Tier 2 Help Desk Tech Lead- #122292

Western Carolina University continues to rank high on Forbes ‘Best Employers’ lists each year. Including:

• 2025 – Ranked 1st in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes ‘America’s Best Employers by State’ list.
• 2024 – Ranking in the top 8.5% on Forbes ‘America’s Best Midsize Employers’ list, WCU was ranked 34 out of the top 400 employers across all industries.
• 2023 – Ranked in the top 20% on Forbes ‘America’s Best Midsize Employers’ list, WCU was ranked 97 out of the top 500 employers across all industries.
• 2022 – Ranked 14th in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes ‘America’s Best Employers by State’ list.

Western Carolina University is the UNC system’s westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South.

Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans – eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.

Eligible employees have access to tuition waivers for up to three courses per academic year; employee may enroll at any of the constituent UNC System campuses. Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays and 24 hours of paid community service leave each year. Leave earning employees (staff and 12-month faculty) who work at least half of the working days of their first month of employment will begin accruing vacation and sick leave immediately. Paid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service.

WCU offers an abundance of training and development programs, certifications, workshops and conferences – many of which are offered free of charge.

Position Summary

The primary location of this position is on-site in Cullowhee, NC.

The Tier 2 Help Desk Tech Lead is a member of the Division of Information Technology Help Desk team and serves as a technical escalation resource and mentor for Tier 1 Help Desk staff. The position provides telephone, email, remote, and in-person troubleshooting and support to university faculty, staff, and students.

The analyst provides consultation and training to university clients and collaborates across IT functional areas to coordinate and resolve desktop and software issues involving systems and operations, desktop support, networks, multimedia, and instructional facilities. Responsibilities include daily queue management, limited telephone support, and backup telephone coverage when another team member is unavailable.

The analyst receives mentoring and cross-training from Tier 3 IT teams to expand technical expertise, strengthen service quality, and support future advancement within the Division of Information Technology.

The position also contributes technical expertise to IT projects and teams, serves as a liaison for the Help Desk team, participates in curative analysis efforts to identify proactive service improvements, and acts as the primary point of contact when the manager is unavailable.

Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities Required for this Position

• Demonstrated customer service skills characterized by empathy, patience, professionalism, and effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, support team decisions, share knowledge, and take initiative in learning and leadership opportunities.
• Experience providing Help Desk, telephone, in-person, and remote technical support within a higher education or similarly complex customer-focused environment.
• Proven ability to independently diagnose and resolve complex hardware, software, account, connectivity, and related technology issues while utilizing service management systems to document work, analyze trends, and support operational decision-making.

Minimum Qualifications

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an ‘equivalent combination of education and experience.’ If that language appears below, then you may qual