Support Engineer

Job Description

Department: Information Technology
Reporting to: Navigation Systems Manager
Grade: 7
Salary: £41,359 per annum + 5% Overtime Allowance
Base: Gravesend, Kent
Positions available: 2

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New year, new challenge

This is an exciting time to be joining the Port of London’s IT department as we embark on an ambitious replacement and upgrade programme enhancing standards, security, and user experience.

To augment our recently restructured navigation systems team, we’re delighted to be able to offer these two new roles. The Support Engineers will be 1st line and front of house, they will manage the team’s helpdesk and take ownership of resolving faults for our internal customers. They’ll also, among other things, monitor our network and prevent, respond to, or escalate issues.

For motivated, proactive and competent candidates these roles offer something different from ‘the norm’. We operate some unusual tech and systems, across a wide range of locations, with kit in places not everyone gets to go to. The team regularly work at height and full training and support is provided to enable you to do this safely and see some great views from our equipment sites.

Who we are:

The Port of London Authority is the statutory harbour authority for the tidal Thames and responsible for 95 miles of the River Thames from the Estuary to Teddington Lock in West London. We work to keep river users safe, protect and enhance the environment and promote the use of the river for trade and travel.

The IT Department plays a critical role in ensuring our end-users have reliable systems that they need to ensure the port continues to operate 24/7/365 and enables navigational safety throughout its area of operation. The Navigation Systems team is part of the IT department. The team’s main function is to provide services to operational teams such as VTS and Pilotage, providing and maintaining systems and hardware for a broad range of services such as RADAR, vessel identification and tracking, radio communications as well as tidal and weather information. We also secure, manage, monitor and maintain our own IP and Microwave Networks.

What we are looking for:

We’re looking for ‘tech-curious’ and dynamic individuals with excellent communication and problem-solving skills. Customer service focus is a must have as well as a methodical approach with great attention to detail. You’ll also need to remain calm under pressure and have a head for heights.

We’re looking for people who want to engage with end-users as well as colleagues across the wider IT department and the business. You’ll be a great team player, adding value to our team, but also able to work independently and be trusted to take ownership and deliver to agreed deadlines and standards.

Details of what you’ll be expected to do day-to-day and what you’re responsible for are listed below, along with the anticipated skills, knowledge and experience that you’ll already possess.

Role and Responsibilities:

• Manage the helpdesk function within the team, adapting to fast changing situations and competing priorities, ensuring that tickets are captured, prioritised, progressed, and resolved efficiently.
• Diagnose and resolve 1st and 2nd line faults, across the team’s range of systems and sensors in a professional and timely manner, increasing the knowledge of our end-users.
• Act as a single point of contact and ‘front of house’ for the team’s end-users.
• Take ownership of tickets, resolving wherever possible or escalating and working with other colleagues such as more senior engineers and suppliers to resolve and see issues through to completion.
• Escalate issues promptly to appropriate colleagues, management team or suppliers as necessary.
• Ensure that targets for service availability are met.
• Ensure actions taken are logged, root causes are investigated and understood, and future requirements are captured. Ensure information is shared appropriately and customers or stakeholders are kept updated.
• Lead on communication with internal customers to ensure that planned or emergency works are communicated, and any impact is understood and mitigated where possible.
• Monitor, maintain and administer equipment and services relating to the navigation systems estate for both performance and security.
• Ensure the team has appropriate back-up of all systems in place for emergency recovery.
• Liaise with external third parties such as suppliers and contractors operating within the confines of a support contract.
• Install, configure, customise and deploy software and hardware within a defined sub-set of the team’s estate.
• Update and maintain technical documentation and asset information.
• Contribute to the development of maintenance and replacement plans, supporting recommendations with data from the helpdesk.
• Work in accordance with agreed service levels and department processes, policies and procedures.

Qualifications and Education Requirements:

• High standard of education, with a minimum of NVQ Level 5 or equivalent in IT, computer science or related topics, with a good standard of English and Mathematics.
• Minimum 5 years’ hands on experience in a comparable service-delivery role.
• Knowledge of relevant GDPR and cyber security principles and practices.
• Willing and able to pass both medical and practical assessment to be able to work at height to a routine standard.
• Full driving licence.

Essential criteria:

• Knowledge, understanding and experience of dealing with IP networking, Windows OS including servers, workstations and mobile devices and security related systems (such as endpoint protection, firewalls, backup solutions).
• Ability and evidence of being able to investigate and pick up IT systems quickly.
• ‘Tech curious’ and passionate about IT services and systems.
• Process driven, with excellent attention to detail to ensure consistent high-quality services are delivered and compliance is maintained.
• Ability to support system audits including the collection of logs and evidencing conformance.
• Able to apply experience and able to adapt to unknown or new situations.
• Pass and maintain security clearance as required by the PLA and third-party sites (BPSS and CTC required)
• Customer focussed and striving for customer service excellence.
• Able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Logical and methodical diagnostic approach to faults and problems.
• Dynamic and self-motivated with good problem-solving capabilities and time management skills.
• Committed to self-development and continuing professional development to maintain, refresh and update relevant skills.
• Critical thinker with the ability to challenge appropriately and contribute to continual improvement.
• Able to develop effective working relationships within the team.
• Safety conscious and willing to develop and contribute to H&S practices within the team.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience within the port industry and with port systems.
• Experience and knowledge of Linux.

Benefits package:

• Access to training with both internal and external courses provided
• Structured plans to guide personal development
• 28 days annual leave + Bank Holidays
• Medical Cash Plan (Westfield Health)
• Generous pension
• Onsite parking with electric charging
• Access to Occupational Health, Mindfulness, Counselling and Physiotherapy
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Access to MyGymDiscounts

Our recruitment process may include both Virtual and Face to Face interviews as well as ability and psychometric testing.

For further information or an informal discussion please contact Recruitment@pla.co.uk.

The PLA are not registered with the UK Home Office and do not sponsor candidates who require a visa or work permit to work in the UK, therefore an offer of employment cannot be made unless you currently hold the rights to live and work in the UK.