About the job

Job summary

We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates   

At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfE, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.  

Equality and Diversity - Department for Education 

In Regions Group we aim to improve outcomes for children, families and learners by accelerating system improvement and reform through active intervention and by better aligning the Department’s operations and users’ needs at a local and regional level.

We will:

• Bring together improvement and intervention work in Children’s Social Care, SEND and Schools as well as area-based programs like Opportunity Areas and Education Investment Areas.
• Maintain the stewardship of the school system and, working with the Future ESFA, provide a unified voice to academy trusts and to individual Local Authorities at a local level.
• Set DfE up to deliver for and respond more effectively to local needs and to understand how local contexts impact on children and learners in a place, particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people.

Diversity and inclusion is our top priority and we embrace uniqueness. We strongly encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are a welcoming and inclusive workplace where our people are able to bring their whole selves to work.

As an Application Support Analyst of the Regional Service Division (RSD) Service Support Team you will be responsible for ensuring services are available and accessible so our users can get​ the data they need easily, reliably, and safely. You will be at the centre of things in RSD, helping to make significant changes that have a direct impact on children and young people. 

Job description

As an Application Support Analyst, you will:

• Be the first point of contact for our internal and external users and key to the creation of a positive user experience.
• Handle incidents and requests ensuring they are managed effectively, to a high standard and in line with agreed processes, SLAs, and performance targets.
• Be responsible for Triaging user contacts, managing Incidents and requests, creating knowledge to be used by the teams and users alike and actively seeking continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage user access requests to add our users and roles to our digital products and the MS Azure portal.
• Perform Quality assurance checks on data to ensure users can be confident it is complete and accurate.
• Work within an agile team as part of a growing Service Support function for new and developing digital products.
• Be passionate about continuous improvement and collaborating with colleagues to find effective solutions.
• Use Microsoft Excel, Power BI, SQL, and other data tools to draw conclusions and make recommendations.

Person specification

Our Service Support team demonstrate strong customer focus, professionalism, flexibility, and commitment to delivery of user-centred outcomes, whilst always looking at continually improving the service we offer, and we are looking to continue this trend.

Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate that they meet the following essential criteria: 

• Ability to work effectively within a team and contribute towards continual improvements.
• Possess excellent customer service skills, both written and verbal.
• Service Management: Be confident in systems administration to support the work of the wider team or programme. This could be from auditing user access to working with developers and/or technical architects to identify and fix live issues.
• Experience in the maintenance of user access and roles and responding to user queries and requests for support.
• Data Quality: experience of ensuring data is accurate and complete and proficient at identifying and rectifying data quality issues.
• An Understanding of working within complex technical landscapes.
• Agile ways of working: The ability to work within a fast paced, evolving environment that uses an iterative method and flexible approach to enable rapid delivery with changing priorities.

It is desirable but not essential that you can demonstrate:

• Demonstrable understanding of the ITIL/ITSM methodology.
• Awareness of technologies such as Azure DevOps, ServiceNow, and cloud computing.
• An understanding of Microsoft products such as Outlook, Teams, Word and Excel.
• Experience of collating data from a variety of sources using a range of tools, including but not limited to: SQL, Power BI or Excel.

Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie break situation to make an informed decision.

Benefits

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK, with an average employer contribution of 27%.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King's Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role. 

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.  

 As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths and Experience.

Applicant Support

Please visit the below webinars for further information and support in completing your application and preparing for an interview:

• How to craft a well written job application in the UK Civil Service
• Crafting a CV that stands out in the UK Civil Service
• Writing a personal statement in the UK Civil Service
• How to ace interviews in the public service

Application Stage

At the application stage, we will assess Experience. Candidates will be sifted through their CV and a personal statement. Your personal statement should display how your experience meets the essential criteria of the role, listed in the Person Specification section.

Should there be a high volume of applicants, candidates may be sifted on the first four essential criteria listed in the person specification section of the advert.

Interview Stage

The interview will involve Experience and Strength-based questions.

Sift date to be confirmed. Interviews will likely take place in March 2024. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Other Information 

We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates. 

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas. 

The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.    

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated. 

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. 

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location. 

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band. 

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs 

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum. 

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual. 

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information. 

Reasonable adjustment 

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.