WHAT DOES AN IT ASSOCIATE DO?

Published: Oct 20, 2025 - The Information Technology (IT) Associate supports helpdesk operations by routing tickets, coordinating with customers and Data Management staff, and assisting technical teams. This role involves maintaining data reporting structures, building reports, ensuring data consistency, and troubleshooting hardware and software issues related to data sources. The associate also participates in reporting projects, assists higher-level analysts with project management, and provides support across technical functions.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for IT Associate

1. IT Associate Duties and Roles

  • Technical Support: Triage and resolve Tier 1 Service Desk issues via ticketing system, phone, or chat.
  • Customer Service: Follow up on outstanding requests and provide timely solutions.
  • Problem Resolution: Provide first touch resolution for reported issues.
  • SLA Management: Meet established SLAs for first touch, follow-up, and resolution.
  • System Configuration: Provide on-premise and SaaS application access and configure end-user hardware as part of the onboarding/offboarding process.
  • Access Control: Support company compliance initiatives via role-based access (RBAC) provisioning to sensitive systems.
  • AV Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot and support video conferencing equipment in on-site conference rooms.
  • Asset Management: Manage and monitor internal assets to ensure accurate inventory records.
  • Issue Escalation: Escalate Tier 2 and above issues appropriately while utilizing ITSM best practices.
  • Documentation Maintenance: Help maintain internal and end-user-facing technical documentation.
  • Hardware Coordination: Coordinate timely repair of end-user IT hardware.

2. IT Associate Roles and Details

  • Data Analysis: Research and interpret data and information, and respond to questions.
  • Problem Solving: Analyze data and metrics to generate appropriate solutions or actions.
  • Communication Management: Deliver timely communications in accordance with deadlines and client expectations.
  • Event Coordination: Coordinate special activities and attend various meetings and training sessions.
  • Quality Assurance: Learn and utilize software quality principles to review and analyze functional requirements and system specifications.
  • Requirement Validation: Ensure requirements are complete, accurate, and testable.
  • Test Development: Develop test plans and write manual test scripts.
  • Environment Setup: Learn to identify and define test environment requirements.

3. IT Associate Tasks

  • Project Coordination: Meet with members of the IT team to discuss project goals and general requirements.
  • IT Support: Assist with the management and support of IT systems and services.
  • Ticket Management: Manage tickets in the help desk system.
  • Hardware Maintenance: Manage printers, toners, print heads, drums, and label software.
  • Report Generation: Responsible for Crystal Reports (can be learned).
  • EDI Support: Responsible for performing basic EDI support (training available).
  • EDI Configuration: Set up EDI mapping for new trading partners in conjunction with Epicor support.
  • Issue Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot EDI communication issues and correct records.
  • Desktop Support: Perform other computer tasks and desktop support as assigned by the IT Director.
  • Status Reporting: Report back status to the IT team on a daily basis.

4. IT Associate Details

  • Helpdesk Coordination: Assist with helpdesk tickets by assigning them to the appropriate resource and communicating with both the customer and the Data Management staff.
  • Report Development: Assist in maintaining and building new reports.
  • Data Maintenance: Assist in the maintenance of complex data storage structures needed to support data reporting.
  • Data Consistency: Assure data is maintained in consistent formats.
  • Issue Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot data source issues, including hardware and software.
  • Team Collaboration: Participate as a team member on data reporting projects.
  • Project Support: Assist higher-level analysts in project management affecting reporting.
  • Technical Assistance: Assist other technical staff.

5. IT Associate Details and Accountabilities

  • Requirement Analysis: Fully understand in-house clients’ and stakeholders’ requirements for new software application solutions and change requests.
  • Needs Assessment: Conduct requirements gathering, including detailed analysis of the client’s current technology, processes, business systems, and future requirements.
  • SDLC Participation: Participate in the full Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), including ideation, mock-up, design, development, and testing of software application solutions.
  • Solution Presentation: Present and explain new software application solutions to in-house clients and stakeholders.
  • Documentation Management: Document code completion and maintain all other software development-related records.
  • Client Training: Conduct training sessions and provide post-implementation support to clients.
  • Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to elicit business requirements.
  • Functional Design: Analyze business requirements and develop functional design specifications, including business rules, data mapping tables, logical flow charts, and edit logic.
  • Tool Utilization: Use industry-standard tools for requirement gathering, business process modeling, and defect/change request document control.

6. IT Security Associate Duties

  • Incident Response: Assist with the detection, monitoring, and resolution of security incidents.
  • Security Administration: Administer various IT security tools and applications.
  • Compatibility Support: Assist IT groups and business units in troubleshooting compatibility issues between security tools and business or productivity programs.
  • Event Investigation: Assist management in investigating IT or cybersecurity events and suggest resolutions.
  • Process Improvement: Provide feedback and suggestions to improve IT security processes and procedures.
  • Project Coordination: Work closely with project managers to meet and complete project milestones accurately and on time.
  • Mainframe Support: Learn foundational z/OS support skills.
  • API Integration: Acquire knowledge about z/OS Connect.
  • Middleware Maintenance: Install and maintain middleware software.

7. IT Associate Functions

  • Technical Development: Design, document, research, develop, test, implement, or modify user technology based on user and system specifications.
  • User Support: Provide telephone and on-site user support in accordance with IT service level agreements.
  • Queue Management: Manage the support queue to ensure proper deployment of resources.
  • Operational Oversight: Manage and maintain operational support activities, including escalation procedures and service levels.
  • Asset Management: Responsible for IT hardware and software asset management.
  • Issue Communication: Communicate all outstanding IT issues to the IT Manager on a daily basis.
  • Change Management: Raise changes and address incidents.
  • Compliance Support: Assist with compliance and audit requirements.
Relevant Information
What Does An Associate Product Manager Do?
What Does An Associate Project Manager Do?