Sr. Manager, Service Desk & IT Automation (Hybrid in Bangalore)

For over 20 years, Smartsheet has helped people and teams achieve–well, anything. From seamless work management to smart, scalable solutions, we’ve always worked with flow. We’re building tools that empower teams to automate the manual, uncover insights, and scale smarter. But more than that, we’re creating space– space to think big, take action, and unlock the kind of work that truly matters. Because when challenge meets purpose, and passion turns into progress, that’s magic at work, and it’s what we show up for everyday. Smartsheet is looking for a highly technical leader to head our India-based Service Desk and IT Automation operations. This is a working manager role that requires both hands-on technical execution and team leadership. You will manage a team spanning Service Desk, Tier 1 SOC support, and IT Automation Engineering — driving the technical maturity of our global support infrastructure through automation, scripting, and deep systems integration. This is a unique working manager role that requires both hands-on technical contribution and team leadership. The position operates in a collaborative matrix structure, where the India-based manager ensures execution and delivery while US-based managers maintain accountability for outcomes and strategic direction. This role reports directly to the Director of End User Systems with close, cooperative partnership with US-based Desktop Support managers. You Will IT Automation Architecture Support the IT automation function, driving initiatives that reduce repetitive work and scale operations efficiently Identify repetitive Tier 1 tasks and drive end-to-end automation from identification through build, testing, and measurement Mentor team on automation best practices and review technical designs before deployment Team Leadership Execution Manage India-based Service Desk team with daily coordination with US managers Ensure clear direction, track progress, remove blockers, and escalate capacity constraints to the Director Monitor team performance against SLAs, quality standards, and service desk metrics Lead new employee onboarding sessions Hands-On Technical Contribution Resolve tickets across hardware, software, network, and user access; handle overflow and critical issues Perform desktop administration: software deployment, system configuration, user provisioning, and hardware lifecycle management Create and maintain knowledge base articles and process documentation Security People Development Oversee Tier 1 SOC operations: triage, alert response, and adherence to incident response playbooks Coach, mentor, and support career growth for India-based engineers; hire and develop top technical talent You Have Experience 8+ years in IT engineering or Service Desk operations, including automation engineering experience 4+ years managing or leading technical support teams in matrixed or distributed organizations Proven track record delivering cross-functional projects with technical ambiguity Technical Skills Deep proficiency in PowerShell or Python; experience building scalable IT automation workflows Strong hands-on experience with Freshservice (or similar ITSM), including workflow orchestration and API integrations Experience with Active Directory, M365, Jamf, and endpoint management via Intune and/or Jamf Working knowledge of EDR platforms, firewalls, and incident response; familiarity with ITIL or equivalent frameworks Work Style Excellent English communication skills; self-motivated with strong follow-through Comfortable balancing hands-on technical work with management in a US-directed, India-based structure Flexible to accommodate daily cross-timezone coordination (India ↔ US) Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience Working Relationship Model: Direct Report: Director of End User Systems | Daily Coordination: US-based Desktop Support managers | Responsibility: Ensuring work execution and providing on-sit ... (truncated, view full listing at source)