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

These are exciting times at the Department for Education. Throughout 2024, we'll continue to build services for all our users – children, adults, and those in social care. Our diverse and inclusive culture reflects the society we live in, helping us to achieve better outcomes for all. 

We work in multi-disciplinary teams using agile methods to innovate and radically improve services that:

• Raise standards of education.
• Provide the best start in life for children.
• Drive economic growth.
• Support disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people.

Job description

Right now, we are recruiting for Senior 2nd Line Support Technicians in London to work in our Technology Directorate.

As the Senior Technician, you will report to the 2nd Line Support Manager for Southern Sites. You will work collaboratively with all support teams and provide excellent customer service.

Your team will be the second points of contact for over 3,000 users and are pivotal to the creation of a positive user experience. You will take operational responsibility for maintaining a business-critical service in a fast-paced, environment and will remain calm under pressure.

You will help manage the members of the 2nd Line London Support team, providing the technicians with an escalation point. You will also take ownership of feedback for the team.

As a Senior 2nd Line Service Technician, you will:

• Oversee the day-to-day activities of 2nd Line team members and delegate work across them. Prioritising workload and ensuring the service operates in line with SLAs, driving to exceed user expectations and needs.
• Be expected to take ownership of maintaining storage room tidiness including the IT Build Room and the comms rooms.
• Help manage team process documentation including an internal Knowledge Base.
• Manage small projects related to Estates activity throughout the building and remote sites.
• Take the lead in providing dedicated support to our VIPs including Ministers and their Private Offices.
• Provide regular structured reports to line management regarding key performance indicators.
• Work closely with the 2nd Line Support Manager for Southern Sites to identify and explore opportunities for service and business improvement.

The 2nd Line London team demonstrates strong customer focus, professionalism, flexibility and commitment to delivery of user-centred outcomes; we aim to continue this trend.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Previous experience of leading in a team-oriented, collaborative & customer facing technical support role.
• Delegation of tasks, mentoring team members and escalation of issues.
• A proven history of dealing with senior members of staff.
• Ability to engage with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, to build strong working and interpersonal relationships.
• Ability to spot or identify areas for improvement across a service and drive improvements to these areas.
• An in depth understanding of IT technologies, Office Productivity, Microsoft based operating systems and applications such as:
  • Windows 10
  • Windows 11
  • Office 365
  • Mobile technologies including Intune
  • SCCM
  • Active Directory
  • PowerShell
  • VCO
  • VPN software
  • Cloud technologies

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of IT Service Management frameworks such as ITIL methodology.
• ServiceNow knowledge.
• Excellent communication skills.
• The ability to develop and improve processes to make them more efficient.

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

Benefits

• As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities which are tailored to your role.
• As our work represents the whole of our population, the only way we can provide effective services is by being an inclusive and diverse organisation. We are passionate about maintaining an open and positive working culture.
• A generous annual leave allowance of twenty five days increasing by one day every year to a maximum of thirty days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King's Birthday as privilege leave and eight days’ bank and public holidays.
• Paid special leave for volunteering.
• A wide variety of staff support networks including a Women's Network, BAME Network and Wellbeing Network.
• As a member of the DfE, you can join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK, with an average employer contribution of 27%. For further information on these schemes please refer to the following website: Civil Service Pensions website.
• Being a member of the Department for Education will give you access to schemes offering discount on various amenities including groceries, sports & activity groups, and gym memberships.
• Cycle to Work scheme and loans towards bicycle purchase.
• 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.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Please be advised there are two stages to the recruitment process for this role, these are outlined below.

Application & Sift

Please provide a CV setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role.

You will also need to provide a Statement of Suitability (no more than 750 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the job advert.

The CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the essential criteria detailed in the advert.

Should there be a high volume of applicants, candidates may be sifted on the first three essential criteria listed in the job advert:

• Previous experience of leading in a team-oriented, collaborative & customer facing technical support role.
• Delegation of tasks, mentoring team members and escalation of issues.
• A proven history of dealing with senior members of staff.

Interview

You will be interviewed by panel which will last for approximately 60 minutes. It will follow a blended approach, consisting of an open discussion and interview questions focusing on your Experience and how well you are able to demonstrate your suitability for the role in alignment to the essential criteria. When preparing for your interview, you may wish to follow the STAR technique to demonstrate your examples.

Sifting will take place mid February 2024, followed by interviews early March 2024. Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams. If you are invited to interview, please ensure that you have access to this software and that you have your video turned on. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

As a Disability Confident Leader, it is important that we are able to make appropriate arrangements or adjustments where necessary in order to create a full and equal participation in the selection process. If you require any reasonable adjustments, please contact the recruitment team to see how we can meet your needs.

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.