Help Desk Lead - United States

As part of the Global Business Consulting organization, Travel Program Management (TPM) outsource practice line is one of the fastest growing organizations within that group, aiming to provide value by executing strategic and operational travel management on behalf of our customers. This position of a Travel Program Specialist (TPS) within the TPM outsource practice line will be responsible for providing extensive travel operational and stakeholder management. The Help Desk Leader is responsible for the day-to-day operation and execution of the Enterprise Client Hotel Helpdesk and includes the following activities: 

KEY STRATEGIC FOCUS: 

• This role is focused on Global Business Consulting’s (GBC) “Operational Strategy” which encompasses, our enterprise hotel consulting journey, for a large Enterprise consulting customer delivering outstanding consultative support service excellence to our consulting customers while achieving operational efficiencies. 

• This role actively contributes to “Efficiency” and “Business Development Strategy” ensuring all processes followed are robust, that our activity and time management is efficient and that we all give attention to developing and growing our enterprise hotel network. 

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Investigate escalated issues and provide a quality response and resolution to the Client. 

• Ensures team members (Helpdesk Specialists) are trained on the Enterprise Hotel Program Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), policies, performance reviews, client specifics, strategies, values, and administration. 

• Ensures Helpdesk Specialists are maintaining compliance through monitoring and measurement. 

• Evaluates staffing models to ensure appropriate staffing levels are in place. 

• Leads and develops team members by providing feedback on performance expectations and assisting with development plans. Conducts one-on-one meetings on a regular basis to provide a consistent environment for collaboration and coaching. 

• Encourage the sharing of industry trends, ideas, special educational opportunities and best practices. 

• Leads weekly team meetings with team members to discuss volume, productivity, customer deliverables, process, and service levels. 

• Lead Help Desk Specialists regarding daily inquiries and escalations. 

• Serves as a mentor in the areas of forecasting, costing and budgeting, and reviews team members' program budgets. 

• On-boards and trains new Help Desk Specialists. 

• Act as subject matter expert (SME) to ensure consistency and training for all, using best practice approach, experience and knowledge. 

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT: 

• Participates in client meetings and presentations to explain operational help desk processes, reviews contractual statistics, workload, and resolves challenges. 

• Resolves customer inquiries which have been escalated and leads team members to research and resolve customer inquiries. 

• Represents the help desk in functional meetings to drive efficiency, optimization and standardization of processes across the business. 

• Resolves problems and removes obstacles through interaction with other functional departments. 

• Escalates obstacles while presenting solutions to the Sr. Program Manager. 

• Communicates, leads and assists with costing, proposals, letters of agreement, and deliverables on renewal business for the account. 

• Represents the Hotel Program Help Desk during all program meetings both internal and external. 

• Develops strategic partnerships with multiple contacts within client and supplier organizations. 

• Maintains proactive, positive, open line of communication with client to ensure understanding of expectations and client satisfaction. 

PROCESS MANAGEMENT: 

• Identifies, develops, and ensures implementation of standard practices and process improvements. 

• Strategizes with Sr. Program Manager to analyze, forecast, implement and manage financial and operational measures to track results and ensure operational profitability.  

• Holds self and others accountable for business results.  

• Ensures that customer satisfaction via client survey and benchmarks results are analyzed and communicated and are used to develop team members to continuously improve client satisfaction. 

• Develops service recovery plans, ensures the plans are implemented, and improvement goals are achieved or exceeded. 

• Outlines strategy and communication plan for the program Help Desk. 

• Evaluates impact of events and reassesses objectives and outcomes; plans for continuous improvement. 

• Manages special projects as assigned by the Sr. Program and provides backup support for the Help Desk team. 

WHAT SKILLS YOU’LL NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL: 

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in leadership of travel industry customer support teams or equivalent. 

• Must be a US citizen. 

• In depth knowledge of complex cross functional Government sector environment is a plus. 

• Proven servant people leadership skills and impact of high performing teams. 

• Strong ability to interact with client and key contacts daily. 

• Understanding of and ability to effect creative out of the box win/win solutions. 

• Prior successful experience in developing and maintaining key client and supplier relationships. 

• Prior experience in effectively handling multiple projects/initiatives.  

• Strong knowledge working with business financials, contracts and service levels.