Manager, Managed Desktop Services

Peraton

About The Position

The Manager of Managed Desktop Services leads the engineering and operations team responsible for delivering secure, reliable, and high-performing desktop platforms across Windows, macOS, and Citrix VDI environments. This role provides leadership for the teams responsible for OS image creation and lifecycle management, application packaging, Tier 3 endpoint support, and operation of the enterprise Citrix environment. The manager ensures excellent customer experience, strong security posture, and high-quality service delivery aligned with enterprise architecture and operational standards.

Requirements

Minimum of 12 years related experience
10+ years of technical experience in desktop engineering, endpoint management, or VDI operations.
5+ years managing an engineering or operations team.
Hands-on expertise with:
Windows 10/11 and macOS imaging and provisioning
SCCM/MECM, Intune, JAMF, or equivalent management platforms
Application packaging technologies for Windows and macOS
Citrix Virtual Apps & Desktops, Citrix Provisioning, Citrix Cloud
PowerShell, Bash, or scripting for automation
Strong problem-solving skills with a track record of reducing incidents and improving service reliability.
Familiarity with security baselines such as DISA STIGs, CIS/NIST standards, and patching practices.
Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
US Citizen with the ability to obtain Agency clearance

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting federal, regulated, or compliance-driven environments (FISMA, FedRAMP, DHS, DoD).
Relevant certifications such as:
Microsoft (MD-102, AZ-104, SC-series)
Apple ACSP/ACTC
Citrix CCA-V or CCP-V
ITIL 4 Foundation
Experience with automation or orchestration for endpoint deployment and support workflows

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end delivery and continuous improvement of Managed Desktop Services, including endpoint imaging, application packaging, VDI operations, and Tier 3 support.
Develop service roadmaps, standards, runbooks, and operational KPIs to ensure consistency and reliability.
Manage and mentor a multidisciplinary team of engineers and specialists, providing coaching, development, and performance management.
Ensure documentation, knowledge articles, and service processes are complete, current, and accessible.
Lead the design, engineering, and maintenance of Windows and macOS desktop and laptop OS images.
Ensure images meet enterprise configuration standards, security baselines, patch compliance, and regulatory requirements.
Oversee OS lifecycle management, including updates, new versions, and device configuration policies (GPO, Intune, JAMF, etc.).
Manage release processes with structured testing, validation, and change controls.
Direct the packaging and deployment of applications for Windows (MSI/IntuneWin) and macOS (PKG/DMG).
Define and enforce packaging standards, testing procedures, and approval workflows.
Work with product owners, business units, and InfoSec to prioritize requests and ensure packaged software is compliant and stable.
Optimize deployment mechanisms through SCCM/MECM, Intune, JAMF, and other enterprise tools.
Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Citrix Virtual Apps & Desktops environment (or Citrix Cloud, if applicable).
Ensure VDI images, policies, profiles, and application layers remain updated, secure, and performant.
Monitor system health, session behavior, resource utilization, and overall VDI stability.
Coordinate with infrastructure teams on virtualization, storage, and networking dependencies impacting the VDI estate.
Lead the Tier 3 team responsible for escalated endpoint and VDI issues.
Perform root cause analyses and implement long-term corrective actions to reduce repeat incidents.
Serve as the final escalation point for complex OS, application, configuration, and VDI issues.
Provide advanced technical guidance and documentation to Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams.