Service Desk Administrator

Job Title: Service Desk Administrator

Location: Alderley Edge, Manchester

Reports to: Head of Centralised Operations

Salary Banding : £28,000 - £30,000 (dependant on experience)

Who Are Vita Student?

Vita Student is the UK's leading purpose-built student accommodation provider, delivering premium living experiences for students across the UK and Spain. We are committed to creating exceptional spaces, services and communities that help our residents thrive throughout their university journey.

Our portfolio continues to grow, and with that growth comes the need for efficient, scalable and forward-thinking operational support functions. Behind every successful building is a team of dedicated professionals working together to ensure our residents receive an outstanding experience, and our Service Desk team plays a key part in making that happen.

As we continue to invest in technology, systems and operational excellence, including the recent implementation of our INVIDA CAFM platform, this is an exciting time to join a business that is constantly evolving and innovating.

Role Purpose:

We are looking for a proactive and highly organised Service Desk Administrator to join our growing Centralised Operations team.

This role sits at the heart of our maintenance operation, acting as the key coordination point between our accommodation sites, in-house engineers, contractors and suppliers. You will be responsible for managing maintenance tickets from initial receipt through to completion, ensuring issues are progressed efficiently, stakeholders are kept informed, and service levels are achieved.

Working within our INVIDA CAFM system, you will coordinate repairs, allocate jobs, raise purchase orders, support procurement activity and ensure all records, approvals and documentation are maintained accurately. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys problem solving, organisation and working in a fast-paced environment where no two days are the same.

We are continuing to evolve and develop our maintenance service desk function, making this an exciting opportunity to join a team that is helping shape the future operating model of the business. The service desk has become a central coordination hub responsible for ticket management, supplier engagement, procurement support and workflow control

Key Responsibilities:

Service Desk & Workflow Coordination

• Manage maintenance and facilities tickets through the INVIDA CAFM platform.

• Review, categorise and prioritise incoming maintenance requests.

• Allocate works to in-house engineers or approved contractors as appropriate.

• Monitor ticket progress and proactively follow up to ensure timely completion.

• Coordinate completion evidence and ensure tickets are appropriately closed.

• Escalate complex, urgent or high-risk issues to the relevant individual.

• Act as a central point of contact for maintenance-related queries from site teams.

Contractor & Engineer Coordination

• Schedule and coordinate work activities with internal engineers, incl managing last-minute changes and cancellations.

• Engage and manage third-party contractors where specialist support is required.

• Request updates from suppliers and contractors to maintain ticket momentum and ensure timely completion of works.

• Coordinate quotations, approvals and site access arrangements.

Procurement & Financial Administration

• Raise purchase orders in accordance with company procedures, including allocating expenditure against the correct budget codes and cost centres.

• Coordinate quote collection and support approval processes.

• Maintain & complete procurement records and supporting documentation.

• Liaise with Finance regarding purchase orders, coding queries and expenditure tracking.

• Support the procurement of maintenance goods, services and replacement parts.

CAFM System Administration & Accountability

• Maintain accurate data within the INVIDA CAFM platform.

• Upload documents, quotations, certificates, photographs and completion evidence.

• Support ongoing development and optimisation of CAFM workflows and processes.

• Contribute ideas for improvements to systems, reporting and service delivery.

• Take ownership of tickets allocated to you and ensure they are progressed effectively.

• Work to agreed service desk SLAs and KPI targets.

• Maintain strong response times and ticket handling performance.

The service desk function operates with clear accountability for ticket handling, progression, supplier management and SLA performance within the CAFM system

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Strong administration and organisational skills.

• Excellent attention to detail.

• Confident using Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel and Outlook.

• Ability to prioritise multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.

• Comfortable working with systems and technology.

• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.

• Strong customer service mindset and problem-solving ability.

• Ability to work independently whilst contributing effectively as part of a team.

Desirable

• Experience of using a CAFM system such as INVIDA, Concept, Planon, FSI, ServiceNow or a similar ticketing platform.

• Experience working within facilities management, property, maintenance or engineering environments.

• Basic understanding of maintenance terminology and building services.

• Experience raising purchase orders and processing contractor invoices.

• Exposure to procurement or supplier management processes.

Please note that previous CAFM experience is not essential. Full training will be provided. We are more interested in individuals who are enthusiastic, quick to learn and comfortable adopting new technology.

Personal Attributes

We are looking for individuals who are:

• Organised and methodical.

• Proactive and solutions-focused.

• Accountable and reliable.

• Curious and keen to learn.

• Comfortable working with data and systems.

• Collaborative and supportive team players.

• Resilient in a busy, changing environment.

An interest in maintenance, engineering, buildings or facilities management would be highly beneficial, although technical expertise is not required.

Working Environment & Benefits

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing and evolving department within the business.

Working Pattern

• Full-time permanent position 45-hour contract per week, this includes a 1 hour unpaid break each day.

• Monday to Friday.

• Hybrid working pattern of 4 days in the office and 1 day working from home.

• Flexible start and finish times within normal business hours, with working patterns such as: 8:00am to 5:00pm / 8:30am to 5:30pm / 9:00am to 6:00pm

• The service desk operates during standard business hours, and flexibility is offered to support work-life balance whilst ensuring adequate team coverage throughout the day.

Why work for us…….

Our head office is designed with people in mind: a modern workspace set in green surroundings, with an onsite restaurant and padel court. Working at Vita means being part of a team that looks out for one another, with thoughtful perks, good food, regular social moments, and wellbeing support that make Vita a place people choose to stay and grow.

We aim to create an environment where people feel supported, challenged, and trusted with fair, competitive rewards and a culture that helps people perform at their best.

Holidays – 22 days paid holiday, rising each year up to 25 days (pro rata).

Flexible Working Hours – Flexible start/finish times between the hours of 08:30 - 18:00

Bank Holidays – 8 paid holidays (England & Wales Bank Holidays) (pro rata).

Free on-site Parking - Free parking on-site. If you don't drive, we are within a 5 minute walk to both train and bus stops.

Free on-Site Restaurant – Discretionary free breakfast & lunch served 5 days a week at our premium on-site restaurant.

Free on-site Padel Court - Cancel that gym membership, and enjoy the fun of padel; providing a full-body workout that boosts cardiovascular health, improves coordination, agility, and strength, while burning calories and bonding with colleagues!

Free Stockport County Football Club Tickets – Free football tickets for employees, to be accompanied by friends or family.

Perkbox – All employees are given access to a Perkbox account, enabling them to choose lifestyle perks that matter by giving points to spend on a wide range of products, services & experiences, such as; cinema tickets, supermarket savings, discounted days out, a daily coffee or a summer holiday – there’s something to suit everyone!

Royal London Pension – We care about our people and their future. Vita Group contribute a financial value of 3% of salary to your pension pot in addition to 5% employee contribution to help prepare for the future.

Parties & Events – We expect high standards from our people and like to reward demanding work by hosting parties and events each year, encouraging colleagues to let their hair down, have a great time and celebrate success together.

Career Development – Whether your Vita Group career is a medium or long-term venture; we onboard all employees by means of a thorough induction, delivering professional progression.

24/7 Employee Assistance – The wellbeing of our colleagues is of vital importance to Vita Group. All employees have access to a confidential service; offering support and guidance for personal or work-related issues that may be impacting wellbeing.

Important

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer Right to Work Sponsorship. Therefore, if you do require a company to sponsor your Right to Work in the UK, we will not be able to progress your application further.

All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks which will include Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks.