IT SUPPORT / SERVICE OPERATIONS
Adam Hickling
Service Desk Team Lead
Hands-on technical support.
People-focused leadership.
TECHNOLOGY ENABLES PEOPLE
Experience
Service Desk Team Lead
- Manage two direct reports, supporting recruitment, onboarding, development and performance.
- Provide technical training and mentoring across the wider Service Desk team.
- Review and allocate the ticket queue, manage escalations and resolve hands-on support requests.
- Introduce structured onboarding, training matrices and clear performance objectives.
- Implement an IT asset register and stock control process to improve equipment tracking and audit readiness.
- Lead and support end-user computing, migration and security improvement projects across the organisation.
Service Desk Analyst
- Deliver technical support, call handling, accurate ticket classification and triage, with a focus on helpful customer service.
- Explain technical issues clearly, de-escalate difficult situations and strengthen relationships with the wider business.
- Support system rollouts, Windows 11 adoption and Microsoft 365/Azure integration.
- Help users through organisational change, including consolidation of sites into the Clifton head office.
Technical expertise
Microsoft & endpoint support
Windows, Microsoft 365, Active Directory, Entra ID, Intune, OneDrive and SharePoint. User accounts, permissions, laptop configuration and device troubleshooting.
Connectivity & remote assistance
Fault diagnosis across DNS, IP, Wi-Fi and VPN connectivity. FortiClient, Citrix, Bomgar, ScreenConnect and TeamViewer.
Service desk operations
ManageEngine and Marval. Ticket triage, prioritisation, escalation management, SLA awareness, documentation and knowledge sharing.
People & improvement
Team development, technical training, onboarding, stakeholder communication, asset management and practical service improvement.
Selected projects
Windows 11 rollout
Lead organisation-wide deployment activity, including device preparation, planning, user communications and migration support.
OneDrive & SharePoint migration
Plan and coordinate the movement of departmental shared drives and individual user data into Microsoft cloud services.
Cyber Essentials Plus
Support accreditation through security improvements, remediation activity and technical compliance work.
Device deployment & asset control
Build, configure and deploy laptops across multiple sites, supported by an asset register and stock control process.
Profile
I am a Service Desk Team Lead at Nottingham Community Housing Association, having progressed from Service Desk Analyst. Alongside managing and developing colleagues, I allocate work, handle escalations and continue to investigate and resolve support tickets myself.
I am looking for a long-term remote IT opportunity as I plan a move to Cornwall. My interests span technical support, service desk leadership and improving the systems and processes that help a team deliver a reliable service.
How I approach troubleshooting
Investigating camera restrictions on shared tablets
Investigate. When cameras were unavailable on newly deployed tablets, I checked local device settings before tracing the behaviour to an Intune policy restricting permitted applications.
Understand the context. Further investigation showed that the restriction was intended to protect personal data on shared devices.
Find an appropriate next step. I raised a possible image-removal rule at logoff with Infrastructure, taking the existing OneDrive synchronisation into account. The example reflects my approach: establish the cause, understand the implications and involve the right specialists.
Qualifications & education
CompTIA A+ · ITIL v3 · SDI Service Desk Analyst
BSc (Hons) Environmental Science
Marine Conservation
University of Plymouth · July 2010
BTEC Level 3
Marine Biology and Ecology / Countryside Management
Falmouth Marine School · July 2007
Triple Distinction
Earlier career
IT retraining · Virtual learning
Laboratory Technician · Malvern PANalytical
Warehouse Operative · Currys PC World Newark
ECommerce and IT Support · Newark Antiques and Interiors
GMP Operator · Catalant Pharma Solutions
Production Specialist · Torbay Pharmaceuticals (NHS)
R&D Project Technician · IMERYS Ceramics
Evidence from my experience