Manager - Support

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.

We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.

Job Title : Manager – Support

 

Purpose of job:

 

To provide technical skills for solution service lifecycle in areas of technical analysis, development, testing, integration, packaging, IT operations and second line support delivering to allocated change requests or as part of support primarily in the Microsoft Technology areas covering :

 

• Knowledge of Agile Governance, Development methodologies and risk analysis
• N-tier application architecture design,  development  and integration using  .NET C# and VB , AJAX, ASP, VB, CSS, (D)HTML and Scripting technologies e.g. VBA VBScript; JavaScript; use with MSOffice
• Relational Database client and server technologies -. SQL Server programming and administration

Service Orientated Architecture.

 

Role context 

Business Application Development Team offer support, consultation and guidance to the Global Operation, Service Management and Regional Teams.

 

Main opportunities/challenges for this role 

Business Analysis – Level 5 Investigates operational requirements, problems, and opportunities, seeking effective business solutions through improvements in automated and non-automated components of new or changed processes. Assists in the analysis of stakeholder objectives, and the underlying issues arising from investigations into business requirements and problems, and identifies options for consideration. Identifies potential benefits, and available options for consideration. Works with clients/users in defining acceptance tests.

Work with colleagues and clients/users to investigate operational issues, problems and new opportunities, seeking effective business solutions through improvements in automated and non-automated components of new or changed processes/procedures, organisation and equipment. Assist in the analysis of the underlying issues arising from investigations into requirements and problems, and identifies available options for consideration. (TSBUAN402)

Record work with appropriate documentation, meeting the required standards and uses suitable methods and tools. (TSBUAN404)

Assist users in producing clearly defined acceptance tests for automated systems. (TSBUAN406)

 

System Design – Level 4 Recommends/designs structures and tools for systems which meet business needs. Delivers technical visualisation of proposed applications for approval by customer and execution by system developers. Translates logical designs into physical designs, and produces detailed design documentation. Maps work to user specification and removes errors and deviations from specification to achieve user-friendly processes.

Working alone on simple systems or with colleagues on more complex systems, produce outline system specifications covering for example: objectives, scope, constraints (such as performance, resources etc.), hardware, network and software environments, main system functions and information flows, data load and implementation strategies, phasing of development, requirements not met, and alternatives considered.  (TSDESN401 )

Translates logical designs into physical designs taking account of target environment, performance requirements and existing systems. Produces detailed designs including for example: physical data flows, class diagrams, file layouts, common routines and utilities, program specifications or prototypes, and backup, recovery and restart procedures.  (TSDESN403)

Produces logical system designs showing for example: processes, objects, data flows, inputs, stored data and outputs. Identifies common processes.  (TSDESN405)

 

Application Support  - Level 5 Maintains application support processes, and checks that all requests for support are dealt with according to agreed procedures. Uses application management software and tools to investigate issues, collect performance statistics and create reports. 

Within a broad area of competence, investigates issues and other requests for support and determines appropriate actions to take. (TSASUP402)

Liaises with systems development staff or suppliers on the development of system enhancements to overcome known problems or further fulfil user requirements. (TSASUP406)

Accepts new releases of system software from systems development staff or suppliers.  (TSASUP40)

Initiates preventative measures, such as identifying and investigating suspect software and other components. Ensures that existing problems and known errors in systems and services being brought into operation are understood and managed in the same way as those arising from operational incidents. Supports service level management in monitoring the impact of problems on agreed service levels, and initiate any appropriate improvement actions.  (TSPBMG403)

 

Problem management – Level 5 Monitors actions to investigate and resolve incidents and problems in systems and services. Assists with the implementation of agreed remedies and preventative measures.

 

Database Design – Level 5 Develops and maintains specialist knowledge of database concepts, object and data modelling techniques and design principles and a detailed knowledge of database architectures, software and facilities. Analyses data requirements to establish, modify or maintain object/data models. Evaluates potential solutions, demonstrating, installing and commissioning selected products.

