Job Title: IT Service Desk Queue Specialist
Job Location: Hybrid- Des Moines, IA. USA.
** Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future**
We are seeking an experienced IT Service Desk Queue Specialist to manage and govern ITSM ticket queues within a large-scale enterprise Service Desk environment. The ideal candidate will be responsible for ensuring the efficient management of Incident, Service Request, and Task queues, maintaining SLA compliance, driving operational excellence, and serving as a key escalation point for ticket management activities.
This role requires strong expertise in ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus ITSM , ITIL practices, service desk operations, ticket governance, reporting, and stakeholder communication. The successful candidate will work closely with Service Desk analysts, resolver groups, infrastructure teams, application teams, and business stakeholders to ensure service delivery objectives are consistently achieved.
In this role, you will
Queue Management & Ticket Governance
Monitor, manage, and govern Incident, Service Request, and Task queues within the ServiceDesk Plus ITSM platform.
Ensure tickets are appropriately categorized, prioritized, assigned, and routed according to defined support processes and service workflows.
Proactively monitor queue health, identifying aging tickets, backlog risks, unresolved incidents, and potential SLA breaches.
Conduct regular queue reviews and drive timely ticket progression through all stages of the incident and request lifecycle.
Balance workload across Service Desk analysts and support teams to ensure optimal resource utilization.
Validate ticket quality by ensuring accurate documentation, work notes, resolution details, categorization, and closure codes.
Ensure compliance with organizational ticket management standards, governance controls, and audit requirements.
Drive continuous queue optimization initiatives to improve efficiency and reduce resolution times. SLA Monitoring & Operational Performance Management
Monitor and track SLA compliance across all service desk queues and service categories.
Take proactive actions to prevent SLA breaches through queue reviews, escalations, and workload balancing.
Analyze operational metrics and service trends to identify areas requiring improvement.
Track and report key performance indicators (KPIs), including:
First Contact Resolution (FCR)
Mean Time to Respond (MTTR)
Mean Time to Resolve
SLA Compliance
Ticket Aging
Backlog Volumes
Reopened Tickets
Escalation Rates
Queue Throughput
Generate and distribute daily, weekly, and monthly operational reports and dashboards.
Conduct trend analysis to identify recurring incidents, service disruptions, and process improvement opportunities.
Support management reviews through detailed reporting and service insights. Escalation & Incident Coordination
Serve as the primary operational escalation point for ticket queue management issues.
Coordinate ticket resolution activities across:
Service Desk Teams
Infrastructure Support
Network Operations
Cybersecurity Teams
Application Support Groups
Vendor Management Teams
Expedite resolution of Priority 1 (P1) and Priority 2 (P2) incidents and business-critical requests.
Facilitate stakeholder communications during major incidents and service disruptions.
Ensure escalations follow established ITIL Incident Management and Major Incident Management procedures.
Participate in bridge calls and incident reviews for high-severity incidents.
Support Root Cause Analysis (RCA) activities and service restoration efforts. ServiceDesk Plus Administration & Optimization
Administer queue configurations, assignment groups, business rules, categories, templates, workflows, and notification settings within ServiceDesk Plus.
Monitor and optimize ticket routing logic and workflow automation capabilities.
Support ITSM platform enhancements, process improvements, and automation initiatives.
Collaborate with ITSM administrators and platform owners to improve:
SLA Policies
Queue Structures
Workflow Automation
Reporting Frameworks
Ticket Classification Models
Leverage ServiceDesk Plus dashboards and analytics to improve operational visibility and service performance.
Assist in testing and deployment of new ServiceDesk Plus enhancements and upgrades. Reporting, Analytics & Continuous Improvement
Develop operational dashboards and executive reports using Excel, Power BI, and ServiceDesk Plus reporting capabilities.
Analyze ticket trends, service performance, workload patterns, and customer experience metrics.
Identify recurring issues and support Problem Management initiatives.
Recommend service improvements, process enhancements, and automation opportunities.
Support knowledge management initiatives designed to improve First Contact Resolution and reduce ticket volumes.
Contribute to Continuous Service Improvement (CSI) programs and operational transformation initiatives. ITIL Process Compliance
Ensure adherence to ITIL best practices and organizational ITSM governance standards.
Support Incident, Request, Problem, Knowledge, and Change Management processes.
Maintain documentation, standard operating procedures, workflow guides, and operational runbooks.
Participate in process audits, reviews, and compliance assessments.
Assist management in implementing operational dashboards and governance mechanisms. Required Technical Skills ITSM Platforms
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
ServiceDesk Plus Administration
ITSM Ticket Lifecycle Management
Workflow Design & Automation
Queue Management ITIL Process Expertise
Incident Management
Service Request Management
Problem Management
Knowledge Management
Major Incident Management
Escalation Management
SLA Management Reporting & Analytics
Service Desk KPI Reporting
Operational Dashboard Development
Service Desk Analytics
Trend Analysis
Microsoft Excel (Advanced)
Power BI Operational Governance
Ticket Quality Assurance
Queue Governance
Service Reviews
Process Compliance
Continuous Service Improvement What you’ll need to succeed (required skills)
Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Information Systems, or equivalent experience.
5-8+ years of experience supporting enterprise Service Desk and ITSM operations.
Minimum 3+ years of hands-on experience managing ticket queues in ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus or a similar ITSM platform.
Strong understanding of ITIL service management processes and operational governance.
Experience working in managed services, outsourcing, public-sector, or large enterprise environments.
Demonstrated experience managing SLA-driven support operations.
Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving capabilities.
Excellent written, verbal, and stakeholder communication skills. Preferred Skills
Experience supporting public-sector or government clients.
Experience in large-scale managed services environments supporting 5,000+ users.
Exposure to service automation and workflow orchestration initiatives.
Knowledge of ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, or other ITSM platforms.
Familiarity with PowerShell, scripting, or automation tools.
Experience with KPI reporting and executive-level dashboard development.
Benefits: Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
401(k) plan and contributions
Long-term/Short-term Disability
Paid Parental Leave
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Work model:
At Cognizant, we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible, and we are here to support a healthy work-life balance though our various wellbeing programs. Based on this role’s business requirements, this is a hybrid role requiring 3 days a week at client site in Des Moines, IA, USA.
The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you’re engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations.
We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role.
Disclaimer: The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.
“Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. Your application and candidacy will not be considered based on race, color, sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
