Job Overview

• To supervise the SWAH Helpdesk function and provide accountable day-to-day control of helpdesk operations, CAFM data quality, customer contact, service-request logging, task allocation, escalation and contract performance reporting. The postholder will supervise two Helpdesk Assistants and ensure the helpdesk provides a professional, consistent and auditable service aligned with the PFI contract, applicable Helpdesk Service Specification, site procedures and agreed performance measures.

  The role will maintain effective oversight of Emergency, Urgent, Routine, Ad-hoc and other contract call types, ensuring requests are accurately recorded, appropriately prioritised, assigned, monitored and progressed. Particular emphasis will be placed on response and rectification performance, access coordination, carryover control, PPM support, performance-failure identification and the integrity of information used for monthly and contractual reporting

Main Duties

• Key responsibilities

  Leadership and people management

  • Supervise, organise and develop two Helpdesk Assistants, setting clear standards for attendance, conduct, accuracy, customer service, confidentiality and productivity.
  • Prepare work rotas and maintain adequate helpdesk cover during agreed operating hours, including planned leave, sickness absence, training and other foreseeable pressures.
  • Allocate duties fairly and maintain cover for telephone, email, CAFM, reporting and administrative requirements.
  • Complete regular one-to-one reviews, annual performance and development reviews, objective setting, coaching and documented development plans.
  • Manage attendance, sickness absence, return-to-work meetings, leave, welfare, capability, conduct and performance matters in line with Mitie procedures and with HR support where appropriate.
  • Maintain training and competency records and ensure Helpdesk Assistants are competent in CAFM, call handling, priority selection, escalation, information security and customer communication.
  • Lead team briefings and regular quality reviews, recording actions and following them through to closure.
  • Support recruitment, induction, probation reviews and succession planning for the helpdesk function.

  Helpdesk operational management

  • Manage the day-to-day operation of the helpdesk and ensure calls, emails, requests and system notifications are handled consistently and professionally.
  • Ensure every request is logged promptly with accurate caller details, location, asset or service, description, reported time, access information and operational impact.
  • Confirm that each task is assigned the correct contract call type, priority, trade, team, resource and escalation route based on the information available.
  • Ensure callers are given a clear reference and appropriate information on what will happen next, without creating commitments outside contractual or operational authority.
  • Maintain oversight of the live queue, unallocated work, returned tasks, open emergencies, access issues, duplicate requests and jobs approaching or exceeding contractual timescales.
  • Ensure effective handover of open calls, significant faults, access constraints, temporary controls and outstanding actions between helpdesk staff, shifts and operational managers.
  • Act as the first supervision point for difficult calls, complaints, disputed priorities, repeat callers and requests requiring management clarification.
  • Maintain suitable business-continuity arrangements for loss of telephony, CAFM access or other helpdesk systems and ensure manual records are subsequently reconciled.

  CAFM administration and data quality

  • Act as the helpdesk lead for accurate and consistent use of the CAFM system within the helpdesk function.
  • Monitor task creation, categorisation, priority, assignment, status, timestamps, location, asset references, completion information and closure codes.
  • Carry out routine quality checks to identify duplicate, incomplete, miscategorised, incorrectly prioritised, unallocated or inappropriately closed tasks.
  • Correct administrative errors within delegated authority and refer technical, contractual or performance-impacting changes to the appropriate manager.
  • Maintain controlled user access, role profiles, standard text, contact information and helpdesk reference data where allocated.
  • Support the maintenance of accurate locations, assets, resources, work instructions and contractor details by reporting data defects to the responsible owner.
  • Ensure attachments, service reports, photographs, quotations and certificates are associated with the correct task where required.
  • Preserve a complete audit trail and prevent retrospective alteration of records without appropriate authority and supporting explanation.

  PFI contract and service performance control

  • Apply the applicable PFI Helpdesk Service Specification, priority definitions, response requirements, rectification requirements and escalation arrangements in daily helpdesk activity.
  • Monitor performance against contractual timescales and alert operational management before a potential failure where practicable.
  • Identify calls that may result in response failure, rectification failure, service non-performance, unavailability or other contractual consequence and escalate promptly.
  • Maintain accurate records of reasons for delay, access restrictions, client instructions, exclusions, extensions, attendance, temporary repairs and other relevant events.
  • Ensure any change to priority, completion time, exclusion status or contractual treatment is supported by an authorised decision and a clear audit trail.
  • Support the preparation and validation of contractual Helpdesk data and GP16 reporting information.
  • Provide accurate evidence for performance reviews, disputes, enquiries, audits and monthly reporting without making contractual determinations outside delegated authority.
  • Escalate ambiguity in scope, priority, clock treatment or completion evidence to the appropriate operational, commercial or contract lead.

  Call lifecycle and end-to-end task control

  • Ensure tasks move from initial logging through allocation, attendance, update, completion and closure in a controlled and traceable manner.
  • Monitor emergency and urgent tasks closely and maintain communication with the assigned resource and operational stakeholders until the immediate risk or service issue is controlled.
  • Maintain oversight of Routine, Ad-hoc, SP, small works and other task categories to prevent unmanaged carryover or loss of ownership.
  • Challenge unsupported status changes, weak completion notes, unsuitable closure codes and tasks returned without a clear next action.
  • Ensure follow-on work, parts requirements, contractor actions, access requests and remedial tasks are referenced and allocated to an accountable owner.
  • Reopen or refer tasks where the recorded evidence does not support closure, in line with delegated authority and agreed procedures.
  • Maintain a clear distinction between attendance, temporary restoration, permanent rectification and administrative closure.

