Client Services Manager

Overview The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA), the private fundraising and alumni relations organization for the University of Wisconsin–Madison, is seeking a Client Services Manager to join the Information Technology department. The Client Services Manager is responsible for leading and continuously improving end‑user support operations, including Help Desk services, endpoint support and engineering, and service delivery across all Infrastructure & Security domains. This role is highly focused on operational excellence, customer experience, and technology-enabled efficiency, with a strong mandate to drive automation, AI adoption, and scalable service delivery models. The manager leads a team of client-facing technical professionals and sets the vision, standards, and metrics that ensure reliable, secure, and customer-centric IT services. The Client Services Manager partners closely with Cloud Services, Security, Network Services, other Information Systems leaders and team members, and business stakeholders to modernize support operations and proactively improve the employee digital experience. This is a hybrid position that will require you to work on-site in our Madison, WI office location at least two days a week. The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is a private, nonprofit corporation that encourages individuals and organizations to make gifts to the university and to connect with the UW. In 2014, the UW Foundation merged with the Wisconsin Alumni Association to better serve a growing population of UW alumni and donors. We believe that private support grows out of good relationships between campus leaders, faculty and program staff who need support, and the alumni and friends who want to invest in UW–Madison. We provide important engagement opportunities to link UW–Madison alumni to each other and to their alma mater, building a strong community of Badgers. Diversity and Inclusion: Just as the university community benefits from differing viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences, inclusion and diversity are imperative for the success of our mission. WFAA values people and the differences that they bring to the organization, and creates an environment in which all staff members and constituents feel respected and have opportunities to thrive. Essential Functions Service Delivery, Customer Experience & Stakeholder Engagement Own the end-to-end delivery of Client Services, including Help Desk operations, endpoint support, and lifecycle management. Establish and reinforce a customer-first service model, ensuring timely and high-quality support experiences. Define and monitor service-level objectives, customer satisfaction metrics, and continuous improvement targets. Serve as the escalation point for complex or high-impact user issues, ensuring accountability and resolution. Define, document, and standardize Client Services processes using industry best practices. Analyze ticket trends, root causes, and operational data to proactively improve service delivery. Lead continuous improvement initiatives that reduce ticket volume, improve first-contact resolution, and enhance user experience. Provide regular reporting and insights to leadership on service performance, risks, and improvement opportunities. Act as a key liaison between IT Client Services and business stakeholders. Translate business needs into scalable support models and service improvements. Partner with leadership to align Client Services capabilities with broader IT and organizational strategies. Operational Optimization, Automation & AI Enablement Drive operational efficiencies through automation, AI-enabled workflows, and self-service capabilities. Identify and eliminate manual, high-friction, or repetitive support processes by leveraging IT Service Management (ITSM) automation and orchestration, AI-assisted ticket handling and categorization, knowledge-centered support and chat-based self-service options. Partner with engineering, security, and platform teams to pilot and adopt emerging technologies that improve speed, quality, and scalability of support. Establish metrics to measure efficiency gains, cost reduction, and service improvements driven by automation and AI. Work cross-functionally within the Infrastructure & Security team to identify and assist with operational optimization for other teams. Team Leadership & Development Lead, coach, and develop a team of Client Services analysts and engineers. Set clear expectations for performance, customer engagement, documentation, and technical excellence. Foster a culture of continuous learning, innovation, collaboration, accountability, and operational ownership. Support career development, skills progression, and succession planning for the Client Services team. End-User Security Operations & Risk Mitigation Ensure endpoint support and client services practices align with organizational security policies and standards. Partner with the Security team to operationalize security controls in end-user environments (e.g., secure configurations, patching, device compliance). Support execution of endpoint security initiatives (e.g., device hardening baselines, OS and application patching, and secure deployment and configuration of endpoints). Support audits, assessments, and compliance activities by providing operational evidence related to client services and endpoint controls Qualifications Required Qualifications : Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or relevant experience that provides equivalent knowledge, skills, or abilities. 7+ years of progressive experience in end-user support, desktop/endpoint services, or IT operations. 3+ years of experience leading technical teams in a customer-facing support environment. Strong experience with ITSM platforms, ticketing systems, and service operations management. Demonstrated success driving process improvement, automation, or operational optimization initiatives. Qualifications Experience implementing or managing AI-enabled IT operations (AIOps), self-service tools, or automation frameworks. Familiarity with endpoint management platforms (e.g., Intune, Jamf) and asset management tools. Ability to work under pressure handle rapidly changing priorities and multiple tasks simultaneously. Strong communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work effectively in a team environment and collaborate with cross-functional teams. Capable of maintaining a high degree of confidentiality and responsibility regarding information related to WFAA and any affiliate organizations. Demonstrated experience implementing automation and self-service (e.g., scripts, workflow automation, chat-based support, knowledge-centered support) to reduce ticket volume and improve service speed. Ability to lead cross-functional projects (e.g., endpoint refresh, service desk modernization, knowledge base build-out) using lightweight project management practices. Relevant certifications (examples): ITIL Foundation (or higher); HDI Support Center Team Lead (SCTL) / Support Center Manager (SCM); Microsoft Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate; CompTIA A+ / Network+ / Security+; Jamf Certified (e.g., Jamf 200/300); Apple Device Support / Apple Deployment & Management. Experience with modern endpoint management and security controls (e.g., Microsoft Intune, Jamf), including policies, patching, software deployment, and device compliance. Strong analytical and reporting skills with experience building dashboards and using service data to drive prioritization, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement. Experience with IT asset management and lifecycle governance (inventory accuracy, standards, refresh planning, vendor coordination, and cost optimization). Working knowledge of security and privacy practices in end-user support (access controls, secure configuration baselines, phishing awareness, and handling confidential data). At WFAA, we are dedicated to creating an inspiring, creative, and respectful work environment for our employees. We offer competitive pay and an outstanding benefits program, including a generous 10% 401k contribution after just one year of service! The organization is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is the doing business as name of the merged organization comprising the University of Wisconsin Foundation and the Wisconsin Alumni Association. Its legal corporate name is registered as the University of Wisconsin Foundation. #J-18808-Ljbffr