Head of IT Tier 1 Service Desk and Shared Services Lead

The Head of Tier 1 IT Service Desk & Shared Services Lead is a senior IT operations leadership role responsible for building, scaling, and operating a new in-sourced Tier 1 IT Service Desk based in Tijuana, Mexico. This leader will establish a high-performing, customer-centric Tier 1 service desk that delivers consistent, high-quality end-user support across the entire Forgent North America enterprise, while also creating the operational, leadership, and governance foundation for additional IT shared services (e.g., application support, network monitoring, identity operations) to be established in Tijuana over time.

This is a hybrid role that blends hands-on Tier 1 service desk leadership with strategic shared-services design, talent development, and cross-functional partnership across global IT and business teams.

Key Responsibilities:

Tier 1 IT Service Desk Leadership

• Design, build, and lead a new in-house Tier 1 IT Service Desk organization, including staffing model, shift coverage, operating hours, and escalation paths.
• Establish service desk processes aligned to modern ITSM best practices (Incident, Service Request, Knowledge, Major Incident intake), leveraging tools such as Jira Service Management, ServiceNow, or equivalent.
• Own Tier 1 performance outcomes including first-contact resolution, response times, customer satisfaction (CSAT), backlog management, and ticket quality.
• Partner closely with Tier 2/3 teams (Tier 2 Onsite Support Leads, Manufacturing Site Reliability Leads, Identity, Cloud, Network, Applications, and Security) to define clear handoffs, SLAs, and runbooks.
• Drive a strong end-user experience mindset, balancing efficiency, empathy, and consistency in employee support.

Shared Services Strategy & Expansion

• Work with IT leadership to define the vision, roadmap, and operating model for expanding IT shared services beyond Tier 1 (e.g., application support, monitoring, access administration).
• Serve as the accountable leader for evaluating which IT services are suitable for migration into the Tijuana shared services model.
• Build repeatable frameworks for onboarding new services, including documentation standards, training models, KPIs, and transition plans.
• Partner with IT domain leaders to ensure service quality, risk management, and business continuity as services scale.

People & Culture Leadership

• Recruit, hire, and develop local leadership and frontline talent in Tijuana, creating clear career paths and progression opportunities.
• Foster a strong team culture centered on accountability, continuous improvement, and customer service excellence.
• Act as a player-coach during early stages, with increasing delegation as the organization matures.
• Ensure alignment with company values, compliance requirements, and HR practices across geographies.

Operational Excellence & Governance

• Establish governance, reporting, and performance management routines for Tier 1 and shared services.
• Define and track KPIs and SLAs; continuously identify opportunities to improve efficiency and quality.
• Ensure appropriate controls are in place for access management, data protection, and audit readiness.
• Manage vendor relationships where applicable (tools, staffing partners, telecom, etc.).

Stakeholder & Executive Engagement

• Serve as the primary point of accountability for Tier 1 and shared services performance.
• Communicate clearly and credibly with IT and business leaders regarding service health, risks, and improvement initiatives.
• Translate business needs into scalable service models that support growth, M&A, and transformation initiatives.

Qualifications:

• 10 years of progressive IT operations or service delivery experience, including leadership of an IT Service Desk or shared services function.
• Proven experience building and scaling in-house teams, ideally in a nearshore or offshore environment (Mexico experience strongly preferred).
• Strong grounding in ITSM frameworks (ITIL or equivalent) with a pragmatic, business-oriented approach.
• Experience standing up new operating models, not just running mature ones.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through change, ambiguity, and rapid growth.
• Comfortable operating at both strategic and execution levels.

Core Competencies & Behaviors:

• Strong people leader with the ability to attract, develop, and retain talent.
• Customer-centric mindset with a passion for improving the employee IT experience.
• Operationally rigorous, data-driven, and detail-oriented.
• Excellent communicator who can influence across functions and geographies.
• Financially minded, with experience managing budgets and driving cost efficiency.
• Culturally aware and effective working across U.S. and Mexico-based teams.