Help Desk Analyst

Job Details

American University is a student-centered research institution located in Washington, DC, with highly-ranked schools and colleges, internationally-renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world. Learn more about American University.

Department:

IT Help Desk

Time Type:

Full time

Job Type:

Regular

FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

Work Modality:

Hybrid 04 (On Campus 1 day/Month)

Union:

SEIU Local 500 - Provost & Enrollment Division

This position is part of a collective bargaining unit represented by SEIU Local 500 - Provost & Enrollment Division. That means the terms and conditions of your employment are governed by university policy (including the Staff Personnel Policies Manual) and any collective bargaining agreement entered into between American University and SEIU Local 500 - Provost & Enrollment Division.

Job Description:

Summary:

The Help Desk Analyst position is an integral part of the customer service team in Information Technology that answers questions and provides general troubleshooting assistance for the AU community via telephone, email, and instant message. The Help Desk staff are empowered with system administrator rights to fix most problems, as well as coordinate with other technical support, networking, academic and administrative computing staff to solve customers' problems and questions. This position works under the general direction of the Manager, IT Help Desk.

Essential Functions:

1. Troubleshooting and Issue Resolution
   • Work directly with community members to analyze and resolve computer or network-related issues.
   • Perform troubleshooting of PC and Mac configurations, as well as software, network connectivity, and other technical challenges.
   • Deliver support through instant messaging, telephone, web, and email.
   • Track all reported incidents and requests through the Help Desk database software package to ensure a quick and consistent response to users.
2. Customer Support and Enterprise System Facilitation
   • Respond to requests from students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and prospects for assistance in navigating and utilizing core enterprise systems.
   • Provide guidance on accessing and using University-supported applications, such as enterprise resource planning systems, learning management systems, email, collaboration tools, and community portals.
   • Serve as a liaison between customers and system administrators, both internal and external to OIT, to facilitate issue resolution.
   • Assess customer needs and connect them with relevant services and resources.
3. Account and Access Management
   • Create, modify, deactivate, and delete computer accounts based on approved access rights.
   • Interpret and apply security and access control policies.
   • Manage network resources including configuring access privileges, troubleshoot network printers, and resolve workstation connectivity issues.
4. IT Operations and Documentation
   • Collaborate with OIT staff to develop and test new tools that enhance computing support.
   • Create and maintain clear documentation within our published knowledgebases (both internal and external).
   • Contribute to customer service projects that improve the university’s IT support experience.
5. System Monitoring and Problem Escalation
   • Analyze Help Desk service requests to identify recurring technical issues.
   • Research and confirm system-wide problems and escalate them to management and/or the appropriate system administrator.
   • Follow up to ensure timely resolution and quality customer service delivery.

Competencies:

• Serving Customers.
• Prioritizing and organizing.
• Acquiring and Analyzing Information.
• Supporting Coworkers.
• Displaying Creativity.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

• Full-time.
• 35 hours per week.
• Monday through Friday with a one-hour lunch break in a hybrid modality with one day a month required to work from the office.
• The Help Desk team work staggered shifts to ensure coverage from 8 AM – 8 PM on Monday through Thursday and 8 AM – 6 PM on Friday.
• Help Desk Analysts may be asked to provide support outside of their scheduled hours in response to unexpected staffing changes or critical operational activities.
• This position is expected to be on call and readily available to address emergency IT issues remotely, during unplanned closures or weather emergencies, as a reduced number of Help Desk staff is expected to work to support the University community.
• OIT staff are prohibited from taking non-emergency leave during the three-week period at the start of each semester, this includes the week before the start of the Fall and Spring term and the first two weeks of classes for the Fall and Spring term. Requests for support peak during these times and system availability is also critical, which requires all staff members to be working during these times.

Salary Range:

• $32.97 - $34.29 per hour.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
• 2 - 4 years of relevant experience.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications:

• Hiring offers for this position are contingent on successful completion of a background check.
• Specific technical experience required includes: knowledge of common desktop applications (word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, electronic mail, etc.), ticket tracking through a customer relationship management system, proficiency with connecting computers to a local area network and the Internet using wired and wireless connections, an understanding of computer hardware and operating systems (primarily current Windows and Mac OS versions).
• Experience with ServiceNow, Active Directory, Microsoft SharePoint, and Microsoft 365 is preferred.

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Benefits

AU offers a competitive benefits package. Click here to learn about American University's unique benefit options.