Service Desk Manager

ASM Research•Remote,

11d

About The Position

This role involves managing a team that handles complex, multi-system PIV/PKI issues, overseeing deep-dive investigations of incidents, and guiding root-cause analysis for recurring identity issues. The manager will provide expert troubleshooting across various technologies including Windows, AD/Entra ID, certificate authorities, PKI validation, and secure email. Additionally, the role requires coordination between support tiers and other VA support teams, driving technical investigations, and communicating findings to leadership. The position also entails owning Tier 3 escalations, leading Problem Management efforts, validating technical solutions, and reviewing/approving changes to identity/authentication systems. Developing and maintaining runbooks, providing training, and identifying automation opportunities are also key responsibilities. Ensuring compliance with federal standards and maintaining strict handling of sensitive data are critical. The role requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.

Requirements

5–10+ years in IT support, with 3+ years managing advanced technical teams.
Strong hands-on experience with PIV, PKI, certificates, smart card authentication, and Windows trust environments.
Strong understanding of HSPD‑12, FIPS 201, NIST SP 800‑63 and related federal identity standards.
Deep technical experience with Active Directory, group policy, cert authorities, CRL/OCSP validation, and authentication flows.
Experience leading escalations and root-cause investigations in enterprise/federal environments.
Proficiency in ServiceNow or similar ITSM tools.
Ability to obtain/maintain Public Trust clearance.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting VA identity systems and workflows.
Previous work with certificate authority platforms (Entrust, HID/ActivID, RSA, etc.).
Experience with device management (SCCM/Intune).
ITIL v4 certification.
Familiarity with secure email (S/MIME) and authentication integrations with cloud services.

Responsibilities

Manage a team handling complex, multi-system PIV/PKI issues (certificate failures, smart card logon errors, middleware failures, CRL/OCSP issues, workstation trust issues, email signing/encryption problems).
Oversee deep‑dive investigation of incidents that cannot be resolved by Tier 1/2.
Guide root-cause analysis and create remediation plans for recurring identity issues.
Provide expert troubleshooting covering Windows, AD/Entra ID, certificate authorities, PKI validation, workstation cert stores, CRLs/OCSP, middleware, VPN, and secure email.
Act as the coordination point between Tier 3 support and additional VA support teams assisting end users.
Drive technical investigations and collaborate on changes or fixes affecting PIV/ICAM workflows.
Communicate technical findings and recommended improvements to VA program leadership.
Own all Tier 3 escalations, ensuring they meet SLA for response and resolution.
Lead Problem Management efforts: document known errors, identify trends, propose permanent fixes.
Validate technical solutions or workarounds before push-down to lower tiers.
Review and approve changes impacting identity/authentication systems (cert authority updates, CRL distribution changes, middleware upgrades, GPO updates).
Create and maintain detailed runbooks and troubleshooting guides for complex PIV issues.
Provide training and technical coaching to Tier 2 analysts as needed.
Identify automation opportunities to reduce manual troubleshooting.
Ensure Tier 3 operations adhere to federal identity, credentialing, and security standards.
Maintain strict handling of sensitive data (PII/PHI) within identity systems.
Support audit activities with technical evidence and documentation.