At Nucleus we've adopted a POD system to support our clients. We have a total of 6 PODs: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo and Foxtrot. In the past, we’ve highlighted Roman, a Calgary-based POD Manager and Ty, one of our Vancouver POD Managers. In this month’s employee feature, we sat down with Jesse Ross who leads the Echo POD to chat with him about the POD Manager role at Nucleus.
Can you share some insight on each of your main responsibilities (board management, ticket QA’s, time sheet QAs, huddles and weekly 1 on 1’s?)
As a POD Manager we ensure the tickets across all boards (POD-specific boards, client boards etc.) are being actioned according to our Service Level Agreement requirements. We also assist in scheduling (sick and vacation coverage, onsite requests), escalations and change approvals.
Another part of our job is ticket QA’s. This involves:
Pod Managers also ensure that employee time sheets are submitted on time and that these entries are accurate. We review overtime and generally, ensure everyone's getting paid properly for the hours worked.
Huddles are another important part of our job. Huddles are short meetings, common in the tech industry where employees come together to get in sync. Every technician at Nucleus participates in a bi-weekly huddle with their POD Manager. Managers also do huddles with Matthew our Support Manager, Marvin, Director of Operations and Jennifer our CEO. During these meetings we review our Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), coach one another, share company and client news and discuss any roadblocks.
We also run weekly 1 on 1s with all our technicians. At this meeting, we review the ticket queue, provide coaching, review KPIs, discuss career goals and offer any training (if needed). And, everything discussed during these meetings is incorporated into our quarterly reviews.
In addition to these key areas we also assist with IT projects. Pod Managers attend project kickoff and client meetings. They help coordinate onboarding and training with the Client Success Managers and assist in gathering information needed to support new clients.
How Important is the POD Manager Role?
The IT Help Desk at a MSP is generally the largest department and requires effective management. We also play a big part in promoting and living the company culture. We help our IT Support Specialists do their best work, ensure our clients are getting excellent service and we are accountable for our PODs results.
On a personal-professional role, my passion is security and keeping organizations and professionals safe from hackers. In my spare time, I volunteer educating seniors on protecting themselves against online scams.
What tools could you not live without?
Zoom and Teams. Working at a remote-first company, with my team across Canada and the world, it is essential we communicate and stay connected. Frequent chats and video calls help build the team spirit and keep us all rowing in the same direction.
How have you grown professionally in your role at Nucleus?
I started at Nucleus as a technician and have spent a great deal of my time learning about our clients, technologies, and company processes and values. With the help and guidance of my colleagues, I was able to take on a leadership role as a Pod Manager, and use my skills to assist my team and the company.
Tell us About Jesse!
What do you love about working at Nucleus?
The health benefits provided by Nucleus have been a great help to my family. The RRSP program is also fantastic. However, my favourite aspect about working at Nucleus is the team! We have such a depth of knowledge; there is always something to learn. I have made great friends!
Working from home has also improved my work/life balance. It’s removed the time and hassle of commuting and allows me to spend more time with my family.
When you’re not at Nucleus what are you doing?
I enjoy outdoor activities like camping, fishing, and hiking. I love spending time with my family, and volunteering in my local community. On Sundays, you’ll find me glued to the couch watching football or race cars.
If you could pack up and travel somewhere tomorrow, where would you go?
I would take my family to France. I had the opportunity to work in France and fell in love with the culture, lifestyle, and beauty of that country.
Find Jesse’s role interesting? Visit our careers page for current job openings.