How To Become A Service Desk Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a service desk manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Matthew Liotine Ph.D.

The core responsibility of a Service Desk Manager is to resolve technical issues related to the IT systems of an organization and ensure they work efficiently. His/Her work revolves around computer applications or operating electronic systems and devices. He/She works with the customer, vendors, and stakeholders to maintain daily service desk operations. He/She leads, trains, and manages teams daily to improve customer service, efficiency, and technical know-how. Also, he/she recommends ways to use programs to meet individual user needs.

To get the position, you need a bachelor's degree in a related field. You need a minimum of five years of relevant experience in technical and managerial roles. You need time management, interpersonal, analytical, communication, and leadership skills as a service desk manager. Some employers require you to possess certifications relevant to the industry. The average salary a service desk manager makes in a year is about $82,217.

What general advice would you give to a service desk manager?

Matthew Liotine Ph.D.

Clinical Professor and Director of Master of Science in Supply Chain and Operations Management, University of Illinois at Chicago

Most employers tell me that soft skills are equally, if not more important, than technical skills or domain knowledge. This translates into external/internal customer-facing skills, such as communication, team collaboration, writing, presentation, problem-solving, and being resourceful. (Many graduates overlook writing as a vital skill, but they fail to realize that in the course of their jobs, they will likely be required to write lots of memos and tons of emails.) The need to perfect these skills within the confines of a virtual world has become even more challenging and amplified with COVID. I teach in the information systems discipline, and when you view student resumes, many people look the same on paper. The soft skills will make a candidate stand out head and shoulders above the rest. That's why the candidate should pay attention to the screening interviews that they will undergo during the hiring process since employers will use these interviews to vet these skills.

ScoreService Desk ManagerUS Average

Salary

7.6

Avg. Salary $101,229

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.6

Growth rate 16%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.21%

Asian 12.59%

Black or African American 6.80%

Hispanic or Latino 10.20%

Unknown 5.22%

White 64.99%

Gender

female 35.75%

male 64.25%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress level

8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a service desk manager

Explore service desk manager education requirements

Most common service desk manager degrees

Bachelor's

58.0 %

Associate

23.7 %

Master's

6.5 %

Start to develop specific service desk manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	14.58%
ITIL	8.17%
ITSM	4.57%
Infrastructure	4.45%
Technical Support	4.23%

Complete relevant service desk manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New service desk managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a service desk manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real service desk manager resumes.

Gain additional service desk manager certifications

Service desk manager certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific service desk manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for service desk managers include IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL) and HDI Support Center Manager (HDI).

More About Certifications

Research service desk manager duties and responsibilities

Manage key financial relationships, working with VIP reps in various institutions.
Ensure efficient allocation of resources and skills to achieve contractual KPIs within financial constraints.
Deploy and manage environmental controls, backup strategies, ITSM software, and monitoring systems.
Manage staff and activities necessary to effectively coordinate the service request fulfillment life-cycle of base on ITSM best practices.

Prepare your service desk manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your service desk manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a service desk manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable service desk manager resume templates

Build a professional service desk manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your service desk manager resume.