Job info	Job info details
Job title	Application Support Analyst
Strategic team/Directorate	Corporate Services
Service	IT
Business unit	IT Applications
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Project Leader
Accountable to (line manager)	Project Leader
Salary grade	F
JE ref	CORP003

1. Key purpose of job

• Responsible for the maintenance and support of numerous IT systems to meet the business needs of the organisation, including many systems which are critical to Torbay Council and our customers and/or meet statutory obligations.
• To further enhance the department’s capacity and capabilities. 

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• To be the primary point of contact, within Software Development for all internal and external clients who require systems support. 
• To provide an effective support service to all IT Services customers who use server-based applications.
• More senior Software Development team members can focus on their own work.
• Business departments using their systems with minimal downtime.
• Any software bugs or issues resolved within agreed SLAs.
• Positive contribution to the overall development and improvement of the Software Development Team, IT Services department, and the organisation.
• To provide IT support to departments and individuals to allow them to effectively discharge their duties and ensure that the organisation can deliver services to the public and achieve its strategic goals, visions, and corporate plan.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• It is expected that you will gain detailed knowledge for a number of key line of business applications and then provide support in these. For these systems you will recognise common issues and put solutions into place largely unassisted and carry out agreed application maintenance tasks.
• Resolves faults down to discrete component level according to given procedures.
• The postholder will be expected to develop their existing knowledge whilst in this role – learning languages which are in use within the department and also becoming familiar with M365 applications and the Power platform and learning how to apply these in a work environment.
• Adheres to configuration management, change management and release management procedures and controls.
• Assists in database support activities and with specified maintenance procedures.
• Receives and handles requests for support following agreed procedures and responds to common requests for support, maintains records of actions taken and also ensures that troubleshooting documentation is kept up-to-date.
• Acts as a routine contact point between the organisation and suppliers regarding application infrastructure changes, fault remediation, new versions of software and ongoing business demands.
• Communicates effectively with users/clients by telephone, MS Teams and email, assists in the provision of advice and guidance on matters relating to application queries and resolves problems. 
• To carry out duties in accordance with the Council’s Information Security Standards and Human Resource Policies; compliance with the Data Protection Act, Freedom of Information Act and any other relevant legislation that directly affects service delivery.
• Ensuring that data is kept secure and that the principles of GDPR are always adhered to.
• Uses available resources to gain an up-to-date knowledge of any relevant IT field and monitors the market to gain knowledge and understanding of currently emerging technologies.
• Provides expertise and support on use of methods and tools. For example, penetration testing internal server-based applications as well as externally hosted applications.
• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal working environment and conditions.

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical effort. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• None. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

• External: 
  • Suppliers, in terms of resolving issues and the installation of patches and new releases/versions. 
  • Partner Organisations, such as SWISCo, TDA and the NHS Trust, in terms of delivering software services.
  • Peers at other Local Authorities, requesting or providing information regarding the use of applications, technologies, etc. 
• Internal: 
  • All levels of Torbay staff from across all departments, in relation to the support of various business applications.
  • IT colleagues. 

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job. 

Other Information

• All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children’s Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
• The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
• You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Application Support Analyst
Strategic team/Directorate	Corporate Services
Service	IT
Business unit	IT Applications

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Demonstrates an interest in IT, including an awareness of the opportunities offered by IT technology.
• Ability to learn new technical skills quickly.
• Good analytical skills to enable you to resolve problems on your own or more complex ones as part of a team.
• Self-motivated. 
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Effective communication skills, for working with IT colleagues, service users and suppliers.
• Customer focussed. 
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Able to explain technical and complex information clearly to a variety of service users and contacts.
• Presentation skills sufficient to demonstrate solutions to IT colleagues and service users. 
• Ability to engage with customers regarding business IT systems.

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Will have a technical skill base capable of supporting business IT systems. 
• Will have a theoretical understanding of database systems and their administration.
• Will understand the nature of a relational database and entity diagrams.
• Will have a sound grasp of the fundamentals of data security.
• An understanding of good customer service.

Desirable knowledge

• An understanding of IT best practices in terms of change management, release management and general development practices.
• Will have working knowledge of the underlying legislation surrounding data security and be aware of associated risks and controls that need to be in place to adequately secure data.
• Knowledge of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Will have experience of designing and coding using at least one language (not necessarily in a work environment).
• Will have experience of helping others regarding the use of IT in everyday life (not necessarily in a work environment).
• Will have experience of working in a customer service role. 

Desirable experience and achievements

• Working experience of supporting IT systems. 
• Will have worked in a multiple operating system platform environment (for example a mix of: Windows, Linux). 
• Software development experience using C#, Visual Studio and at least one other framework, appropriate to the position.
• Experience of M365 applications and the Power platform. 
• Working experience of delivering IT systems.
• Working experience of liaising with Suppliers regarding support of IT systems.
• Will have been involved in the delivery of new IT systems.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Full or part qualified to degree level in an IT related field, or equivalent practical experience of IT.

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• IT Service Management qualifications. 

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. 
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours. 
• Ability to accommodate on-call working. 
• Ability to accommodate occasional/permanent home-working.