About the job

Job summary

A Lead Infrastructure Engineer assumes responsibility for overseeing third party provision of infrastructure services and the provision of expertise to create and deliver architectural solutions for infrastructure services throughout the service lifecycle.

In this role, you will use your subject matter expertise in Microsoft 365 products and services to improve end user desktop experience and device management capability. Working with a dynamic team of engineers, you will support and promote continuous improvement and delivery, to own End User Compute product pipelines in the creation of future roadmaps and strategy.

Job description

As part of a core leadership team of three Lead Infrastructure Engineers, you will oversee programmes and projects whilst working with Technical Architects to translate the architectural designs into operations and support technical architects in operationalising the designs.

You will lead, line manage and direct infrastructure engineer product teams in building, managing, transitioning, supporting and maintaining solutions according to departmental policy and ensure a feedback loop exists with service support to ensure continuous improvement. You are responsible for wider management activities such as workforce planning, budgeting, 1-to-1 line management, technology roadmaps, projects and tasks.

This role is not suitable for part-time working due to the nature of the role requiring candidates to be available for on-call duties on a voluntary basis.

What you will do

 Your main day to day responsibilities will be:

• Leading teams and departments in the implementation, administration and support of infrastructure solutions and services
• Working to improve DevOps pipelines to be able to visualise workload and sprint opportunities.
• Reviewing systems design to ensure selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources, integration of multiple systems and technology and that ‘Secure by Design’ principles have been followed.
• Managing planning of system and/or acceptance tests, coordinating both functional and non-functional specifications and provide authoritative advice and guidance on test planning
• Troubleshooting and identifying problems across different technology capabilities including compute, storage, networking, physical infrastructure, software, cloud, commercial off the shelf (COTS) and open source
• Establishing standards and procedures across a service lifecycle including the development lifecycle and ensure that practitioners adhere to this. You will manage resources to ensure that the systems integration function works effectively
• After a solution has been integrated, you will evaluate the success of the project, identifying best practices and lessons learned. You will provide feedback to teams and incorporate this information into future plans
• Managing, coaching and mentoring more junior infrastructure engineers

Like many organisations we need to maintain our services 24/7, therefore, on occasions there may be a requirement to work out of hours, for which you will be paid an additional allowance.  

Person specification

UK residency and security requirements - You need to have lived in the UK for the past 5 years.

Essential Criteria

You’ll have a demonstrable passion for Infrastructure Engineering, with the following skills or strong experience in: 

• Modern and mobile device management (Windows 11, iOS, Android, MacOS)
• Familiarity with Azure virtual desktop
• API and scripting experience (for example MS Graph API)
• Clear vision on technology roadmaps for Windows 11, iOS, Android and Mac’s
• Leading the technology team to adhere to good engineering principles from architecture through to development
• Providing leadership to the teams responsible for delivery of the service through effective direction and coaching
• Managing and delivering complex technologies within time, cost and quality targets.
• Different methodologies including Agile, waterfall and continuous integration principles
• Building cohesive partnerships with diverse teams across multiple locations and technologies
• Advising on future technology changes and innovations and defining best practice for network improvements and information security

SFIA capability framework

Skills for the Information Age (SFIA) is the technical framework that sets the standard capability and development of all engineering levels in the Home Office. This is a link to the capability framework:  All skills A–Z — English (sfia-online.org)

We use set SFIA technical skills to form our interview questions and we will assess you against these technical skills during the selection process.

SFIA Technical Skills

The skills listed above are reflective of the Home Office DDaT Profession Skills and Competency Model (based on the industry standard SFIA framework). Please see below for the relevant skills required for your role:

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,000, Home Office contributes £15,390 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and 1000 word personal statement. 

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.  

Please note your CV and personal statement should include all relevant experience that relates to our essential skills criteria listed in the advert and role description. Use STAR format in your examples

Remove information that identifies you (for example your name, age or place of education) so that you will be judged on merit alone and not your personal background, circumstances, race or gender. 

(Do NOT include e-mail addresses or links to online profiles, resumés, or prior work, either personal or business. Active links or e-mail addresses will result in your application being rejected) 

Sift Stage

The sift will be held on the CV and Personal Statement. Please read the Essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirements.

Interview Stage

Candidates reaching the required standard will then be invited to attend a final interview. The interview will assess your Technical Skills (SFIA Framework) and experience using technical and experience-based questions. You will be assessed on the core behaviour skills listed above.

Sift and interview dates

Sift will be conducted from week commencing 24th June 2024.

Interviews will be held week commencing 15th July 2024 (Subject to the Panel’s operational requirements/priorities).

Interviews will be conducted remotely via MS Teams.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

Further information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

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 circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. 

If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

We value diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from the widest diversity of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. We particularly encourage applications from women, people with disabilities and LGBT+ as they are currently under-represented in the Home Office at this grade level. Appointments will be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.  

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.  Where this is the case, employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office. Applicants can raise any queries to the email address at the bottom of the advert.

Please read the essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirement. 

If you have previously made an unsuccessful application for a role with the same essential skills and are not able to demonstrate how you have developed these skills since your last application please reconsider applying as your application is unlikely to be successful.

Reserve list      

A reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.    

UK residency and security requirements      

You need to have lived in the UK for the past 5 years.  This is because this post requires the successful candidate to have Security Check (SC) clearance and individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. These checks will only take place after the job offer has been accepted.    

You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years for SC clearance.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.     

Visa Sponsorship

We are unable to sponsor any individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas as we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License.   

This post is eligible for a DDaT Recruitment Retention Allowance. Successful candidate with exceptional skills and experience may apply for a Recruitment and Retention Allowance. This allowance is subject to an initial review within six months of taking up the post and thereafter an annual review in line with the departmental priorities and could be reduced or withdrawn at any time.  

Job offers to this post are made on the basis of merit. We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same competencies and essential skills.

Working at the Home Office

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

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.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to  bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access 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

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is 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 Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as 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

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.