Assistant Manager at EXL South Africa

Job Description

• The Service Desk Team Lead plays a critical role in establishing and maturing the Service Management capability within Shared Services. This includes the creation and operationalization of the Service Management layer, ensuring structured triage, end-to-end service request efficiency, complex problem resolution, and consistent SLA achievement across all service towers.
• The role drives the design and governance of Service Management processes, tools, reporting structures, and operational insights to enhance customer-facing services. It ensures first-point-of-contact resolution capability is strengthened while overseeing escalations, root cause investigations, and continuous service improvement initiatives.
• The incumbent will work closely with business, technical, and third-party stakeholders to build strong partnerships, improve service performance, and implement a clear roadmap for the evolution of the Service Management function. This role requires strong leadership, operational governance expertise, vendor management capability, and a customer-centric mindset.

Responsibilities

Service Management Implementation

• Establish and operate the Service Desk Team layer across Shared Services.
• Design, implement, and govern Service Management processes, tools, and reporting frameworks.
• Optimize first-line triage, request management efficiency, and SLA performance across service towers.
• Build capability to improve first-contact resolution of customer requests and escalations.
• Develop operational insights and implement tactical and strategic Service Improvement Plans.
• Drive continuous improvement through structured problem management processes.
• Build and execute a Service Desk Team roadmap with clear milestones and measurable outcomes.
• Ensure service quality aligns with release and deployment governance standards.
• Establish strong stakeholder engagement and communication channels across all levels and third-party providers.

Service Management Operations

• Accountable for end-to-end service delivery across inbound triage and front-line support channels.
• Oversee resolution of service requests, escalations, and operational incidents within agreed SLAs.
• Act as escalation point for complex issues beyond the standard support model.
• Lead root cause investigations for service failures and implement corrective actions.
• Oversee daily service operations to ensure consistent, high-quality customer experience.
• Maintain and continuously enhance Service Management capability and maturity.

Qualifications

Education:

• Relevant degree or diploma in Information Technology, Business Management, or related field (preferred).
• ITIL certification or equivalent Service Management certification (advantageous).

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a Service Desk Team Lead role.
• Experience in Shared Services or large enterprise operational environments preferred.
• Experience in vendor management and service governance strongly advantageous.