Senior Unidesk Operations Lead

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Location: Flexible/Remote - UK

Key Relationships: 

• UniDesk Steering Group
• UniDesk Technical Process Managers
• External Service Providers
• Head of Service
• CEO HEFESTIS

HEFESTIS is a highly trusted, not-for-profit Shared Services organisation, jointly owned by member institutions across the UK University, Colleges and wider public sector. Established in 2017, HEFESTIS is under-going growth in member numbers across all it’s core services and is leading the way in demonstrating how shared services can provide qualitative and cost-effective solutions to our supported sectors.

UniDesk is a core shared service operating for the administration, governance, and continual improvement of the TOPdesk platform and associated processes. We are recruiting for an exceptional individual to act as a Senior Operations Lead, focusing on ITIL- aligned service management and delivery, technical governance and process change to support our existing members and scale the service across the UK Education sector and beyond.

Role Purpose & Focus

The postholder will be the technical lead for a service that has the majority of Scottish Higher and Further Education establishments as members, with other members in the rest of the UK and Malta.

This is a tremendous opportunity to sustain and build a sector leading service of real importance and the role offers a significant prospect for professional growth within a successful and expanding shared-service organisation. The postholder will work closely with the Hefestis CEO, the UniDesk Steering Group and senior stakeholders across member institutions, gaining experience in service strategy, customer governance, financial and commercial awareness, supplier management and the development of a national shared service.

For an individual who demonstrates the required leadership capability, strategic judgement and service-management expertise, the role provides a potential development pathway towards a future Head of Service position. HEFESTIS is committed to developing internal talent and creating meaningful opportunities for increased responsibility.

Unlike a traditional internal IT support or helpdesk position, this role combines senior operational leadership, enterprise ITSM platform expertise and service-management consultancy. The postholder will take responsibility for the operational integrity, configuration, ITIL process maturity and continual improvement of the UniDesk shared-service environment.

Working across multiple member institutions, the postholder will help members obtain greater value from TOPdesk, lead controlled technical and process change, strengthen operational resilience and support the transition towards a more responsive continuous-deployment model. The role will work closely with the Head of Service, member representatives, technical process managers and third-party suppliers and will make a substantial contribution to the future development and growth of UniDesk.

Your priorities will include:

• Lead customers engagements and be a source of knowledge and direction in handling escalated incidents.
• Driving end-to-end ITIL processes, including Incident, Problem, Change, and Request Management, rather than just basic ticket-fixing.
• Provide day-to-day professional and technical leadership across the UniDesk operational team, establishing clear standards, supporting knowledge transfer and reducing reliance on individual members of staff for critical service knowledge.
• Managing complex technical integrations (such as SSO/SAML authentication and mail flow configurations) and acting as the escalation point for external suppliers.
• Exploration of ITIL and SDI accreditation for the service to better enable efficient and highly effective processes for our members.
• Support the transition towards a controlled continuous-deployment model, developing processes that enable improvements to be delivered more frequently without compromising member environments or service stability.
• Administering, configuring, and optimising the core TOPdesk ITSM platform to ensure high-performance service delivery across member institutions.
• Work proactively with member institutions to identify opportunities to improve their use of TOPdesk functionality, standardise effective processes, increase automation and realise measurable operational benefits from participation in the shared service.
• Using service management frameworks and Continual Service Improvement (CSI) to elevate service quality, drive automation, and maximise customer satisfaction.
• Orchestrating the technical onboarding of new member institutions, including gap analysis, UAT planning, and configuration.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

ITIL Service Lifecycle & Process Administration

• Accountable for the operational governance of core ITIL practices across the shared service: Incident Management, Request Fulfilment, Problem Management, and Change Management.
• Oversee the triage, diagnostic depth, and resolution workflows for complex platform queries, ensuring adherence to strict service level targets.
• Maintain the Problem Management process, keeping the Known Error Database (KEDB) updated, analysing recurring patterns, and implementing preventative measures or workarounds.
• Evaluate, test, and implement Requests for Change (RFCs) to ensure operational stability and robust change control across member environments.

Platform Configuration & Technical Administration

• Manage core platform settings, module usage, and institutional variations within TOPdesk.
• Identity & Access Management: Configure and troubleshoot Single Sign-On (SSO), tracing SAML data, advising on metadata/attribute release, and supporting Shibboleth, Azure, and Google authentication frameworks.
• Mail Flow & Integration Management: Set up and troubleshoot complex inbound/outbound mail flows, integration checks, and Azure directory imports.
• Assess and resolve visibility, filtering, and structural permission challenges within the ITSM tool.

Supplier & Service Level Management

• Act as technical point of contact and escalation liaison with external software vendors and suppliers.
• Drive mutual value through structured supplier relationships, logging platform feedback, articulating enhancement requirements, and tracking vendor resolution performance.
• Monitor service delivery metrics and assist stakeholders in interpreting performance data to anticipate service risks or SLA constraints. 

Service Growth, Onboarding & Knowledge Management

• Lead the technical onboarding lifecycle for new shared service members, conducting technical assessments of existing setups and processes.
• Design, build, and execute User Acceptance Testing (UAT) plans for both internal and customer deployment.
• Author and curate operational processes, internal technical documentation for common incidents, and maintain the shared collaborative space for members.

Who we are looking for (Essential Requirements): 

• Technical ITSM Platform Experience: Strong background in administering, configuring, and optimising enterprise service management platforms (TOPdesk experience preferred).
• ITIL Framework Knowledge: Deep understanding of ITIL service management principles and their practical application in a managed service or shared service environment.
• Advanced Troubleshooting: Exceptional diagnostic capabilities with non-routine technical problems, specifically regarding identity management (SAML/SSO), mail routing, and system configurations.
• Process Management skills in the analysis and deployment of relevant processes that support our members.
• Stakeholder & Relationship Management: Credible communicator capable of engaging confidently with senior stakeholders, technical process managers, and external suppliers across diverse institutions.
• Organisational Resilience: Excellent planning skills with the resilience to manage shifting priorities in a dynamic, multi-tenant shared service setting. 

Terms: 

• Full time, Permanent role
• Full-time hours are 35.625 hours per week
• 9.5-day fortnight working pattern as standard
• 30 days annual leave plus 10 fixed days per annum
• Membership of the company pension scheme (salary sacrifice scheme option)
• Access to the company benefits suite including cycle-to-work scheme, and gym discounts.
• Must be based in the UK. 

How to Apply: 

Applications should be made by forwarding your CV and covering letter, outlining why you would like to work for Hefestis via the 'Apply' button above (E: jobs@hefestis.ac.uk). The closing date for applications is 1^st November 2026