 

Programming and Software Development – Level 5 Designs, codes, tests, corrects and documents large and/or complex programs and program modifications from supplied specifications using agreed standards and tools, to achieve a well engineered result. Takes part in reviews of own work and leads reviews of colleagues' work.

Develop  systems and system modifications from supplied specifications using agreed standards and tools, to achieve a well engineered result.  (TSPROG401)

Conduct reviews of supplied specifications, with others as necessary. (TSPROG405)

Works with clients/users on development projects to make effective use of (object) database management systems (O/DBMS), query languages, and other DB tools and techniques. Interprets installation standards to meet particular project needs and produces object/database components as required. (TSDBDS403)

Undertake Developer and peer testing. Analyse test requirements, design and produce re-usable test scripts and procedures (with expected results) to test new and amended software to be executed by self and other staff. Produce plans to test the effect of the new and changed software on existing systems.  (TSTEST406)

 

System Testing – Level 4 Defines and creates test cases from analysis of both functional and non-functional specifications (such as reliability, efficiency, usability, maintainability and portability). Produces test scripts, materials and regression test packs to test new and amended software or services. Specifies requirements for environment, data, resources and tools. Interprets, executes and documents complex test scripts using agreed methods and standards. Records and analyses actions and results, and maintains a defect register. Reviews test results and modifies tests if necessary. Provides reports on progress, anomalies, risks and issues. Produces reports on system quality and metrics on test cases.

 

Technical Specialism

Maintains an awareness of current developments in the technical specialism. (TSTECH502)

Identifies opportunities to apply the technical specialism within employing organisation and closely associated organisations, such as customers, suppliers and partners, and advises those responsible. (TSTECH504).

 

IT Operaration & Management – Level 4

Provides technical expertise to enable the correct application of operational procedures. Contributes to the planning and implementation of maintenance and installation work. Identifies operational problems and contributes to their resolution. Provides appropriate information to specialists, users and managers.

Ensures that all tasks and procedures are carried out effectively and efficiently to agreed levels of service or specific requirements of Service Level Agreements (or Operational Level Agreements, if these exist). (TSITOP402).

Conducts investigations of operational problems, makes proposals for improvement, and implements them when appropriate. Participates in reviews of systems performance, provides advice, and assists specialists or other system or service providers to plan details of amendments and upgrades to systems.  (TSITOP406 ).

 

Qualifications

Any graduation degree

 

Role specific knowledge and experience

Proven experience of development and support of Application Solutions in a multilingual global environment in 3 of the following  4 disciplines:

1. N-tier application architecture design, development and integration using Object Oriented Design Frameworks and Patterns. Web and client-based development e.g. Using  NET C# and VB , AJAX, ASP, VB, CSS, (D)HTML and Scripting technologies e.g. VBA VBScript; JavaScript; use with MSOffice
2. Relational Database client and server technologies e.g., SQL Server, SQL Reporting, PL/T SQL, SQL scripting, DTS/ SSIS, MS Access
3. Service Orientated Architecture: Integration, designing and building applications for SOA e.g. using SOAP, Web services, XML data exchange and XML technologies like DTDs, Schemas, XSLT)
4. Direct Customer Interaction platforms - Web Content Management e.g Obtree/ Episerver, Collaboration Technologies e.g SharePoint, CRM Technologies e.g., Microsoft Dynamics/ Sage/ Outlook, Search Technologies e.g Google/ Autonomy, Survey tools-e.g., Confirm IT, Zoomerang.

and preferably an understanding of IIS, Active Directory, DNS, IT security / encryption, Microsoft Client platforms and technologies as Windows OS, MSOffice, browsers as applicable in application development and support context.

 

Further Information

Pay Band – 7

Contract Type – FTC (Till 31 March 25)

Department/Country- GSS English & Exams (IELTS Operations)

Closing Date (Time) – 19th December 23 (IST -23:59)

 

 

 

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

 

Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement

 

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment.  We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability.  All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

 

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.

 

We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.

 

Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

 

If you have any problems with your application please email askhr@britishcouncil.org

 

Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our ‘ASK HR’ email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.

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