IT Service Desk Manager

We're looking for a proactive and experienced Service Desk Manager to join our IT Team at Pavers. Based at our Head Office in York, this is an exciting opportunity for a strong people leader who is passionate about delivering excellent IT services and creating a high-quality support experience across the business. You'll play a key role in managing our IT support function, ensuring incidents and service requests are resolved efficiently while driving continual improvement across service delivery, automation, processes and end-user experience. About the role This is a hands-on leadership role where no two days are the same. You'll lead and develop the Service Desk team, oversee day-to-day support operations, and act as the escalation point for business-critical incidents. Working closely with wider IT teams and business stakeholders, you'll support IT projects, system improvements, governance and security initiatives, while helping modernise the IT support landscape. You'll also support the wider team push to embed AI into everyday ways of working, using AI tools to improve efficiency, streamline administration and free up time for more strategic priorities. The role reports into the IT Operations Lead and is key to ensuring the Service Desk operates effectively, efficiently and in line with wider business and IT objectives. This role is full-time office based and includes approximately 1 in 6 weekend on-call support once fully trained., * Lead and manage the day-to-day operations of the IT Service Desk, ensuring a high level of customer service and support across the business

• Manage, mentor and develop Service Desk team members through coaching, performance management and ongoing skills development
• Ensure incidents, requests and problems are logged, prioritised and resolved in line with agreed SLAs and service standards
• Act as the primary escalation point for high-priority or business-critical incidents, ensuring timely communication and resolution
• Drive continual improvement initiatives across service delivery, automation, processes, security posture and end-user experience
• Monitor Service Desk performance through reporting and KPIs, identifying trends, recurring issues and opportunities for improvement
• Own and maintain IT support processes, procedures and knowledge documentation to ensure consistency and operational effectiveness
• Work collaboratively with infrastructure, security and project teams to support upgrades, system improvements and new technology implementations
• Support audit and compliance activities, including remediation actions arising from audits, vulnerability assessments and cyber security reviews
• Ensure effective user access management processes are followed, including onboarding, offboarding and permissions governance
• Manage relationships with third-party suppliers and support partners, ensuring services are delivered effectively
• Promote a customer-first culture within the Service Desk team, ensuring a positive support experience for all users
• Assist with capacity planning, resource management and service improvement planning to support business growth and operational stability
• Contribute to IT strategy and operational planning, supporting the wider goals of the IT department and business

• Experience leading or managing an IT Service Desk or IT support team within a fast-paced business environment
• Strong knowledge of IT service management principles, including incident, request, problem and change management
• Experience managing Microsoft technologies including Microsoft 365, Active Directory, Entra ID and end-user computing environments
• Experience driving service improvements, reporting on KPIs/SLAs and implementing operational best practices
• Strong leadership and team development skills
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities
• Proactive, organised and solution-focused approach
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills with high attention to detail
• Ability to remain calm and effective under pressure
• Experience supporting IT projects, system rollouts and business change initiatives is desirable
• Knowledge of cyber security, audit remediation and IT governance practices is desirable
• Experience using AI tools to support day-to-day activity is desirable
• Relevant IT qualification or equivalent industry experience is desirable

• Salary £Competitive, dependent on experience
• Enrolment into company's pension scheme
• Discretionary Annual Bonus scheme
• Generous colleague discount scheme, some of which can be shared with your family and friends!

And that's not all, working for Pavers comes with so much more to enjoy:

• Free onsite parking at York Head Office
• Death In Service Benefit
• Holiday Entitlement (Increases with service)
• Access to RetailTRUST (Wellbeing & Financial Support)
• Access to the Pavers Foundation: employee-led grant application and charitable giving scheme
• Access to wider training and development opportunities through Pavers Academy, Holidays that increase with service Company Pension Contribution Wellbeing Assistance through Retail Trust Enhanced Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Pay Gym Discounts Multiple Retailer Discounts

The Pavers story began in York in 1971 when Catherine Paver took out a £200 bank loan (for a sofa she told them) to fund her new business. She had big dreams of changing the world of footwear and a passion to provide comfortable and stylish shoes for all. Starting small, she sold shoes at village halls and homeware parties before opening the first Pavers shop in Scarborough in 1981, when Catherine's three sons joined the business. One of her sons, Stuart, ran the business as Managing Director for over 40 years, joined by his son Jason in 2016. As of September 2023, Jason Paver is now the Managing Director of Pavers Ltd, with Stuart Paver moving to Chairman, taking the company into the 3rd generation of family run leadership. From these modest beginnings, Pavers Shoes has grown to be a UK leader in today's footwear industry, with over 180 stores nationwide encompassing our more recently acquired brands including Jones Bootmaker, Herring Shoes, Padders & Van Dal. We remain acquisitive, highly profitable, and are an ever-growing, independent family-run business, employing over 1,900 people. We were delighted to be recognised as a 3* employer for workplace engagement and to receive an 'Excellent' rating for our Employee Experience from WorkL in June 2025. At Pavers, we believe our success is driven by the talent, passion, and dedication of our colleagues, and we're proud to see that reflected in this achievement.