Service Desk Manager

About the Role

Our world-leading Time & Frequency department is seeking a Service Desk Manager .

This is an exceptional opportunity to join the global authority in precision timing at a defining moment for UK digital infrastructure.

Backed by a government investment of £180 million in the National Timing Centre (NTC) programme , we are developing a world-first resilient time distribution capability that will provide industry with a robust complement to satellite systems such as GPS – which are increasingly vulnerable to disruption from solar storms, jamming and spoofing. This will underpin essential services; including

• Telecommunications,
• Online banking,
• Emergency response,
• Transport networks, and
• Wider digital and data-driven operations.

Together, these services form the backbone of modern society - and your leadership will help ensure they remain secure, reliable and robust even if global navigation satellite systems fail.

Key responsibilities:

• Manage the performance and day‑to‑day operation of the Help Desk , acting as the primary point of contact for the Operations team and overseeing incidents, changes, assets and problem management.

• Establish and maintain the Service Catalogue , implementing standard Service Requests and supporting processes (e.g. password resets, system access and general enquiries).

• Own end‑to‑end Change Enablement , including receipt, assessment, approval or rejection, monitoring and closure of change requests.

• Chair the Change Advisory Board (CAB) , providing oversight of high‑risk or non‑standard changes, assessing justification and risk, making recommendations, and capturing decisions, actions and minutes.

• Collaborate with internal teams, customers and partners to design, implement and improve ITSM processes and procedures in line with ITIL best practice.

• Support the effective closure of incidents and change requests through accurate maintenance of the Asset Management database.

• Monitor customer satisfaction and produce monthly management reports covering Help Desk and ITSM performance, trends and key metrics.

• Act as an escalation point for complex issues and complaints , working with senior stakeholders, customers and cross‑functional teams to ensure timely resolution.

• Identify and drive continuous improvement , implementing value‑adding enhancements to processes, tools, ways of working and the operating environment

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have the following skills, experience, and qualifications:

Essential:

• Strong knowledge of ITIL practices, with particular focus on Incident, Change, Problem and Asset Management

• Working knowledge of ISO 27001, with the ability to develop, implement and maintain compliant processes and procedures.

• Proven recent experience delivering and/or operating telecoms and/or IT solutions in a live operational environment.

• Experience with IT Service Management tools, such as Jira, Remedy, ServiceNow or equivalent platforms.

Advantageous:

• Experience managing or running a Help Desk within an operational environment.

• Knowledge of Physics and/or Time and Frequency measurement / time scales.

• Experience using documentation management applications.

• Exposure to cyber and physical security incident and event management.

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.

However, to work in this role in the Time & Frequency department, you will need to have an SC clearance with no restrictions, or you must have the ability to obtain an SC clearance.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as practical.

About Us

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK. Find out more about what it is like working here - The measure of us - Overview

NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.

At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity, as part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we ensure we’re creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome. More about this on our Diversity & Inclusion page.

We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees. Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work-life balance, along with a broad range of rewards, benefits and recognition Our values are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success. To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.