  PPM support and access coordination

  • Support the loading, scheduling, issue and monitoring of PPM activity where this forms part of the helpdesk process.
  • Provide PPM look-ahead information and highlight tasks requiring clinical access, permits, shutdowns, specialist attendance or other advance coordination.
  • Record and track PPM access requests, failed access, agreed return dates and supporting communications.
  • Ensure PPMs are not closed solely on the basis of attendance where the required maintenance or evidence has not been completed.
  • Monitor overdue, deferred, failed or incomplete PPMs and ensure they are visible to the responsible manager.
  • Assist with reconciliation of PPM task status against service reports, certificates and contractor submissions.

  Contractor and resource coordination

  • Create, issue or route contractor tasks in line with approved processes and delegated authority.
  • Provide contractors with accurate task references, locations, access details, contacts and relevant attendance information.
  • Track contractor acceptance, attendance, updates, reports and completion evidence and escalate missed attendance or poor communication.
  • Ensure contractor service reports, certificates and recommendations are routed to the appropriate technical or compliance owner.
  • Maintain current contractor contact and escalation information within approved systems.
  • Do not instruct variations, additional works or commercial commitments unless properly authorised.

  Reporting and performance analysis

  • Produce daily, weekly and monthly helpdesk reports covering call volumes, priorities, response and rectification performance, carryover, open emergencies, overdue calls, access issues and other agreed measures.
  • Validate source data before issue and clearly identify missing, disputed or unverified information.
  • Prepare narrative summaries explaining key movements, recurring themes and exceptions without concealing adverse performance.
  • Support monthly PFI performance reporting, KPI packs, GP16 information, PPM look-ahead and performance-failure reporting.
  • Maintain dashboards and trackers that allow managers to identify call ownership, aging, blockers and required interventions.
  • Provide accurate data for governance meetings, audits, client requests and service reviews.

  Customer service and communication

  • Ensure helpdesk staff communicate calmly, clearly and professionally with clinical departments, Trust staff, contractors, engineers and management.
  • Maintain appropriate communication during significant service interruptions and ensure approved updates are provided to affected stakeholders.
  • Manage complaints and service concerns at first-line supervision level and escalate matters requiring formal investigation or management response.
  • Protect confidential, personal, clinical-location and security-sensitive information.
  • Ensure helpdesk communications remain factual and do not offer technical, contractual or completion assurances without proper authority.

  Quality, audit and governance

  • Maintain helpdesk procedures, desk instructions, escalation lists, contact details, templates and business-continuity records in a controlled and current form.
  • Carry out sample checks of call logging, priority selection, task notes, handovers and closures and record corrective actions.
  • Support internal, client, Project Co and external audits by providing traceable CAFM records, reports and supporting evidence.
  • Maintain actions arising from helpdesk audits, service reviews, incidents and complaints and track them to evidenced closure.
  • Support incident investigations by providing call recordings where authorised, task chronology, timestamps, communications and system records.
  • Identify trends in repeat calls, data errors, access failures and process breakdowns and recommend practical improvements.

  Continuous improvement and system development

  • Identify opportunities to improve call scripts, CAFM workflows, reporting, dashboards, standard descriptions and escalation controls.
  • Support testing and implementation of approved CAFM changes, ensuring helpdesk staff are trained before new processes go live.
  • Promote one reliable source of information and reduce duplicate spreadsheets or uncontrolled local records.
  • Work with operational, compliance and commercial teams to improve data accuracy, task ownership and reporting quality.
  • Maintain personal knowledge of the PFI contract requirements and site procedures relevant to the helpdesk role.

  Health, safety, quality and information responsibilities

  • Follow Mitie, Project Co and SWAH policies, procedures and controls.
  • Treat emergency and safety-related calls with appropriate urgency and immediately escalate any report of serious risk, loss of critical service or threat to life.
  • Work within personal competence and refer technical judgement to the appropriate engineer, manager, AP, CP or specialist.
  • Report incidents, near misses, security concerns, information-security events and deficiencies in systems or records through approved routes.
  • Maintain confidentiality, data protection, call-handling professionalism and secure access to CAFM and helpdesk systems.
  Support accurate and contemporaneous records as a core part of safe service delivery and contractual assurance

What we are looking for

• CAFM experience	Strong practical experience using CAFM or facilities work-management systems, including call logging, task allocation, status control, reporting and data-quality checks.
  PFI environment	Experience working within a PFI, PPP, performance-managed FM contract or similarly controlled SLA environment.
  Helpdesk supervision	Experience supervising customer-service, helpdesk or administrative staff, including workload, attendance, development and performance.
  Contract performance	Able to understand priority categories, response and rectification times, escalation requirements and the importance of an audit trail.
  Reporting and analysis	Able to produce and validate operational reports, investigate exceptions and explain performance clearly.
  Customer service	Strong telephone, email and interpersonal skills, including the ability to manage difficult calls and competing priorities.
  Data accuracy	High attention to detail and confidence challenging incomplete, inconsistent or unsupported records.
  Microsoft applications	Competence in Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams and SharePoint or equivalent tools.
  Healthcare environment	Experience in a hospital, critical environment or similarly controlled operational setting is advantageous.
  People processes	Experience of one-to-ones, appraisals, sickness absence, return-to-work reviews and performance management.
  Organisation	Able to prioritise high call volumes, maintain oversight of deadlines and provide effective handover.
  Technical boundaries	Understands that technical, commercial and contractual decisions must be referred to appropriately authorised personnel.