About the job

Job summary

The Cabinet Office is undergoing a significant Digital Transformation.  Over the next three years we aspire to make UK Government digital services the best in the world, meeting or exceeding the benchmark set globally by the best public or private sector standards. For us to meet this ambition we are aiming to further improve the conditions, processes and expertise we have in place to be set up for success. This means we need to go much further and faster and strengthen the delivery of DDaT in government. Did you know Cabinet Office Digital supports over 15,000 users across 40+ departments including Government Digital Service (GDS), Crown Commercial Services (CCS), Estates and Government Property Agency (GPA)? 

We are looking for a Principal Infrastructure Engineer who will have the responsibility to design services in the estate and the associated processes, create documentation, change management and root cause analysis as well as providing technical leadership across the teams. 
The role will work closely with the Technical Architects and will be designing and maintaining existing network infrastructure, carrying out upgrades and problem resolutions.
The role is part of the Enterprise Services Pillar which provides, maintains and supports the infrastructure, telephony, network, WiFi, end-user devices, cloud capability and software across the entire Cabinet Office estate. Given the breadth and depth of the estate, this is an exciting role. Are you ready to take on the challenge? 

Job description

You will:

• work with the Principal Infrastructure Engineer and Principal Network specialist in the day to day management of the Cabinet Office estate, including server, storage, cloud IaaS (AWS), power management, networking (LAN/WAN/WLAN) .
• design and implementation of new services as and when required by the Cabinet Office.
• provide technical leadership across Server Operations, Network Operations, End user compute, Cloud and Application teams
• to work with the Cabinet Office Server Operations team on the physical and technical implementation of servers, storage and power management systems within the estate
• to work with the Cabinet Office Network Operations team on the physical and technical implementation user key skills to enhance networking and security elements that will be deployed at Cabinet Office.
• develop process and procedures for other engineers to ensure a secure and robust environment for cabinet office users with KPIs in place is maintain this level
• develop automation for patching and configuration of; Servers, Switches, Firewalls, WLAN infrastructure
• work with cloud technologies on the migration of existing systems and implementing new solutions
• be prepared to work out of normal office hours to implement change, when necessary, including weekend and evening work, including being on call
• to maintain integrity, availability, performance and capacity management of the networking infrastructure.
• manage escalated Incidents and Problems from the Live Service through to resolution
• carry out change control activities within the networking infrastructure, working with change managers to enhance the change process.
• document and configure management of networking infrastructure.
• work within technical compliance management to co-operate with technologies, such as PSN and Cloud computing etc.
• develop and possibly carry out security testing techniques for network infrastructure.

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

•    Proven expert knowledge and experience in administration and automation of Windows Server and Linux operating systems and applications 
•    Proven expert knowledge of networking design, preferably with equipment from a range of different product vendors 
•    Proven extensive experience and hands-on experience of the design and implementation of Wireless and Wired networks
•    Proven expert experience and hands-on experience of the design and implementation of security devices such as VPN Gateways and clients, Firewalls and Unified Threat Management Devices.
•    Demonstrable experience of using infrastructure as code to setup and configure systems and services..
•    Strong demonstrable proven problem solving and analytical skills in a fast paced, multidisciplinary digital/technology environment.
•    Flexibility to work weekends and evenings as required
•    Demonstrable experience in the delivery of secure computer and networking systems with a strong understanding of security concepts
•    Experience of change management processes
•    Professional skills including excellent customer relationship and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage with senior management, technical architects and solution providers
•    Cyber security awareness and understanding, experience of protective monitoring and alerting within a SIEM system. 
•    Strong understanding of encryption protocols and cipher suites.
•    Substantial experience using Infrastructure as code systems to deploy and configure systems
 

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £68,790, Cabinet Office contributes £18,573 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

Application process

For a confidential discussion about the role, please contact our recruitment advisers at GatenbySanderson: Shoaib Haroon, Principal Consultant on M: 07384258626 or E: Shoaib.haroon@gatenbysanderson.com OR Fatima Al Hasanee, Researcher on M: 07825 687103 or E: fatima.alhasanee@gatenbysanderson.com

Find out more by visiting www.join-codigital.co.uk where you can register and apply.

To apply for this post, you will need to provide: 

• Your CV
• A supporting statement (of no more than 2 pages) detailing how you can address the Essential criteria in the Person Specification.
• Contact details for two referees. Referees should be people who can comment authoritatively on you as a person and as an employee and must include your current or most recent employer or his/her authorised representative. References will not be contacted until a successful appointment is made  

A completed diversity monitoring form, this will appear on screen as part of the application process.

This is to be submitted online at the following portal no later than Sunday 25 February 2024 (23:55) https://www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe107018

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – 29/02/2024

Preliminary Interviews - w/c 6/03/2024 or w/c 14/03/2024

Final panel Interviews - w/c 25/03/2024 or w/c 01/04/2024

Interview location - Online

Reasonable adjustments
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 the vacancy holder at joincodigital@gatenbysanderson.com as soon as possible and before the closing date.

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

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to Cabinet 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.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be 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 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. 

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. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

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.