Head of Service Desks

Overview

Head of Global Service Desks – Reading, UK (HQ)

£70,000 – £75,000 per annum
• Full-time | Senior Lead Role

Lead a truly global service desk operation. We are seeking an experienced leader to direct and evolve our worldwide service desk capability from the Reading headquarters. This is a strategic leadership role reporting to the COO and forming part of the Senior Leadership Forum, working closely with the C-suite to support business growth and service excellence.

You will lead a globally distributed operation delivering 24/7 support to customers across 100+ countries, powered by our five service desk centres in India, Trinidad, Romania, United Kingdom and Ireland.

Our global desks support enterprise customers around the clock, combining dedicated and leveraged teams to deliver high-quality IT support and exceptional customer experience worldwide.

• Strategic Leadership
  • Define and communicate the vision for global service desk operations
  • Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing service desk teams and leaders
  • Participate in the Senior Leadership Forum and contribute to business strategy
• Operational Excellence
  • Oversee daily service desk operations ensuring timely resolution of customer issues
  • Maintain service quality, governance standards, and performance management
  • Ensure adherence to ITIL, ISO, and security policies
• Customer & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Build strong relationships with key clients and stakeholders
  • Lead customer engagements and satisfaction initiatives
  • Partner with marketing to promote service desk capabilities
• Continuous Improvement & Technology
  • Identify process, tooling, and system improvements
  • Collaborate on ITSM, reporting tools, and unified communications platforms
  • Drive operational efficiency and service innovation
• Commercial & Business Growth
  • Support solution design and scope new opportunities
  • Present service desk capabilities to customers to secure new business
• Cost & Performance Management
  • Manage operational costs including staffing, licensing, and platforms
  • Set performance goals and present monthly service insights to the C-suite

What We’re Looking For

• Minimum 7+ years in IT Service Management, including 3+ years in leadership
• Proven experience leading large service desk operations
• Strong knowledge of ITIL (certification preferred)
• Experience with Service Now and call management systems
• Excellent stakeholder and client engagement skills
• Commercial awareness with experience supporting business development
• Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

• Lead a globally recognised service operation
• Influence strategy and work directly with executive leadership
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement at scale
• Be part of a growing organisation delivering services worldwide

ESP Global Services is a leading provider of IT and business support solutions, delivering exceptional service to customers across 100+ countries. We operate five strategically located Service Desk centres in India, Trinidad, Romania, the UK, and Ireland, providing 24/7 support from dedicated and leveraged teams. Our Service Desks combine industry-leading technology, ITIL best practices, and highly skilled professionals to resolve issues quickly, proactively support our clients, and drive continuous improvement.

We aim to create a seamless, customer-first experience that helps businesses run efficiently across the globe. ESP Global Services values empowering teams, innovating service delivery, and raising the bar in service excellence. If you want to lead and shape a world-class, globally integrated Service Desk operation, ESP is the place to do it.