Associate Director, IT Service Desk

Job Summary The Associate Director, IT Service Desk provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for UCSF's Service Desk, including technical and clinical support services. This role is accountable for the vision, performance, and continuous improvement of a multi-tiered support organization serving clinical, academic, research, and administrative customers. The Associate Director leads managers and supervisors responsible for daily support operations, service quality, workforce planning, incident response, knowledge management, and performance management. The role establishes service standards, monitors SLAs and KPIs, drives data-informed improvements, and ensures support models are aligned across channels, teams, and customer groups. In partnership with Infrastructure Services, clinical stakeholders, and cross-functional IT teams, this role ensures reliable support for enterprise technologies, clinical workflows, and high-impact services. The Associate Director also leads long-term service desk strategy, including self-service, automation, AI-assisted support, shift-left opportunities, and service model improvements that enhance customer experience and operational efficiency. As a senior leader, the Associate Director represents the Service Desk across UCSF, communicates performance and priorities to leadership, supports major incident response and service continuity planning, and fosters an inclusive, accountable, and service-oriented culture. Department Overview University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is distinguished as a leading academic healthcare organization, home to groundbreaking discoveries, world-class education, and exceptional healthcare services. Infrastructure Services (IS) is the backbone of the technological infrastructure, assuring the technical services that enable the academic, medical, and research missions of the organization. Beyond a focus on maintaining systems and resolving issues, we are committed to nurturing the potential of our team members and empowering them to excel. UCSF Infrastructure Services provides 24x7 support to the University community, always upholding the highest level of responsiveness and reliability for our customers. IS values innovation and excellence in ensuring secure and efficient Information Technology (IT) services, regardless of the hour or complexity of the issue. The Customer Experience team within Infrastructure Services is dedicated to supporting the vital work of UCSF. This team works to ensure that every interaction between UCSF's customers and IT services is smooth and positive, thereby facilitating crucial academic, medical, and research endeavors. The team includes IT Service Management, responsible for ensuring the right processes, people, and technology are in place to meet the unique demands of the research community. The Desktop Engineering sub-team takes charge of the design, deployment, and upkeep of desktop computers, providing reliable hardware for data analysis and research. The Desktop Field Services sub-team offers direct, hands‑on assistance for hardware or software issues, effectively minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity. The Service Desk, serving as the primary contact for users facing IT issues, delivers prompt remote solutions or escalates problems as needed, allowing researchers to focus on their groundbreaking work. The Customer Experience team's overall aim is to provide a seamless user experience, swift resolution of issues, minimal downtime, and to align IT services with the broader objectives of UCSF's mission to advance health worldwide through innovative research. Time Allocation and Responsibilities 50% of time: Leadership, Management, and Supervision Provides strategic leadership for the Service Desk organization by setting direction for workforce development, organizational design, and talent strategy. Through subordinate managers and supervisors, ensures team members are supported in achieving career growth and development goals while fostering an inclusive, high‑performing environment that values diversity, equity, and belonging. Establishes and models a culture of accountability, integrity, and service excellence aligned with UCSF IT values. Drives organizational engagement and customer‑centric behaviors at scale, ensuring consistent delivery of best‑in‑class service through strong leadership alignment, communication, and performance expectations. Directs all aspects of people management through leadership teams, including organizational planning, recruitment strategy, succession planning, performance management, and employee relations. Oversees leadership development of managers and supervisors, ensuring consistent application of HR policies, sound judgment in personnel actions, and alignment with institutional standards. Provides oversight of workforce planning, budgeting, and operational resource management for the Service Desk. Ensures alignment of staffing models, financial plans, and organizational structure with service demand, strategic priorities, and long‑term growth. Maintains accountability for adherence to UCSF HR policies, institutional procedures, and regulatory requirements. 20% of time: Operations Support Provides leadership and direction for integrated Service Desk operations supporting both clinical and technical environments, fostering a culture of service excellence, accountability, and continuous professional development across all support teams. Oversees and optimizes day‑to‑day Service Desk operations across all support channels, ensuring efficient workflow management and consistent adherence to service level objectives (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) for both clinical and enterprise IT services. Ensures delivery of high‑quality support for enterprise technologies and clinical applications, systems, and devices, maintaining reliable service performance while minimizing disruption to patient care, research, and administrative operations. Directs the management of high‑priority incidents and service requests across clinical and technical domains, ensuring timely resolution, effective communication, and thorough root cause analysis, while implementing preventative measures to improve service stability and reduce recurrence. 10% of time: Customer Service Acts as a senior leader and advocate for customer experience, setting the vision and standards for service excellence across the Service Desk. Partners with IT domains to ensure consistent, high‑quality support delivery and alignment to customer needs across clinical and technical environments. Enables organizational capability by developing leaders, promoting knowledge sharing, and driving a culture of continuous improvement in service delivery. 10% of time: Continuous Improvement Leads the continuous improvement strategy for Service Desk operations by monitoring changes in regulations, technologies, and industry best practices, and proactively translating these into actionable improvements. Establishes governance and ensures alignment with UCSF policies, regulatory requirements, and organizational priorities, while providing strategic guidance and recommendations to senior IT leadership. 10% of time: Project Planning and Management Leads the strategic planning and execution of the Service Desk project portfolio, ensuring initiatives align with UCSF IT Customer Experience priorities and deliver measurable business outcomes. Provides oversight to complex, cross‑functional programs, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and with intended impact. Establishes governance, prioritization frameworks, and resource alignment to drive successful delivery, while enabling innovation and continuous improvement across Service Desk services. Minimum Requirements Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training 10+ years' experience working in one or more of the following fields: information technology, customer experience, and service desk 5+ years experience leading teams in a management or leadership role, particularly in a fast‑paced, service‑oriented environment Expertise in managing vendor relationships, negotiating contracts, and ensuring service level agreements (SLAs) are met Proven executive leadership skills with the ability to lead cross‑functional teams, influence senior stakeholders, and drive organizational change Advanced skills in crisis management, including the ability to lead the team through high‑pressure situations and critical incidents Advanced ability to interpret, analyze, and apply pertinent policies, procedures, regulations, and requirements Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and ability to communicate work assignments to small teams Demonstrated experience presenting technical information to audiences of technical and non‑technical stakeholders Advanced project management skills and ability to delegate responsibility, track project progress, supervise others, and advise on competing priorities Significant experience working in a project‑based environment using leading project management practices including schedule management, status reporting, and communication of project risks and issues Proven ability to delegate solutioning when appropriate to the proper resources. Demonstrated understanding of how decisions affect teams. Demonstrated ability to make decisions with integrity Extensive experience cultivating an inclusive environment that values equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging Preferred Qualifications Extensive knowledge and hands‑on experience with clinical applications, systems, and devices, ensuring seamless functionality and minimal operational disruptions. In‑depth understanding of clinical workflows and processes, with the ability to identify inefficiencies and implement improvements that enhance patient care and operational efficiency Comprehensive knowledge of healthcare regulations, standards, and compliance requirements, ensuring that all clinical support services adhere to these guidelines Expertise in managing and securing clinical data, ensuring data integrity, confidentiality, and compliance with HIPAA and other relevant regulations Preferred Certifications HDI Support Center Manager Certification ITIL Managing Professional Certification Project Management Professional (PMP) Epic Certification #J-18808-Ljbffr University of California - San Francisco