Service Desk Administrator | DEF Academy

Service Desk Administrator

UK Defence Academy, Shrivenham, Swindon SN6 8LA
Full Time, Permanent (37 hours per week)
£27,572.50 per annum plus benefits

Serco have an exciting opportunity for a Service Desk Administrator to join our friendly and dedicated team at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham, Swindon. As the first point of contact for all service enquiries—including ICT, Facilities and Logistics—you’ll play a key role in making sure every customer receives a positive, helpful and efficient experience. This is a multi‑functioning Service Desk, supporting a wide range of queries, with a strong focus on providing first‑time resolution wherever possible.

In this role, you’ll take ownership of customer requests from the moment they arrive, ensuring they are logged, progressed and resolved promptly and professionally. We’re looking for someone who genuinely enjoys helping people, stays calm and organised, and takes pride in delivering excellent customer service.

The desk operates between 08:00 and 18:00, Monday to Friday, on a rota system. Around one week in four will typically be a 10–6 shift, and flexible working options are available.

Serco at the Defence Academy provides a wide range of Facilities Management services across the site, including Estates, Logistics, Cleaning, Catering and Waste Management through ESS. You’ll be part of a team that supports both everyday operations and critical learning environments for our Defence community.

Main responsibilities

• Provide a welcoming, proactive and helpful service to all customers, ensuring they feel supported throughout their enquiry.
• Handle incoming telephone calls, emails, self‑service requests and face‑to‑face enquiries at the Serco Service Desk.
• Record, manage and track all incidents and service requests accurately using the appropriate helpdesk tools.
• Carry out initial diagnosis, categorisation and prioritisation of incidents, resolving issues at first contact whenever possible.
• Escalate unresolved incidents to second‑line support teams in a timely and clear manner.
• Create user accounts in the People Directory and Active Directory following established procedures.
• Monitor open incidents to ensure timely resolution within agreed SLA timeframes, escalating risks where necessary.

What you'll need to do the role

• Excellent customer service skills with a warm, professional telephone manner.
• A methodical, patient approach with strong problem‑solving abilities.
• Confidence using IT systems and a desire to continue developing your digital skills.
• Flexibility to work between 08:00 and 18:00 on weekday rota patterns.
• Ability to obtain and maintain appropriate Security Clearance (supported by Serco).

Benefits of working at the Defence Academy

The Defence Academy is a beautiful, secure site featuring lakes, woodland and a wide range of sporting and recreational facilities. As part of the team, you’ll also enjoy:

• Free, secure onsite parking
• Access to subsidised sports and activity clubs
• Gym membership, with two fully equipped gyms on site
• An 18‑hole golf course (annual membership approx. £375)
• Fully equipped riding stables offering lessons
• Additional sports amenities including tennis courts, Astro‑turf pitches and more

What Serco offers

• Salary: Competitive salaries with annual reviews
• Pension: Up to 6% contributory pension scheme
• Holidays: 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays
• Training and development: Over 1,100 internal courses, funded qualifications, apprenticeships, mentoring and clear progression pathways
• Wellbeing: 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, BUPA Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, Simplyhealth cash plans, 30% off at Serco‑managed leisure centres
• Discounts: Access to savings at around 1,000 retailers
• Employee networks: Dedicated groups that promote connection, support and belonging
• Charity: One paid volunteering day per year and access to tax‑free Payroll Giving

To discover more about our careers in Defence, meet our team, and to find out more about what we offer, please follow this Link. We’re also a signatory of the UK Governments Women in Defence Charter, to find out more please click here.

Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens, we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. 

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. As a proud Disability Confident Leader and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard, disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview. 

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