboarding Customer Experience & Satisfaction Own and improve CSAT for your team Analyse user feedback and implement improvement initiatives for your team Promote proactive communication with end-users and stakeholders Act as escalation point for customer escalations or service issues Service Performance & Reporting Define, track, and report on KPIs (e.g., SLAs, first call resolution, ticket volumes) Provide regular operational and executive reporting Analyse trends and identify areas for improvement or automation Drive continual service improvement plans (CSIP) Process & Governance Ensure adherence to ITIL processes (Incident, Request, Problem, Change) Collaborate with Problem Management to reduce recurring issues Maintain documentation, knowledge base articles, and SOPs Ensure compliance with security, audit, and governance standards Technology & Tooling Be part of the ServiceNow User Forum to feed in Customer service Centre requirements and improvements Drive automation, self-service, and AI initiatives where possible Improve knowledge management Skills, Knowledge and Expertise AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals qualification. MD-102 Microsoft 365 Endpoint Administrator Associate qualification. Troubleshooting and analytical skills. Ability to work independently, with some guidance, and as part of a team. Able to manage expectations of customers and internal stakeholders. Able to respond to changing demands and operational challenges. Experience with cloud computing and systems including support of SaaS and PaaS. With prior experience as an engineer on Microsoft products, you will be proficient with M365 and application support in an operational environment. You will have excellent problem-solving skills and will be able to solve technical problems requiring a strict attention to detail. Your effective communication skills allow you to build internal and external relationships and solve challenges. You will be adept at communicating with various technical and non-technical people. You will have a Growth Mindset: openness, coupled with an ability to learn new skills and technologies in a fast-paced environment. Self-driven, collaborative approach with a desire to inspire teams and delight customers. Proven team leadership experience.