Team Lead - IT Helpdesk - Germain Automotive Partnership

The Team Lead for IT Break/Fix Support leads day-to-day break/fix operations for the Helpdesk team across our Ohio, Michigan, and Florida locations. This is a working lead role: you will own the escalation queue from Tier 1 and Tier 2 technicians, manage vendor relationships on behalf of the business, and continuously evaluate and improve the tools and workflows the team relies on, while remaining hands-on with onsite and remote support.

This position reports directly to the IT Director and will shadow the IT Director during onboarding to get up to speed on our environment, locations, vendors, and processes before taking full ownership of the team.

You will support an interconnected, multi-location environment of 1400+ users and 1000+ workstations, with a priority focus on onsite work for your assigned region and a scheduled travel cadence to supported sites. The role suits a leader ready to set the standard for service quality and drive process maturity across the support organization.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Escalation

• Serve as the primary escalation point for break/fix issues raised by Tier 1 and Tier 2 technicians, taking ownership through to resolution.

• Provide technical direction, coaching, and knowledge sharing to help the team resolve issues faster and at the appropriate tier.

• Coordinate team coverage and ticket assignment across Ohio, Michigan, and Florida to keep service consistent across locations.

• Monitor the queue for aging, high-impact, and at-risk tickets and intervene before they breach service expectations.

Vendor Management

• Manage relationships with vendors and vendor-supported services on behalf of locations, serving as the primary point of contact for support, escalations, and coordination.

• Open, track, and drive vendor cases to resolution and hold vendors accountable to agreed service levels and timelines.

• Coordinate vendor onsite visits, maintenance windows, and changes, and keep stakeholders informed of status and impact.

Process Evaluation & Improvement

• Evaluate existing tools and workflows, identify gaps and bottlenecks, and recommend practical improvements that raise efficiency and service quality.

• Develop and maintain documentation, runbooks, and knowledgebase articles so fixes are repeatable.

• Track recurring issues and partner with the broader IT team on root-cause fixes that reduce ticket volume over time.

Hands-On Support & Operations

• Provide troubleshooting and technical support across inbound phone, email, in-person, and remote channels, scheduling onsite support where needed.

• Deliver onsite support for assigned locations, with travel to other sites on a scheduled cadence.

• User management: account setup, updates, and terminations., You will gain leadership experience and deepen your technical skills in an interconnected, multi-location environment, including:

• Primarily a Windows 10/11 desktop environment, with iOS devices used for certain services.

• Vendor management for vendor-supported services on behalf of locations.

• Inventory management and helpdesk triage.

• Remote support systems.

• Microsoft 365 services such as Entra ID and Intune.

• Mitel phone system (on premises).

• Cisco, Meraki, Juniper Infrastructure.

• SD-WAN such as CATO and VELO.

• A variety of software troubleshooting.

• Opportunity to attend networking events and company meetings.

Do you have a valid Driver's License license?, Do you have experience in iOS?, * Proven team lead, supervisory, or management experience, with the ability to direct, coach, and hold a team accountable. Leadership gained in a comparable multi-site or operational setting (for example, logistics, warehouse, or retail operations) will be considered.

• Solid IT helpdesk or desktop support background with a track record of independently resolving break/fix issues. Roughly 5 or more years of IT experience is ideal, but candidates with less IT tenure will be considered when paired with strong, relevant leadership experience.

• Background in Computer Science, Information Technology, Management Information Systems, or equivalent hands-on experience.

• Strong working knowledge of Windows 11 and comfortable troubleshooting the operating system.

• Proficiency with the Microsoft 365 suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, and related apps).

• Mobile OS experience with both iOS and Android devices.

• Experience using a ticketing system to track time, communicate updates, and record ticket notes.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with strong attention to detail and a strong work ethic.

• Strong verbal and written communication, comfortable interfacing with end users, managers, and vendors.

• Willingness to travel for onsite support as needed across assigned locations, including the Auto Mall in the Columbus, OH area.

• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for regional travel.

Preferred Experience

• Project management experience.

• Knowledgebase/Documentation Experience.

• Intune MDM (mobile device management).

• Powershell Experience

• NinjaRMM or a similar remote monitoring and management platform.

• HaloITSM or a similar ticketing / ITSM platform.

• Mitel phone systems or similar telephony platforms.

• Entra ID / Azure Active Directory and the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

• Advanced Windows 11 troubleshooting.

• Vendor and asset management experience.

• Cisco / Meraki networking exposure.

2.32.3 out of 5 stars Columbus, OH 43219 From $65,000 a year, Pulled from the full job description

• Travel reimbursement

• Parental leave

• Paid time off

• Vision insurance

• Dental insurance

• Life insurance

• Employee assistance program, Schedule

• Monday through Friday, 8-hour day.

• Schedule will be coordinated with the team to ensure IT coverage across the 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM window.

• Subject to change based on weekend business hours and workload.

Compensation & Travel

• Experience-based Salary Offering, beginning at $65,000 annually, What We Offer

• . Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits

• . 401(k) with company participation

• . Weekly Pay

• . Life Insurance

• . Short and Long Term Disability

• . Parental Leave

• . Employee Assistance Program

• . Paid time off and holidays