Manager, Service Desk

SAIT’s Information Technology Services department handles all software and hardware needs, as well as technological and networking issues for both employees and students who rely heavily on computer systems across our campuses.

Technical support — which includes help with computer hardware and software technical problems, email, audio-visual needs and more — is available to everyone at SAIT, whether the problem occurs at home or on-campus.

The Opportunity We are hiring a Manager, Service Desk to lead the service desk team as the face of Information Technology Services (ITS), serving up to 30,000 end-users daily across several physical locations.

In this leadership role, the incumbent will oversee a team of supervisors and service desk staff, managing Tier 0 through Tier 2 of the ITIL stack.

This includes the call center, walk-up support desk, deskside and classroom support, the IT student work-integrated learning program, and the ITSM module.

As a key contributor to SAIT's digital transformation, this role will help to modernize IT services through innovation, new automations and the expansion of self-service tools and a robust knowledge base.

The incumbent will be responsible for establishing efficient service standards and processes, developing SLAs aligned with business needs, reporting on performance metrics, and leading driving continuous improvement across incident and change management.

The Manager, Service Desk collaborates closely with ITS leadership to ensure sustainable, responsive and service-focused IT services that support the needs of SAIT’s dynamic and technologically diverse campuses.

The Role

Governance and Process:

Develop and maintain IT operations processes with business units

Create and monitor SLAs

Contribute to campus IT governance

Implement industry best practices for IT and project management

Align activities with campus security, FOIP, and financial standards

Ensure fiscal responsibility

Strategy and Planning:

Develop and mature the IT organization

Implement automations

Collaborate with partners to optimize teaching and learning environments

Stay updated on technology and trends

Manage Business and Academic Partnerships:

Design support arrangements with schools and departments

Identify value-add opportunities and align with organizational goals

Managerial and Leadership:

Lead employees through performance management and development

Plan staffing levels, including hiring and training

Handle employee dismissals when necessary

Connect strategic vision to day-to-day operations

Ensure training and succession planning within the team

Collaborate with other management to further SAIT's mission

Reporting and Metrics:

Generate reports for dashboards

Align metrics with SLAs and report to senior management

Resourcing and Budgeting:

Plan resources and demand forecasting

Recommend and recruit additional staff and consultants

Plan annual spending on capital assets and supplies

Contribute to budgeting and capital planning

Qualifications & Experience

Diploma or Degree in a technology-related discipline

Minimum 10 years of experience in IT and customer service. A combination of relevant education and experience will be considered.

5 years working on a service desk

5 years leadership experience

Experience leading major incidents in a high-demand environment.

Proficient in IT service management (ITSM) practices and terminology.

ITIL Fundamentals certification is required. Intermediate or higher-level certification is preferred

Hands-on experience with process design and service improvement initiatives

Experience managing operational budgets

Demonstrated ability to coach and mentor, particularly entry-level employees and new leaders

Valid Class 5 driver's license

Formal business or leadership training is an asset

Minimum of 2 years' experience in the higher education or public sector is preferred

Experience with ServiceNow ITSM and certification is an asset

Exposure to a variety of trades-related software applications is preferred

Experience with common reporting tools is an asset

Skills Required

Strong leadership and team management abilities.

Strong foundation in IT service delivery with a passion for innovation.

Customer-focused approach with a commitment to service excellence.

Proven incident management and escalation handling skills.

Deep understanding of ITIL and ITSM practices.

Process design and continuous improvement mindset.

Ability to coach, mentor, and develop staff at various career stages.

Budget planning and financial oversight experience.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Analytical thinking with experience in reporting and performance metrics.

Ability to collaborate effectively across departments and diverse teams.

Management Permanent Salary

Job classification: M1100 - Manager Salary range: $110,000 - $120,000 Paid Leave: 4 Weeks Vacation / 14 Flex Days per year # of positions: 1 Hours Per Week: 37.5 Posting closing date: Until position is filled About SAIT SAIT is a global leader in applied education. Named one of Alberta’s Top Employers, we offer the chance to work with a purpose — preparing the next generation of industry leaders, entrepreneurs, advocates and explorers. Building on our 100+ year history, we’re looking for innovative, bold and collaborative employees who embrace change and deliver world-class customer experiences. Your future starts now at SAIT. Community and Belonging is essential to achieving SAIT’s vision to be a global leader in applied education. It creates the conditions for a healthy campus where everyone feels welcome, respected and empowered to succeed. SAIT values fairness, shared accountability and the importance of representation. The institution expects a commitment from its students and employees to continuously develop an equitable and inclusive mindset that celebrates diverse experiences and perspectives. Learn more about Community and Belonging at SAIT. BEWARE FALSE POSTINGS AND RECRUITING OFFERS SAIT has been made aware of individuals or organizations posing as SAIT using false postings to attract job seekers and collect personal information. Please be aware that SAIT will never request sensitive personal information beyond what is required for an application. Career opportunities at SAIT will always be posted on the SAIT career site and we encourage applicants to only apply directly through there. When your application is completed you will receive an email confirmation, if you did not receive one please check your junk mail or try applying through the SAIT career page again.