Service Desk Analyst

University of Illinois System•Urbana, IL

3d•Remote

About The Position

The Service Desk Analyst serves as the first point of contact for clients needing assistance with computer systems and usage. This role involves identifying, analyzing, troubleshooting, and resolving problems to prevent recurrence and reduce repeat calls. The analyst will act as the primary contact for inquiries regarding problem reporting, resolution, system status, availability, and general information about AITS services, coordinating with other IT areas as needed. Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Two (2) years (24 months) of combined college coursework in Information Technology (IT), IT Management, Programming, IT systems, or a closely related discipline, OR work experience in IT-related functions (hardware/software support, programming, network design, network engineering, IT systems integration, or closely related field).
Extensive customer service experience required.
Ability to interact with customers professionally and courteously via telephone and email.
Ability to identify and resolve problems quickly and effectively.
Ability to convey reliable and accurate information clearly.
Excellent writing and communication skills.
Ability to document technical solutions and create clear, high-quality knowledge documents.
Ability to interact clearly with people over the telephone, often in stressful situations.
Must be flexible in work schedules while maintaining punctual, regular, and consistent attendance.
Must be available to work overtime or any shift (1st, 2nd, 3rd) as requested or required.
Excellent teamwork skills and a great team player.
Able to work independently.
Willing and able to make decisions in a timely manner in difficult or ambiguous situations.
Ability to take initiative and make improvements.
Anticipate customer needs.
Pays close attention to detail.
Understands concepts of desktop and client software (browsers, operating systems, etc).
Uses time efficiently.
Accepts responsibility for own actions.
Contributes skills and capabilities to achieve team goals.
Performs a wide range of tasks, responding to changes in direction and priorities.
Accepts new challenges, responsibilities, and assignments.
Works outside of ordinary routine.
Ability to quickly learn and become self-sufficient on new technical skills.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with batch scheduling concepts.
Experience with service management software.
Ability to extract data, conduct analysis, and develop recommendations.
Web design experience.
Ability to read and edit HTML, CSS, and JS.
Knowledge of SQL.
Knowledge of shell scripting.
HDI or ITIL certification.

Responsibilities

Provide direct customer support via phone, email, and other channels, troubleshooting to isolate root issues.
Utilize the KnowledgeBase for solutions and creatively troubleshoot unfamiliar issues, identifying trends and common problems.
Direct issues to higher support tiers and collaborate with external teams for resolution.
Promote a professional Service Desk image and sell the value of the Service Desk.
Provide technical front-line and second-tier support for open systems batch processing, including requests, migrations, and parameter modifications.
Search for and analyze potential operating and batch problems, initiating corrective measures.
Monitor system activity and performance for a large complex of servers, network interfaces, and peripheral devices, taking timely corrective action.
Acknowledge, resolve, and clear all monitoring alerts.
Page on-call staff and post to the university status page for urgent and high-priority incidents.
Log all calls and email requests into the ticketing system.
Document solutions in the KnowledgeBase clearly and concisely for customer understanding.
Include pertinent facts and troubleshooting steps in support tickets, especially for transfers to higher tiers.
Manage knowledge articles daily to ensure accuracy and freshness, creating and updating content as needed.
Maintain content in the knowledge repository for effective use by internal staff and customers.
Assist in developing and achieving unit goals to improve Service Desk service, productivity, and efficiency.
Participate on project teams to test and implement new products and services.
Facilitate information sharing within and across AITS groups.
Assist in evaluating software tools to enhance monitoring capabilities.
Participate in customer service and process improvement initiatives.
Participate in and encourage a knowledge-sharing environment, developing and delivering cross-training activities.
Establish and nurture working relationships with clients and AITS departmental staff.
Keep peers and end users informed of trends, significant problems, unexpected delays, and environmental changes impacting customers.
Inform customers of wide-reaching problems and scheduled downtime.
Keep customers informed of progress on unresolved problems.
Communicate and coordinate software, hardware, system, and operational problems during shifts.
Understand critical events, necessary actions, and contacts.
Proactively share information with Service Desk employees on all shifts for smooth transition and workflow direction.
Report atypical assistance requests and their resolutions to all Service Desk staff.
Establish and achieve personal career goals.
Maintain and develop technical knowledge, analytical skills, leadership skills, and communication skills.
Stay abreast of current technology and attend training and conferences.
Perform other duties and responsibilities appropriate for an IT Technical Associate.