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Service Desk Manager Jobs in Elgin, IL (NOW HIRING)

SUMMARY The IT Service Desk Manager is responsible for leading a geographically distributed service desk team- spanning Chicago, New York, and offshore team members - and ensuring the firm's end ...

SUMMARY The IT Service Desk Manager is responsible for leading a geographically distributed service desk team- spanning Chicago, New York, and offshore team members - and ensuring the firm's end ...

ITSM / Service Desk Lead

Oak Brook, IL · On-site

$93K - $125K/yr

ITSM / Service Desk Lead Salary: $93,750-$125,000 Position Summary The ITSM / Service Desk Lead is ... Manage platform governance, enhancements, workflows, and reporting. * Partner with technical teams ...

Front Desk Manager

Chicago, IL · On-site

$60K - $65K/yr

Front Desk Manager The Front Desk Manager acts as Front Office management presence in covering ... This position will require close cooperation with all hotel departments emphasizing guest service ...

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Service Desk Manager information

See Elgin, IL salary details

$36.1K

$93.4K

$155.2K

How much do service desk manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for service desk manager in Elgin, IL is $93,432.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $70,200.00 and $111,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a service desk manager?

To thrive as a Service Desk Manager, you need strong IT knowledge, experience in service management, and often a relevant degree or ITIL certification. Familiarity with ticketing systems such as ServiceNow or Jira, as well as reporting and analytics tools, is typically required. Excellent leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills set standout managers apart, enabling them to lead teams effectively and resolve conflicts. These competencies ensure efficient service delivery, high customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement in IT support environments.

What is the difference between Service Desk Manager vs Help Desk Supervisor?

AspectService Desk ManagerHelp Desk Supervisor
ResponsibilitiesOversees entire service desk operations, manages teams, develops policies, and ensures service quality.Supervises help desk staff, handles escalations, and ensures ticket resolution efficiency.
Required CredentialsTypically requires ITIL certification, relevant IT experience, and leadership skills.Often requires help desk experience, customer service skills, and basic IT certifications.
Work EnvironmentLeads a team in a corporate IT setting, focusing on strategic improvements.Manages daily help desk activities, often in a support center environment.

The main difference is that a Service Desk Manager has broader strategic and managerial responsibilities, overseeing the entire service desk operation, while a Help Desk Supervisor focuses on daily team supervision and ticket resolution. Both roles require IT knowledge and customer service skills, but the Service Desk Manager typically holds a higher level of responsibility and leadership.

How much do service desk managers make in the US?

Service Desk Managers in the US typically earn between $60,000 and $100,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and company size. They often require strong technical skills, certifications like ITIL, and leadership abilities to oversee support teams and ensure service quality.

What are the most common challenges faced by a service desk manager, and how can they be effectively addressed?

Service Desk Managers often encounter challenges such as balancing high ticket volumes, ensuring timely resolution of issues, and managing team performance under pressure. Effective strategies include implementing clear processes for ticket prioritization, regularly training staff on both technical and customer service skills, and utilizing performance metrics to identify areas for improvement. Additionally, fostering open communication and collaboration within the team helps address issues promptly and maintain a positive work environment.

What is a service desk manager?

A Service Desk Manager is a professional responsible for overseeing the daily operations of an organization’s IT service desk. They lead a team that provides technical support to users, ensuring that incidents and service requests are resolved efficiently. The Service Desk Manager also implements processes and best practices to improve customer satisfaction, manages staff performance, and coordinates with other IT departments to resolve complex issues. Their ultimate goal is to ensure smooth IT service delivery and support across the organization.

What job categories do people searching Service Desk Manager jobs in Elgin, IL look for?

The top searched job categories for Service Desk Manager jobs in Elgin, IL are:

What cities near Elgin, IL are hiring for Service Desk Manager jobs?

Cities near Elgin, IL with the most Service Desk Manager job openings:

Infographic showing various Service Desk Manager job openings in Elgin, IL as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 78% Full Time, 20% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $93,432 per year, or $44.9 per hour.

IT Service Desk Manager

GCM Grosvenor

Chicago, IL • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 11 days ago


Job description

SUMMARY

The IT Service Desk Manager is responsible for leading a geographically distributed service desk team- spanning Chicago, New York, and offshore team members - and ensuring the firm's end users receive exceptional technical support across hardware, enterprise software, and an increasingly AI-powered technology stack. This is a hands-on, player-coach role requiring both strong technical depth and the ability to manage, coach, and develop a high-performing team.

The ideal candidate will bring a white-glove service mindset, a broad and current knowledge of enterprise technologies, and the flexibility to operate effectively across a wide range of situations - from complex infrastructure escalations to providing discreet, high-priority support for senior leadership and other VIP stakeholders. The IT Service Desk Manager will drive service quality, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement, and will serve as a key partner to other IT disciplines in the delivery of end user technology and automation initiatives.

This role reports to the Executive Director, IT Infrastructure & Support and as an onsite/hybrid employee, you are expected to be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Lead, manage, and develop a geographically distributed service desk team across Chicago, New York, and offshore team members, ensuring consistent service quality and team cohesion across all locations.
  • Serve as the primary escalation point for complex technical issues, providing hands-on Tier 2/3 support and coaching team members through resolution of challenging problems.
  • Deliver white-glove, high-touch IT support for executive leadership and other VIP stakeholders, maintaining discretion, urgency, and professionalism at all times.
  • Monitor and manage the service desk queue to ensure issues and requests are appropriately triaged, prioritized, and resolved within established SLAs.
  • Provide regular reporting and metrics on service desk performance, including ticket volume, resolution times, customer satisfaction, and SLA adherence; present findings and recommendations to IT leadership.
  • Establish and maintain training plans for service desk team members, ensuring knowledge stays current across a rapidly evolving technology landscape including AI tools, cloud platforms, and endpoint technologies.
  • Hire, onboard, and continuously develop service desk staff and third-party partners, including offshore and after-hours support resources.
  • Maintain and expand the firm's self-service knowledgebase for end users and internal knowledgebase for service desk staff, ensuring documentation is accurate, current, and actionable.
  • Define, document, and continuously improve service desk processes; identify and implement automation and self-service solutions to improve efficiency and the end user experience.
  • Support the rollout, adoption, and ongoing support of AI productivity tools (e.g., Fireflies AI, Claude, ChatGPT), coordinating training, troubleshooting, and user enablement across the firm.
  • Assist in evaluating, selecting, and sourcing end user equipment and enterprise software, including participation in asset lifecycle management and technology refresh planning.
  • Proactively identify the need for hardware and software upgrades, configuration changes, or new systems and escalate or act accordingly.
  • Drive or contribute to projects related to service desk operations and end user technology, collaborating cross-functionally with Infrastructure, Security, and business stakeholders.
  • Provide direct end user support for hardware and enterprise software as needed, maintaining hands-on technical fluency.

EDUCATION, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

  • College coursework in pursuit of a B.A./B.S. degree with a concentration in Business, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field preferred.
  • Microsoft 365 suite administration (Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive).
  • Microsoft Intune / Endpoint Manager for device management and policy enforcement.
  • Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) and Active Directory.
  • Configuration/Infrastructure-As-Code experience (Simeon Cloud or similar software).
  • Windows 11 and Server operating systems.
  • Familiarity and working knowledge of Azure and AWS cloud environments.
  • Virtualization platforms (VMware or equivalent).
  • Networking fundamentals (DNS, DHCP, VPN, firewall concepts).
  • Security tooling and endpoint protection platforms.
  • Zscaler or equivalent cloud security platforms.
  • Video conferencing platforms and AV systems (Zoom, Microsoft Teams).
  • Jira Service Management and the broader Atlassian toolset (Jira, Confluence) for ITSM and knowledge management.
  • Scripting for automation and task management (PowerShell strongly preferred; Python a plus).
  • Dell and Apple laptop hardware and peripherals.
  • Familiarity with AI productivity and collaboration tools such as Claude AI, ChatGPT, Glean, Fireflies AI, and Gemini.
  • Ability and desire to experiment and build tools/agents using AI platforms to automate service desk operations which improve efficiency.
  • An ability to support end user adoption of AI tools, including troubleshooting, training facilitation, and documentation.
  • A genuine interest in AI capabilities and a willingness to develop expertise as the firm's AI tool portfolio evolves.
  • Exceptional flexibility and adaptability; able to shift priorities quickly in response to business needs.
  • Superior customer service mindset with a white-glove approach to end user support, especially for senior stakeholders.
  • Strong problem-solving skills with creative, process-improvement orientation.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills; able to translate technical concepts clearly for non-technical audiences.
  • Highly organized, self-directed, and capable of managing multiple competing priorities without loss of quality.
  • Demonstrated team player with the ability to build and sustain positive relationships across the technology team and the firm.
  • High degree of professional discretion; comfortable handling sensitive or confidential matters with appropriate care.
  • MacOS and Apple iOS device support is a plus.
  • ITIL certification or demonstrated familiarity with ITIL/ITSM principles is a plus.
  • Microsoft Certifications is a plus. 

The successful candidate will be self-motivated and energized by working among a group of thoughtful, driven, and collaborative colleagues. They will thrive in an organization that holds itself to a high standard and values both individual initiative and team cohesion. They will bring a proactive mindset, exercise sound judgment, and approach their work with integrity and a genuine commitment to excellence.

AT A GLANCE - GCM's Information Technology Organization

  • A forward-leaning technology team embedded within a leading global alternative asset management firm.
  • Cloud-first infrastructure with virtually all firm systems hosted on Microsoft Azure and AWS.
  • Actively investing in AI tooling and automation across the firm, including AI transcription, AI-assisted productivity, and intelligent workflow solutions.
  • Modern engineering practices including infrastructure-as-code, continuous integration, and cross-functional team ownership.
  • A strong team culture that values adaptability, candid feedback, and continuous learning.
  • Teams are empowered by management to take ownership of their domains and deliver meaningful outcomes for the business.