Clinical Service Desk Manager

Role OverviewThe Epic Clinical Service Desk Manager owns end-to-end delivery of 24/7 clinical service desk support for Electronic Health Record (EHR) users — including physicians, nurses, and clinical/administrative staff — across all Epic applications.This role leads the team of Epic Clinical Service Desk Analysts who handle ticket resolution, account provisioning, incident management, and go-live/upgrade support, and is accountable for service quality, SLA performance, escalation management, and continuous improvement of the clinical support function. The Manager acts as the primary escalation point for complex or provider-sensitive issues and as the key liaison with clinical leadership, IT application teams, and Epic vendor support.Key ResponsibilitiesService Desk Operations & Delivery OwnershipOwn end-to-end delivery of the Epic Clinical Service Desk, ensuring 24/7 coverage across rotational shifts (weekly/biweekly)Ensure the team effectively supports:Ticket response and resolution for Epic application issues (workflows, printing, system access)Account provisioning – access requests, password resets, security role assignmentsIncident resolution – routine to complex Epic-related problemsGo-lives, upgrades, and Technical Dress Rehearsals (TDRs)Drive adherence to SLA / KPI targets for ticket resolution, response time, and first-contact resolutionEnsure accurate and consistent documentation practices across the teamTeam Leadership & Capability BuildingLead, schedule, and manage the Epic Clinical Service Desk Analyst team across 24/7 rotational shiftsRecruit, onboard, and train analysts on Epic applications and clinical support protocolsMentor and upskill the team on handling hospital provider (physician & nurse) interactionsConduct performance reviews, coaching, and career development planningBuild shift-coverage and escalation rosters to ensure continuous, uninterrupted supportEscalation & Incident ManagementAct as Tier II+ escalation point for complex or provider-sensitive Epic issuesOwn major incident management for Epic outages or clinical-impacting issuesLead communication with clinical stakeholders during incidents, ensuring timely and clear updatesCoordinate with Epic vendor support and internal application teams for unresolved or complex issuesDrive root cause analysis (RCA) and preventive action plans for recurring issuesSystem Upgrades & Go-Live ManagementPlan and lead service desk readiness for Epic go-lives, upgrades, and TDRsEnsure adequate staffing, training, and escalation paths are in place during go-live windowsCapture and act on lessons learned post go-live to improve future readinessStakeholder & Vendor ManagementAct as primary point of contact between the service desk and hospital clinical leadershipBuild strong working relationships with physicians, nurses, and clinical department headsPresent service performance, ticket trends, and improvement plans in governance/review meetingsManage relationship with Epic vendor support and coordinate escalations as neededContinuous Improvement & GovernanceIdentify trends in ticket volume and recurring issues; drive initiatives to reduce repeat incidentsStandardize support processes, knowledge base articles, and documentation templatesEnsure compliance with healthcare data privacy and security requirements (e.g., HIPAA or local equivalents)Track, analyze, and report on KPIs and service health to senior leadershipRequired Skills & QualificationsEpic & Clinical Support ExpertiseStrong prior experience in Epic clinical service desk support, including direct experience handling hospital providers (physicians & nurses)Solid understanding of Epic application workflows, access/security model, and common clinical support scenariosExperience supporting or leading Epic go-lives, upgrades, and Technical Dress Rehearsals (TDRs)Leadership & People ManagementProven experience managing 24/7 / shift-based support teamsStrong people leadership – hiring, coaching, performance management, and team developmentAbility to build and manage rotational shift schedules (weekly/biweekly) ensuring continuous coverageProcess & GovernanceGood working knowledge of ITSM / ITIL practices – Incident, Problem, and Change managementExperience with service desk tooling, ticketing systems, and reporting/dashboardsFamiliarity with healthcare compliance and data privacy requirementsLeadership & Soft Skills (Critical)Strong stakeholder management skills, comfortable engaging directly with physicians and hospital leadershipCalm, decisive communication under pressure, particularly during clinical-impacting incidentsOwnership mindset with a strong bias toward proactive service improvementExcellent verbal and written communication skillsOther RequirementsWillingness to be based in Dubai (relocation required)Flexibility to be available for and manage 24/7 rotational shift operationsExperience & Education10 – 14+ years of overall experience in IT / clinical service desk support, with significant exposure to Epic EHR systems3+ years in a team lead / manager role overseeing service desk or clinical IT support operationsBachelor's degree in Healthcare IT, Information Technology, or a related fieldEpic certifications (an advantage, e.g., relevant Epic application certifications)ITIL certification (preferred)Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)Ticket resolution time and first-contact resolution rateSLA adherence across 24/7 shift operationsReduction in repeat/recurring incidentsProvider (physician & nurse) satisfaction / CSAT scoresGo-live and upgrade readiness / support qualityTeam attrition, coverage adherence, and analyst performance metricsDocumentation and knowledge base quality/completenessWhat Good Looks Like in This Role24/7 clinical service desk operates reliably with strong SLA adherence and minimal escalationsPhysicians and nurses report high confidence and satisfaction with support qualitySmooth, well-prepared go-lives and upgrades with minimal disruptionVisible reduction in ticket volume and repeat incidents through proactive improvementA well-trained, stable, and motivated analyst team with clear growth paths