Manager, IT Service Desk

Get to know The Pokémon Company International

The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children's entertainment properties in the world.

Learn more online at corporate.pokemon.com and pokemon.com.

Get to know the role

• Job Title: Manager, IT Service Desk
• Job Summary: The Manager, IT Service Desk leads the North America-based team responsible for supporting over 1,300 staff members globally. This role is responsible for overseeing technology support operations, including incident management, service requests, team workflows, purchasing, and inventory. As a key contributor to a positive and professional service environment, the Manager also acts as an escalation point for complex issues and plays a strategic role in shaping long-term IT support plans. With a strong focus on customer experience, this individual partners with cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional service and continuous improvement. This role also plays a strategic part in aligning IT support services with broader business outcomes, ensuring seamless collaboration across departments and contributing to enterprise-wide technology goals.
• FLSA Classification (US Only): Exempt
• People Manager: Yes

What you’ll do

• Lead and mentor a team of Service Desk specialists responsible for handling service requests, incidents, and employee onboarding/offboarding.

• Manage team resource allocation and tiering to ensure efficient task distribution and coverage.

• Collaborate with technology peers to develop, document, and refine team processes for consistent and high-quality service delivery.

• Provide coaching, performance feedback, and development plans to support team growth and success.

• Model exceptional customer service and foster a user-centric support culture.

• Monitor ticket queues and ensure timely resolution in alignment with service level agreements (SLAs).

• Analyze support trends, implement proactive solutions, and track recurrence to drive continuous improvement.

• Define, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure team effectiveness and service quality.

• Partner with IT leadership to translate business needs into technical solutions and service enhancements.

• Handle escalated service desk issues and ensure resolution of complex technical problems.

• Maintain accurate technology inventory baselines and oversee procurement and budget tracking for IT assets.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives by leveraging feedback, analytics, and industry trends to enhance service delivery.

• Lead or support IT service projects, including the rollout of new tools, systems, or process improvements.

• Manage vendor relationships and service contracts related to IT support tools and hardware procurement.

What you’ll bring

• 3+ years of experience managing an IT Service Desk team, with a strong focus on collaboration with peer technology groups.

• 3+ years of hands-on experience in a Senior Service Desk role supporting Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS environments.

• 2+ years of experience administering ITSM platforms (experience with Atlassian tools is a plus).

• Proven leadership in implementing and managing ITSM and ITIL processes.

• Demonstrated excellence in customer service and communication across all organizational levels.

• Proficiency in supporting common enterprise applications such as Active Directory, Office 365, and web conferencing tools.

• Experience in developing and managing KPIs, SLAs, and performance reporting.

• Strong ability to guide technical decision-making and contribute to long-term IT planning.

• Solid understanding of hardware asset management and software license tracking.

• Eagerness to learn and adopt new technologies through self-study and formal training.

• Ability to analyze service metrics and user feedback to drive data-informed decisions.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field; ITIL certification is a plus.

Base Salary Range: For this role, new hires generally start between $128,800.00 - $155,230.00 per year. The full range is $128,800.00 - $198,000.00 per year. This range is applicable for the labor market where the role is intended to be hired. The final base salary is directly related to the candidate’s qualifications and professional experience uniquely.

#LI-PS #LI-Hybrid

How you’ll be successful

• Passion for Pokémon: Develops an understanding of the Pokémon brand, the impact it has on our people, culture, business, fans, and communities, and applying that knowledge and passion to everything you do.
• Challenging the Expected: Approaches challenges with curiosity and creativity, embracing the possibility of failure as an opportunity to learn something new, develop innovative ideas, solve complex problems and identify unique opportunities.  
• Integrity and Respect: Demonstrates integrity and respect by leading with empathy, listening to others, seeking out different perspectives, and taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and results.
• Dedicated to Quality: Takes ownership to maintain and promote high standards, looks for new ways to learn and improve, and embraces a growth mindset to seek and apply feedback from others in an effort to continuously improve. 
• Building Relationships: Develops and strengthens relationships, adopting a “team first” mentality and working collaboratively to solve problems and meet shared goals.  
• Delighting Customers: Listens and understands the interests and needs of our customers and stakeholders, making them feel heard and important, and embracing these learnings to continue delivering a unique Pokémon experience.

What to expect

• An innovative culture driven by impact, delivering meaningful outcomes.
• Company events that celebrate the spirit of Pokémon.
• Competitive cash-based compensation programs.
• 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for you.
• Generous paid family leave.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• Employer-paid long and short-term income protection insurance.
• US Employees: 401k Employer Matching.
• UK/IRE/MX Employees: Pension Employer Contributions.
• Fitness reimbursement.
• Commuter benefit.
• LinkedIn learning.
• Comprehensive relocation package for certain roles.
• Hybrid work environment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this role. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. For roles in the United Kingdom, candidates will need the right to work. In some cases, and for some roles, the Company may be able to arrange a visa. For roles in Ireland, this role requires candidates to have the right to live and work in the Republic of Ireland. However, we welcome applications from all nationalities and may consider supporting an employment permit application, in appropriate and suitable cases.

The Pokémon Company International is committed to the inclusion of all qualified applicants for consideration in our job application process. If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, or a job interview, or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact the Talent Acquisition team at accommodationrequest_ta@pokemon.com.