Desktop Support and Lab Services Manager: Office of innovative Technologies - UTK

The Office of Innovative Technologies (OIT) is seeking an experienced, customer-focused leader for the Desktop Support and Lab Services Manager position. This position leads the Desktop Support and Lab Services teams, providing reliable computer support and computer lab services for the UT Knoxville campus, UT System Administration, the Institute of Agriculture, and the Institute for Public Service.

The manager oversees staff, daily operations, service performance, resources, and continuous improvement. This position provides leadership for endpoint setup, configuration, troubleshooting, security support, software and hardware support, printing, lab technology, and related customer service. The manager works closely with distributed IT staff in the Knoxville area and central IT support teams at other UT campuses to align services, coordinate support, and improve customer experience.

The successful candidate will bring previous management experience and the ability to build effective partnerships across a complex university environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, direction, coaching, and performance management. 

• Establish clear performance expectations, service standards, priorities, and work assignments; monitor results and support staff development.

• Lead hiring, onboarding, training, performance evaluations, and professional-development activities for the team.

• Build an accountable, collaborative, and customer-focused team culture that supports continuous improvement and reliable service delivery.

• Direct daily operations for faculty, staff, and student desktop support, including device setup, configuration, troubleshooting, software and hardware support, peripheral support, printing, and related customer service.

• Establish and maintain service procedures, documentation, escalation paths, and operational standards to support consistent and timely resolution of requests and incidents.

• Coordinate endpoint security, software deployment, device lifecycle, and asset-management activities in partnership with OIT teams and campus stakeholders.

• Analyze workload, service data, trends, and recurring issues to identify root causes, improve service quality, and recommend operational improvements.

• Manage OIT-managed computer lab services, including computing environments, software availability, printing, technology equipment, customer support, and lifecycle planning.

• Work with academic and campus partners to understand lab-service needs and ensure lab technology supports teaching, learning, and student success.

• Coordinate maintenance, upgrades, and service changes to minimize disruption and maintain reliable, accessible lab environments.

• Manage collaborative relationships with distributed IT staff in the Knoxville area and central IT support teams at other UT campuses to coordinate services and strengthen support for shared customers.

• Partner with OIT leaders, campus units, vendors, and other stakeholders to assess needs, prioritize work, and implement new processes, technologies, and services.

• Develop and use service metrics, reports, and customer feedback to communicate performance, identify opportunities, and guide decisions.

• Manage projects, operational initiatives, resource needs, and vendor relationships within assigned areas of responsibility.

• Maintain awareness of industry trends, end-user technology, information security, accessibility, and IT service-management practices; apply relevant practices to improve services.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. 

• Experience: 

  • Five years of relevant, progressively responsible experience in desktop support, computer lab services, IT operations, or a related technical service environment. 

  • Management experience with direct supervisory responsibility for staff, including performance management, coaching, and team development.

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Knowledge of desktop support operations, including Windows, macOS, mobile devices, computer hardware, software deployment, troubleshooting, and peripheral support.

  • Knowledge of computer lab operations, including managed computing environments, printing, software availability, equipment lifecycle practices, and customer support.

  • Knowledge of IT service management principles, service metrics, incident and request workflows, documentation practices, and continuous improvement methods.

  • Knowledge of information security, endpoint protection, data protection, and accessibility practices relevant to end-user technology services.

  • Skill in supervising, coaching, developing, and evaluating technical staff, including conducting performance management and building effective teams.

  • Skill in operational planning, workload and resource management, project prioritization, and development of procedures and service standards.

  • Skill in analyzing service data, identifying trends and root causes, and using findings to improve service quality, efficiency, and customer experience.

  • Skill in written, verbal, and interpersonal communication with technical and nontechnical audiences.

  • Ability to make sound, timely decisions with a high degree of judgment and latitude while escalating new, complex, or high-impact issues appropriately.

  • Ability to build collaborative relationships with staff, customers, campus partners, vendors, and other OIT teams.

  • Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and deliver reliable outcomes in a dynamic service environment.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Master's degree or relevant professional training/certification, such as Educause Managers Institute, HDI Manager, HDI Desktop Support, ITIL, or CompTIA.

• Experience:

  • Experience in a higher education environment

  • Experience managing both desktop support and computer lab services

  • Experience with enterprise endpoint management

  • Experience with IT service management platforms

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Knowledge of higher education technology environments, academic computing needs, and university administrative processes.

  • Knowledge of endpoint management, specifically Intune, device lifecycle management, software deployment, asset management, and remote-support tools.

  • Knowledge of ITIL or other IT service management frameworks and practices.

  • Ability to lead service teams through organizational, process, and technology change.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN

• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: MR16

• Anticipated hiring range: $120,000-$130,000

• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here

• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments:

• Resume

• Cover Letter

About The Department

This position reports to the Associate CIO and Executive Director for the Office of Innovative Technologies. The Support teams reporting to the same Associate CIO and Executive Director are OIT HelpDesk. Desktop Support and Lab Services, and Teaching and Learning Technologies.