Director of End User Services

Empire State University seeks a Director of End User Services within the Office of Information Technology. The Director of End User Services provides leadership and operational oversight for all end-user IT services across the university. This role is responsible for delivering a seamless, high-quality technology experience for faculty, staff, and students by leading user support services including: the IT Service Desk, Desktop Support, managed desktop environment, A/V and conference room technologies, and IT support for large campus events.

The Director plays a critical leadership role in advancing IT service management (ITSM) maturity across the institution, driving excellence in service delivery, service catalog development, and performance measurement through KPIs and continuous improvement practices. Additionally, this position serves as the institutional lead for IT change management, ensuring that technology changes are effectively planned, governed, communicated, and adopted with minimal disruption.

This role champions a user-centric approach, operational efficiency, and data-informed decision-making to align IT services with institutional priorities.

Primary Responsibilities

Leadership and Oversight

• Provide strategic direction and operational management for all user support functions, including the IT Service Desk, Desktop Support, managed desktop services, and A/V support.
• Oversee the delivery and continuous improvement of the managed desktop environment to ensure standardization, security, scalability, and an optimal end-user experience.
• Oversee IT support for large campus events, ensuring technical needs are planned, coordinated, and executed effectively.
• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of service excellence, accountability, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Establish and maintain service standards and ensure alignment with institutional goals and user expectations.

Service Delivery & IT Service Management (ITSM)

• Lead and drive ITSM maturity across the organization by adopting and advancing service delivery best practices and continuous improvement.
• Lead the development and management of a comprehensive IT service catalog, ensuring services are clearly defined, documented, and accessible.
• Establish and maintain clearly defined services, service ownership, and escalation pathways across all user support functions.
• Develop, document, and continuously improve standard operating procedures (SOPs) for technical support, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and high-quality service delivery.
• Define, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) and service-level metrics to measure service effectiveness and user satisfaction.
• Implement and refine processes for incident, request, problem, and knowledge management.
• Lead a support strategy that enables faster resolution at lower tiers through knowledge sharing, training, and improved tooling.
• Promote and expand self-service and knowledge base solutions to empower users and reduce reliance on higher-tier support.
• Champion a user experience (UX)-focused approach to IT services, emphasizing ease of use, accessibility, and responsiveness.

IT Change Management

• Serve as the institutional lead for IT change management, refining practical governance processes that balance agility and risk.
• Continuously improve the change management framework to minimize service disruptions and maximize successful adoption.
• Facilitate and lead the Change Advisory Board (CAB) and related review processes.
• Collaborate with ITS teams and stakeholders to assess risk, impact, and readiness for proposed changes.
• Ensure effective communication, documentation, and training plans are in place for all significant technology changes.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee the deployment, maintenance, and lifecycle management of desktop and endpoint technologies.
• Ensure effective delivery and support of A/V and conference room technologies across the university.
• Use data analytics and reporting to identify trends, improve services, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with accessibility standards, cybersecurity requirements, and institutional policies.
• Optimize workflows, tools, and technologies to enhance efficiency and service quality.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary liaison between ITS and university stakeholders for user support, service delivery, and change management.
• Partner with academic and administrative units to understand needs and ensure technology services support institutional goals.
• Engage regularly with faculty, staff, and students to gather feedback and improve services.
• Translate complex technical concepts into clear, user-friendly communication.
• Promote transparency through regular communication of service performance, initiatives, and improvements.

Job Requirements:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in IT customer support or service delivery, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience with IT service management including service delivery, service catalog development, SOP development, and KPI/SLA management.
• Demonstrated experience leading or supporting IT change management processes, including risk assessment, stakeholder communication, and change coordination.
• Proven experience driving service improvement and operational maturity within a support organization.
• Experience establishing service definitions, escalation paths, and operational standards for technical support teams.
• Experience implementing or supporting shift-left strategies, knowledge management, and self-service models.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to lead diverse teams and build collaborative relationships.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field.
• Experience in higher education, particularly in an online or distributed learning environment.
• Strong applied knowledge of ITSM frameworks and best practices in an operational setting.
• Experience managing endpoint/managed desktop environments at scale.
• Certification in change management and/or IT service management.
• Experience with service management platforms (e.g., TeamDynamix, ServiceNow, Jira Service Management).

Special Information

• This position will be located in Saratoga Springs, NY. A part-time remote work schedule can be requested in accordance with the SUNY Telecommuting Policy.
• Occasional travel may be required to fulfill department, division, and university-wide commitments.
• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. VISA sponsorship is not available for this position.