About the job

Job summary

A Lead Network Engineer assumes responsibility for managing provision of network services and the provision of expertise to develop solutions for network services throughout the service lifecycle.

This role is within our network engineering team with a focus on network design and delivery of new solutions into our production environment. You will be exposed to a mix of complex large-scale projects with the opportunity to work across our WAN, LAN, Data Centre and firewall environments.

You will oversee programmes and projects and work with Technical Architects and other engineers to translate the architectural designs into operations and support technical architects in operationalising the designs.

You will lead and direct network 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 overall management activities such as workforce planning, budgeting, technology roadmaps, projects and tasks.

Job description

Your main day to day responsibilities will be:

• Leading teams and departments in the implementation, administration and support of network solutions and services
• Reviewing network designs to ensure selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources and integration of multiple structures and technology
• Identifying the correct procedures and appropriate channels for resolution and monitor resolution activities and progress updates to users
• Establishing standards and procedures across a service lifecycle including the development lifecycle and ensure that practitioners adhere to this. Managing resources to ensure that the networks integration function works effectively
• Helping shape engineering best practices and standards
• Managing, coaching and mentoring more junior Network Engineers

You will also be expected to carry out the following day to day activities:

• Ensure technical documentation is updated and maintained
• After a solution has been integrated, evaluate the success of the project, identifying best practices and lessons learned. Provide feedback to teams and incorporate this information into future plans
• Manage planning of networks and/or acceptance tests, coordinating both functional and non-functional specifications and provide authoritative advice and guidance on test planning
• Identify and diagnose network problems impacting Home Office users
• Manage the response to incident reports, ensuring relevant prioritisation and detail to allow for effective investigation
• Investigate faults in networks services and advise on the implementation of appropriate solutions and preventative measures

Person specification

Essential Skills

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

• Providing leadership to the teams responsible for delivery of the service through effective direction and coaching
• Leading the technology team to adhere to good engineering principles from architecture through to development
• Managing and delivering complex technologies within time, cost and quality targets
• Demonstrating ability to build strong partnerships with senior stakeholders, 3rd party suppliers, internal and cross-government teams
• Presenting verbal and written information clearly and accurately in language which is appropriate for different channels and which meets the needs of the user
• Advising on future technology changes and defining best practice for network improvements and information security

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:

Strategy and architecture 

• Advice and guidance
• Specialist advice (TECH) - Level 4

Development and Implementation

• Systems Development
• Network design (NTDS) - Level 5
• Testing (TEST) – Level 5

Delivery and Operation

• Service management
• Incident management (USUP) - Level 2
• Technology management
• Systems installation and removal (HSIN) – Level 3

People and skills

• People management
• Organisational facilitation (OFCL) - Level 3

Desirable Skills

Ideally you will also have the following skills or some experience in:

• Core technical concepts, switching, routing, wireless networks, firewalling and load balancing
• Software defined networking

Desirable Qualifications

• Formal training in computer science to degree level or experience in a known computing field, evidenced by furthering technical qualifications through your career

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
• Personal Statement (Max Word Limit: 500).

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 the Essential Criteria listed in the advert and Job Description.

Please remove information that identifies you (for example your name, age or place of education) so that you’ll 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).

 Application tips

1. It’s crucial that your application demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria set out in the job advert. Don't just do a list of languages/platforms - provide context.
2. You should include enough information and describe examples that demonstrate your skills and experience.
3. You should give yourself plenty of time. You can start an application and come back to complete it before the job advert closes.

More guidance can be found here – completing you application

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 an interview. The interview will assess your experience in the core Behaviours & Technical Skills listed above.

Success Profiles - Candidate Overview

Success Profiles - Civil Service Behaviours

Sift and interview dates

Sift will be conducted week commencing 4th March 2024.

Interviews will be held week commencing 25th March 2024 (Subject to operational requirements/priorities).

Interviews will be conducted remotely via MS Teams.

We aim 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

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.

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

Higher Security Clearance - This post requires the successful candidate to hold security clearance at minimum SC level (normally requiring a five year UK footprint). Job offers to this post are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer. 

Visa Sponsorship Statement - Please take note that the Home Office DDaT does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License and are unable to sponsor any individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship/Tier 2 (General) work visa.

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.

 A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

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.

This post is eligible for a DDaT Recruitment 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. 

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 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.