Service Desk Operations Director

Since 1989, SBA Communications has been a pillar of the wireless industry. Today, as a publicly traded global leader and S&P 500 company, our network of over 46,000 communication sites spans 10+ countries, forming the critical infrastructure that connects millions. We are the force behind the scenes —the essential infrastructure that keeps our world connected.

We are looking for innovators to join the dynamic team that makes it all possible. In an industry that moves fast, we rely on our agility to stay ahead of the curve and deliver results. However, we never achieve it alone. Our culture is defined by a "Team First" focus, where every team member matters, and we collaborate passionately to support our customers' objectives.

We believe in shared success. At SBA, we invite every team member to think like an owner.

Financial Wellbeing:

• Plan for your future with our Global Ownership Program (Annual RSU awards for eligible employees), a 401K with a generous company match, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan offering company stock at a discount.

Mental Wellbeing:

• We prioritize your health with access to a dedicated Health Concierge service.

Personal Growth & Balance:

• Enjoy a generous Paid Time Off (PTO) package, paid holidays, and paid volunteer hours. We also fuel your ambition with tuition reimbursement, support for professional certifications, and a wellness reimbursement program.

If you’re ready to make an impact with a stable industry leader, we want to hear from you.

Your Next Career Opportunity – Director, Service Desk Operations

The Director, Service Desk Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for the strategic direction, operational accountability, and continuous evolution of the enterprise Service Desk function and the broader IT Service Management (ITSM) capability at SBA Communications. This role provides leadership over both the operational management of the Service Desk and the technical expertise that supports enterprise end-user computing. The Director is accountable for driving ServiceNow adoption and maturity by extending the ITSM platform and into other enterprise service domains. This role ensures strategic alignment between IT service delivery and business objectives, owns the SLA/KPI framework, and serves as the primary executive interface for all Service Desk and ITSM matters. The Director will drive projects and ensure proper handover from engineering and application teams for any support responsibilities required of the Service Desk, fostering a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement. The Director will build credibility with senior leadership through proactive communication, data-driven reporting, and a demonstrated commitment to service excellence and innovation.

What You Will Do – Primary Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Business Alignment: Define and execute the enterprise Service Desk and ITSM strategy in alignment with IT and business objectives. Serve as the strategic voice for end-user services and ITSM capabilities to IT leadership, executive stakeholders, and business unit leaders. Translate business requirements into service delivery models and platform capabilities.
• ServiceNow Platform Strategy & Expansion: Own the strategic roadmap for ServiceNow adoption across the enterprise. Drive platform expansion beyond ITSM into adjacent ITSM and other enterprise service catalogs. Partner with business units to identify service management opportunities and build business cases for platform investment.
• Operational Accountability: Maintain overall accountability for Service Desk performance, service quality, and SLA adherence while delegating day-to-day operational management to the operations management function. Establish governance frameworks, escalation paths, and performance standards. Conduct periodic operational reviews and ensure alignment between operational execution and strategic goals.
• ITSM Process Ownership & Maturity: Own and drive maturity across ITSM processes including Incident Management, Problem Management, Change Management (CAB leadership), and Service Request fulfillment. Ensure all processes are documented, enforced, and continuously improved in alignment with industry frameworks and organizational needs.
• Metrics, Reporting & Executive Communication: Define, own, and evolve the Service Desk KPI/SLA framework. Build and deliver executive-level reporting that communicates service performance, trends, risks, and improvement initiatives. Establish a metrics-driven culture that creates accountability at every level of the organization.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Executive Support: Serve as the primary IT Service Desk point of contact for business units and senior leadership. Build trust and alignment with executives through proactive communication and responsive service delivery. Oversee white-glove support escalation protocols for executive and VIP users.
• Team Development & Organizational Design: Lead, mentor, and develop direct reports across both the operational management and senior technical functions. Define organizational structure, role clarity, and career pathing within the Service Desk function. Identify and develop Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to distribute technical ownership and reduce single points of dependency.
• Vendor, Technology & Budget Management: Oversee vendor and contractor relationships, technology investments, and budget planning for the Service Desk and ITSM functions. Ensure effective lifecycle management of end-user devices, software licensing, and IT asset tracking through the ITSM platform.
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Champion process improvement and automation initiatives. Evaluate emerging technologies, AI-driven support capabilities, and self-service models to improve service quality, efficiency, and user experience.
• Completes other projects and duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Work with Talent Acquisition to recruit, interview, select, hire, and employ a talented and diverse group of high-performing team members.
• Provide oversight and direction to team members in accordance with the organization's policies and procedures.
• Coach, mentor, and develop team members, including overseeing new team member onboarding and providing career development planning and growth opportunities.
• Empower team members to take ownership of their job and goals. Delegate responsibilities as needed and provide routine constructive feedback on performance.
• Create a culture that is consistent with the organization's focus on team member engagement, and that aligns with the organization's mission, vision, and values.
• Lead team members using a performance management and development-focused approach to assist in goal setting, two-way feedback, and performance development planning.
• Lead team members to meet the organization's expectations for productivity, quality, and goal accomplishment.

What You’ll Need – Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, MIS or equivalent work experience.
  Minimum of seven (10) years of progressive experience in IT Service Desk operations and ITSM, including managing multi-tiered support teams, ITSM platforms (ServiceNow required), and enterprise end-user computing environments.
• Seven (7) to ten (10) years in a management or director-level role within a Service Desk, ITSM, or IT operations environment, with demonstrated success leading teams, owning SLAs, driving ITSM process maturity, and expanding platform adoption beyond traditional IT boundaries.

• Expert level competencies in:
  • Enterprise IT Service Management strategy and ServiceNow platform roadmap ownership
  • ServiceNow administration, governance, and cross-domain expansion (ITSM, ITAM, Workflows) KPI/SLA framework design and metric-driven performance management
  • Service Desk operations leadership and enterprise IT support management
  • Incident Management, Problem Management, Change Management (CAB), and Service Request fulfillment
  • KPI/SLA framework design, executive reporting, and metric-driven performance management
  • Executive and VIP stakeholder engagement
• Advanced level competencies in:
  • End-user device lifecycle management and Microsoft Intune
  • Vendor, contractor, and technology budget management
  • IT asset and license management
• Strong level competencies in:
  • Process automation, AI-driven support, and self-service model development
• Extensive experience with:
  • Business Process Improvement
  • Decision Making and Critical Thinking
  • Global Perspective
  • Knowledge of Organization
  • Organizational Leadership
  • Resource Management

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to stoop, bend, kneel or crouch.
• Ability to stand, walk and sit.
• Ability to reach with hands and arms.
• Visual ability correctable to 20/20.
• Sitting up to 90% of the day.
• Ability to respond verbally in an understandable, professional manner in person and over the telephone.
• Manual dexterity to input data into the computer and the calculator and operate the equipment listed above.
• Ability to lift up to15 pounds.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Office/ Cubicle workspace.
• Moderate noise level.

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