IT Help Desk Manager

While most of us blindly hit the power key and expect our computers to perform the desired tasks, an IT Help Desk Manager actually understands what the computer is doing, how it works, and what is wrong when it doesn’t. Because of that knowledge, an IT Help Desk Manager is charged with choosing, instigating, and monitoring major computer-related projects within their organization. Typically, these are projects related to data processing or computer networks.

In this job, your main responsibility is to manage the staff at the information technology (IT) help desk. This is where computer users find answers to questions, and solutions to problems. The system your department supports is typically specialized for an industry, company, or other group of users.

Say, you work for a bank that just installed a new system for processing deposits and tracking employee transactions. When there’s any sort of glitch in the system, the help desk gets the call.

As an IT Help Desk Manager, you want qualified employees on the line when the calls come in, so you perform interviews, hire and train staff, evaluate employee performance, create work schedules, manage vacation times, and make staffing cuts as necessary. You also offer motivation, set the standard for work performance expectations, assist employees with human resource, training, payroll, or other problems, and maintain a professional atmosphere.

When you’re not working hands on with your employees and customers, you set and monitor budgets, evaluate project timelines, perform a variety of administrative tasks, negotiate rates with vendors, and manage contracts for the department.