Service Desk Team Leader Job in Kenya

Job Objective:

We are seeking a highly driven and experienced Service Desk Team Leader to oversee the Service Desk function within our Network Operations Centre (NOC). This role is responsible for delivering exceptional first-line support, ensuring strict SLA compliance and leading effective incident and escalation management across enterprise and hyperscale client environments. The successful candidate will act as the central escalation and coordination point between Clients, Operations, Engineering, IT and Project teams, driving service performance, operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives.

Reporting Line: Director, Operations

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The Service Desk Team Leader will provide strategic direction, operational oversight and performance governance of all Service Desk activities, ensuring efficient ticket lifecycle management, structured escalation control and superior client engagement.

Lead, mentor and performance-manage the Service Desk team, establishing clear KPIs aligned to MTTR, MTTA, SLA compliance and client satisfaction targets
Own and govern the Incident Management lifecycle in accordance with ITIL best practices, ensuring timely triage, prioritization, escalation and resolution of all incidents and service requests
Act as the primary escalation authority for critical, high-impact and complex incidents, coordinating cross-functional technical teams to restore service within agreed SLAs
Oversee structured internal and external communications during major incidents, ensuring transparency, accuracy and executive-level reporting where required
Ensure high standards of ticket quality, data integrity, categorization accuracy and documentation completeness within the ticketing system
Monitor real-time service performance dashboards and proactively manage risks to SLA adherence
Produce accurate operational reports and performance analytics for senior leadership review
Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including workflow optimization, automation of repetitive tasks and integration of monitoring tools to enhance efficiency
Identify systemic service gaps and implement corrective and preventive measures to improve reliability and reduce repeat incidents
Collaborate closely with Engineering, IT, Client Services and Project teams to strengthen operational alignment and enhance overall NOC performance
Support change governance processes by assessing operational risks related to planned network activities

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Telecommunications, Computer Science or related field
ITIL Foundation certification (mandatory)
Networking certifications such as JNCIA, CCNA

Experience and Skills

Minimum five years experience in Service Desk or NOC operations within telecom, ISP or carrier-grade environments
At least two years in a supervisory or team leadership capacity
Proven experience managing critical incidents in SLA-driven, 24/7 operational environments
Strong understanding of transport and IP technologies (OTN, DWDM, SDH, Ethernet, IP/MPLS)
Experience with enterprise ticketing platforms (e.g., ServiceNow, NetSuite, Remedy or equivalent)
Strong analytical capability with ability to interpret operational data and performance trends
Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and executive reporting skills