IT Help Desk Manager

Riverside Overview

Riverside Research is an independent National Security Nonprofit dedicated to research and development in the national interest. We provide high-end technical services, research and development, and prototype solutions to some of the country’s most challenging technical problems.    All Riverside Research opportunities require U.S. Citizenship.  

Position Overview

Riverside Research is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Help Desk Manager to lead the transformation of our IT Help Desk function. This pivotal role is responsible for revitalizing, optimizing, and scaling our support services for an organization of over 700 employees. The ideal candidate will possess a strong blend of technical expertise, exceptional leadership skills, and a proven track record in driving significant improvements in IT service delivery, efficiency, and user satisfaction. This is a unique opportunity to build a high-performing, customer-centric help desk from the ground up, implementing best practices, leveraging technology, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a multi-year roadmap for the transformation of the help desk, aligning with overall IT and organizational objectives
• Define and implement clear vision, mission, and service standards for the help desk function
• Champion a customer-centric approach, embedding a culture of proactive support and excellent service delivery across the team
• Recruit, mentor, coach, and manage a team of help desk technicians, fostering a high-performance, collaborative, and positive work environment
• Design, implement, and refine IT service management (ITSM) processes, including incident management, request fulfillment, problem management, and knowledge management, aligning with ITIL best practices
• Optimize ticketing systems and workflows to ensure efficient routing, tracking, escalation, and resolution of issues
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive knowledge base and self-service portal to empower users and reduce common inquiries
• Implement automation strategies where appropriate to streamline repetitive tasks and improve response times
• Define, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs), such as first-contact resolution, average resolution time, customer satisfaction (CSAT), and ticket volume trends
• Evaluate, select, and optimize help desk technologies and tools (e.g., ITSM platforms, remote support tools, monitoring systems) to enhance operational efficiency and user experience
• Communicate effectively with end-users regarding service updates, outages, and resolutions

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent work experience
• Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in IT support, with at least 3-5 years in a lead or management role for a help desk or service desk
• Demonstrable experience in transforming or significantly improving a struggling IT help desk or service desk function
• Deep understanding of IT service management (ITSM) principles and frameworks (e.g., ITIL Foundation certification strongly preferred)
• Proficiency with modern ITSM platforms (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, Zendesk, Freshservice)
• Well-developed general computer skills to navigate various systems and software
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions
• Exceptional leadership, coaching, and team-building abilities
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical information to non-technical audiences
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
• Customer-focused mindset with a passion for delivering outstanding service
• Maintain a Security+ or equivalent certification
• Experience in an organization of similar size (700+ employees)

Preferred Qualifications:

• ITIL Foundations v4 certification
• Additional IT certifications (e.g., CompTIA A+, Network+, Microsoft Certified Professional, CCNA)
• Knowledge of windows-based domains, particularly Active Directory
• Experience across the traditional IT stack, including clients, networking, storage and servers

 

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Global Comp

$105,000- $145,000 This represents the typical compensation range for this position based on experience, location and other factors.

Closing Statement

  Riverside Research Institute is a not-for-profit, technology-oriented defense company, where service to our customers and support of our staff is our overall mission. Riverside is an affirmative action-equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding recruitment and hiring.  Riverside offers comprehensive compensation and benefit packages to our employees. Riverside bases its employment decisions solely on technical experience, qualifications and other job-related criteria related to our organizational purpose as a not-for-profit company, and without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran’s status or any other status legally protected by applicable federal, state, and local law.