Senior Applications Engineer (Chelmsford / Northfleet)

Location of Role:Chelmsford / Northfleet 

Advert Closing Date: 21/06/2024 

Starting Salary: £38,349.00 (pro-rata for part-time vacancies)

Part/Full Time: Full Time 

Contract Type: Permanent 

Working Pattern: Mon-Fri 

Weekend/Evening Working: No 

IT Services is a large IT department servicing Essex Police and Kent Police across all forms of technology platforms, systems and services. We are dedicated to keeping policing agile, efficient, using cutting-edge technology to support our operations and importantly secure. We have invested heavily in our infrastructure over the last 6 years and with technology as a major step change driver, there is a healthy investment programme going forward.

We are seeking a new Senior Applications Engineer to join our Commercial Applications team in IT Services. The Commercial Applications team are responsible for the build, implementation, and support of a significant number of systems and services across a wide range of technologies. This is a post that requires a professional approach to learning new technologies and systems as our engineers are skilled at proactively searching for the information they need to diagnose faults reported on a vast range of applications across the entirety of Essex Police, Kent Police, and Kent Fire Control Room.  This role offers flexible working arrangements with options to work from home.

Where you’ll fit in:

A Senior Applications Engineer sits in our Commercial Applications Team and reports to a Commercial Applications Team Leader. It’s a team that provides support and development services for Force systems.

Our IT Department has a wide and varied range of responsibilities from 1st line service desk, 2nd line technical support to 3rd line specialist technical architect/design. IT are also responsible for IT Security management, Service Management, Business Support and Project Management that maintain and continuously improve critical services, software, platforms, and hardware required throughout the full IT lifecycle. This underpins the delivery of secure and timely 24/7 operations for approximately 13,000 users across 130+ geographical locations supporting over 14000 computers including hosted datacentres together with the underlying network, physical and virtual (including cloud services) IT infrastructure.

As a Senior Applications Engineer, you’ll be responsible for:

• Supporting IT programme delivery of new systems and interfaces.
• Developing and updating system support documentation.
• Patching and upgrades of systems.
• Providing 2nd and 3rd line support to a variety of corporate applications and their interfaces, both cloud and ‘on-premise’ ensuring service delivery is aligned to ITIL.
• Updating and managing workload through our IT Service Management tool, ensuring high quality input that aids resolution understanding and future critical incident management.
• Providing technical advice and guidance to a range of complex or escalated technical issues; working in a multiple disciple team, alone, or through managing a third party supplier. 
• Providing on-call services within an out-of-hours support rota.

In your application please evidence the following requirements:

• 2 to 3 years working as technical practitioner in an IT support or programme environment.
• A high standard of Customer Service, engaging with system users across their varying needs and under duress.
• A good knowledge and experience of ITIL processes; able to demonstrate your high standards of record keeping, incident, change and problem management.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of the Enterprise application architecture, including the framework and principles on which servers, networks, and operating systems are based eg Windows Server, UNIX, LINUX, Oracle, SQL-Server, TCP/IP, etc.
• Proficiency in everyday desktop software, specific application systems, and be familiar with the use of information retrieval tools.

Benefits Include:

• Training and professional development opportunities
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• 26 days Annual Leave increasing to 29 days after 5 years employment.
• Flexible working dependant of duties
• On site fitness centre and canteen (location dependent)
• Collaborative and supportive work environment.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Wellness programmes
• Blue light Discount Card
• Opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to public safety and community well-being.

Diversity, Equality & Inclusion:

As a Force, we are committed to developing the overall structure of equality, diversity, and inclusion across Essex Police and Kent Police: in our workforce and in the services we provide. We are an equal opportunities employer and determined to attract, employ, and support a workforce which is representative of the diverse society which it serves. We are committed to achieving a working environment which is free from any form of harassment, intimidation, bullying, or victimisation. Applications are welcomed from all under-represented groups and support will be made available for all applicants as and when requested.

This role is suitable for part time/job share workers.

For more information about the role please contact John.Knowles@essex.police.uk

Essex Police offer incremental increases within this salary band, therefore the salary for this position will rise to a maximum of £45,546.00.

For the Essex full job description please click here. 

For the Kent full job description please click here. 

Kent Police and Essex Police have separate salary grading systems therefore the salary for this position will be dependent on which home office force you are appointed to. This will be discussed with the successful applicant before a final offer is made.

Your application is shortlisted on the content provided within the 'reason for application' section, which is limited to 9000 characters. Within your answer please refer to the criteria stated in this job advert and include any experience, skills and abilities you feel you have that will make you suitable for the role. Please ensure you provide as much detail as possible as insufficient information may mean that you do not meet the shortlisting criteria. 

All of our posts require a level of vetting and security clearance.  During the recruitment process you will be sent vetting information forms to complete. 

Kent Police and Essex Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status.

Please let us know if you require extra support at any stage of the application process, or for further information regarding this position, please email us at recruitment.business.services@ecis.police.uk stating ‘Application Support and Adjustments’ in the title of your email. Alternatively, you can call us on 01245 452833.

Where appropriate we will make adjustments to the selection process, working arrangements and/or the working environment provided it is reasonable in all the circumstances to do so.

This post is open to:

• British Citizens
• Members of a European Economic Area (EEA) state who hold settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.  
• Commonwealth citizens or foreign nationals (who are not British citizens or European Economic Area (EEA) state members) who have leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for an indefinite period that is free from restrictions.

All applicants (except those who have been serving abroad with the British Armed Forces) must have lived in the UK continuously for the past three years.

Essex Police and Kent Police are an equal opportunities employer. Communications may be recorded for monitoring purposes.