Network & Systems Engineer

Responsibilities include:

• Playing an active role in the planning, deployment and maintenance of technical systems.
• Liaising with suppliers in accordance with service contracts and service level agreements to minimise disruption to customer systems.
• Liaising with customers and their representatives in line with service level agreements.
• Completing business as usual activities for internally managed, hosted systems and customer systems as required.
• Resolving incidents, problems and service requests logged via the service management tool, in line with agreed service level agreements.
• Working closely with 1st and 2nd line colleagues.
• Providing technical supervision to more junior technical staff.
• Maintaining and repairing highly complex hardware and software applications/information systems to meet the needs of customers and the business.
• Regularly undertaking formal tests of repaired, installed and/or adapted equipment and software.
• Implementing policies created by more senior staff for own area of expertise.
• Recommending changes to policy and working practices to improve quality and meet national/organisational change.
• Being aware of, adhering to and implementing team plans and policies.
• Accurately auditing, documenting and maintaining records of additions, modifications or removals of components of the ICT Infrastructure.
• Proposing policy and service changes which impact beyond own area of activity.
• Providing advice and guidance to users and other IT professionals on IT policy and procedures.
• Cascading training and learning from specialist IT courses to colleagues within the Team.
• Undertaking pro-active monitoring of alerts and related resolution activities.
• Supporting SSHIS and trust IM&T colleagues in the planning, development and implementation of IM&T network and systems processes and systems.
• Providing coordination of, and participating in, relevant internal and external working groups and providing advice and support where requested.
• Working with all LHE staff to develop a culture of valuing IT, information and security to support improvements in health care using digital as a key enabler.
• Adhering to good practice change control procedures and relevant local and NHS policies.
• Being flexible and adjusting work schedules to meet post requirements.
• Participating in internal forums and meetings as required.
• Contributing to the creation of technical documentation with a clear understanding of the business and service user needs.
• Acquiring and maintaining detailed knowledge of technologies so that enquiries can be clearly and quickly addressed.
• Maintaining an awareness of changes to software, hardware, and technologies that could impact on core customer activities.
• Identifying opportunities where technological advancements can be applied to better use of that technology across the LHE.
• Using judgement in applying guidelines for setting priorities for resolution, monitoring progress, and applying escalation procedures for cyber incidents and problems not progressing satisfactorily.
• Ensuring organisational policies are applied in own work environment.

Systems & Equipment:

• Responsible for the installation, maintenance, repair and safe use of expensive and highly complex physical assets such as network and hardware/software infrastructure on a day to day basis on behalf of customers across the Local Health Economy (LHE) and other NHS organisations/national applications.

Decisions and Judgements:

• Using initiative and judgment when dealing with a potential wide range of IM&T issues.
• Adapting practice to meet individual customer requirements, independently analysing situations and taking into consideration complex facts and interpreting these appropriately when problem solving.
• Appraising complex information in order to make a judgment of complex facts that require analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options.

Communication and Relationships:

• Communicating highly complex information, some of which may be sensitive or contentious, with both internal staff and customer representatives.
• Demonstrating negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations.
• Representing the SSHIS on committees, local and national user groups and at conferences as and when required.
• Maintaining good relationships and communication between SSHIS and its customers.
• Maintaining a customer service focus at all times.

Physical Demands of the Job:

• Advanced keyboard skills: Must have a highly developed skill in the use of computer keyboards to ensure data entry is both accurate and timely for the maintenance and support of complex and business critical servers and infrastructure.
• Must have an ability to use fine tools when dealing with internals on hardware and other technical equipment.
• May be required to occasionally carry or move heavy equipment without aids.
• May occasionally be required to work in dusty, dirty or cramped environments when dealing with PC equipment, networking equipment or cabling runs.
• Occasional requirement to use road transportation.

Most Challenging/Difficult Parts of the Job:

• Operating under considerable pressure in a challenging inter-organisational environment.
• Interpreting national guidance and international standards and legislation.
• May have to impart unwelcome news to customers, e.g. where a technical fault has caused issues with access to business critical applications.
• May be required to handle interruptions during times of concentration to deal with staff/customer queries.
• Maintaining specialist knowledge of a range of ever changing IT software, hardware and infrastructure.