Help Desk - Student Team Lead Position Description (Student Leadership Program)

This document describes the Student Team Lead position at the Help Desk.

Position Summary

This is a 15-20 hour per week student position within the Help Desk Student Leadership Program. The position requires a minimum commitment of two semesters. Working alongside the Student Team Lead group and the General Help Desk Supervisor, the Student Team Lead is responsible for managing the General Help Desk student staff and supporting the day-to-day operations at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The Student Team Lead position offers a dynamic mix of responsibilities—such as hiring, training, scheduling, and coaching—that keeps each day engaging and purposeful. Combined with the opportunities provided by the Student Leadership Program, this role helps students develop practical technical skills, leadership abilities, and real-world experience that will serve them well in their future careers.

This position reports to the Help Desk Supervisor. Student Team Leads will earn up to $18.50 an hour depending on their current training level.

Duties

Help Desk Operations - 50%

  • Perform regular Help Desk duties, including Phone, Chat/Email, Onsite, or HDQA shifts as scheduled.
  • Use developed skills and available support tools, including incident management software, automatic call distribution systems, and knowledge bases, to respond to customer requests and assist agents with triaging cases

Projects - 30%

Lead multiple annual initiatives centered on key areas of Help Desk operations. Examples include:

  • Hiring: Create job applications, communicate with applicants, schedule interviews, and coordinate with current staff throughout the hiring cycle
  • New Staff Training: Create and update training presentations, prepare necessary training resources, and coordinate with full-time staff to support onboarding
  • Coaching and Staff Development: Recognize outstanding performance and support continuous improvement for individuals and the team
  • Scheduling: Assist agents with scheduling needs after schedules are posted, monitor shared mailboxes, and communicate any schedule changes to full-time staff
  • Community and Communication: Foster a positive work environment through engagement initiatives such as feedback sessions, team-building activities, and timely communication about updates or changes

Lead independent initiatives focused on continuous improvement. Past project examples include:

  • Development of the General Help Desk Student Gallup Pulse Survey
  • Development and execution of an annual Team-Building Event
  • Metrics project focused on streamlining call-behavior reviews and call-recording evaluations to make these processes more efficient (this project took place before the effort to develop the STL app)
  • Development of a transcription process to take common case calls and translate them into text based training materials
  • Development and implementation of internal cybersecurity training to support effective Help Desk case handling

The technical or operational projects assigned each year will aim to deliver meaningful quality improvements or enhancements to business processes. For the duration of these projects, the Student Team Lead will collaborate closely with the Help Desk Supervisor.

Team Management - 15%

  • Serve as an accessible resource for answering questions and assisting agents
  • Monitor the daily schedule, staffing levels, and incoming case and call volume
  • Oversee call resolution and manage support escalation
  • Review cases and provide on the fly coaching and awards
  • Assist with planning and implementing business strategies, policies, and procedures

Professional Development - 5%

Complete all assigned training. Student Team Leads will also have opportunities for professional development, including—but not limited to—cross-team meetings with DoIT groups, participation in departmental projects, involvement in hiring initiatives, committee work, and more.

Required Experience and Skills

  • Minimum of two semesters of Help Desk experience (summer term counts as a semester)
  • Successful completion of Advanced Phones (Pick 3/6) and Chat/Email training
  • Ability to complete Onsite and HDQA training
  • Ability to perform the following:
    • Demonstrate strong customer service skills, analytical thinking, effective troubleshooting, and thorough case documentation
    • Achieve positive outcomes through effective personal and group interactions, including during challenging or high-pressure situations
    • Address issues proactively and follow proposed solutions through to full resolution
    • Communicate clearly and concisely through oral and written formats  
    • Balance multiple priorities and projects while working independently and collaboratively as part of a team 
    • Provide leadership and guidance to a team of peers
    • Initiate, lead, and complete projects that improve Help Desk productivity, efficiency, and engagement

Keywords:
student team lead position description leadership slp program 
Doc ID:
1428
Owned by:
Jade S. in DoIT Help Desk
Created:
2002-04-11
Updated:
2026-02-20
Sites:
DoIT Help Desk, DoIT Help Desk Handbook