Manchester City Council

The roleholder will undertake a lead role in a professional, customer focused, specialist technical service that enables the delivery of organisational objectives and provides a high quality service to customers in line with internal guidelines, policies and procedures and statutory requirements.

The roleholder will lead the delivery of a range of technical projects, initiatives or work packages that comply with relevant legislation and help achieve the Council’s corporate aims and objectives. The roleholder will provide specialist technical consultancy across the assigned service area to develop, design and implement customer-focused solutions, acting as a key member of the team and ensuring high standards of customer service and service delivery.

Key Role Accountabilities

• Provide an effective technical consultancy function for the assigned service area, ensuring that high quality technical solutions are delivered in line with customer or legislative requirements.
• Lead on the delivery of work packages using project management methodology where appropriate so that objectives are achieved, ensuring consistency in approach and compliance with appropriate internal and legislative guidelines.
• Develop successful relationships and secure stakeholder commitment through negotiation and communication, both oral and written, to ensure work packages are delivered effectively and to customer requirements and agreed objectives, including the communication of complex technical matters.
• Ensure all work carried out fits within the parameters of service level agreements, using appropriate specialist equipment, software or tools where required, in line with safe working practices and health and safety regulations.
• Represent the City Council as an expert witness at enquiries, tribunals and hearings or similar proceedings where appropriate.
• Manage a range of assigned resources, which may be human, financial or other, to ensure continuous improvement in service delivery.
• Staff management duties may be through direct line management of a team (including appraisals, performance management and other duties) or through matrix management of a virtual team of officers.
• Coordinate resources to support the principles of ‘joined up’ communication and to ensure efficiencies are achieved.
• Work on a rota basis including out of hours as required to meet customer demand.
• Demonstrate a personal commitment to continuous self-development and service improvement.
• Support an open commitment to diversity, ensuring equal access and treatment in employment, service delivery and communications.

Where the role holder is disabled, every effort will be made to supply all necessary aids, adaptations or equipment to allow them to carry out all duties of the role. If, however, a certain task proves to be unachievable, job redesign will be fully considered.

Key Behaviours

• We are proud and passionate about Manchester.
• We take time to listen and understand.
• We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things.
• We work together and trust each other.
• We show that we value our differences and trust each other.

Generic Skills

• Communication Skills – Able to effectively transfer key and complex information to all levels of staff, adapting the style of communication as necessary and ensuring that this information is understood.
• Analytical Skills – Application of strong analytical reasoning skills and intellectual focus, proactively thinking through problems rather than following a procedure-driven approach.
• Planning and Organising – Business planning skills with the ability to manage change and make long term plans that impact the whole service or the wider Council.
• Problem Solving and Decision Making – Ability to react to immediate problems of a highly complex nature with associated risk factors and deliver pragmatic solutions sometimes under extreme pressure.
• ICT Skills – Coordinating ICT resources to meet business objectives and create value for stakeholders by improving the performance of ICT functions, whilst maintaining professional standards and clarity of purpose.

Technical Requirements (Role Specific)

• Experience managing a Windows Server and Azure Cloud platform in a complex enterprise environment.
• Recent experience of playing a part of a team designing, implementing, and supporting Windows & Azure solutions; server and network troubleshooting skills demonstrated in a large Windows/Azure environment and experience with Windows Active Directory.
• Solid understanding of DNS, Windows Remote Access and routers and networking protocols and designs (TCP/IP, DHCP, SMTP, SNMP etc.).
• Experience of playing a part of a technical (Infrastructure / Application) support team in a large multi-functional IT organisation.
• Qualified to ITIL, or willing to work towards it, with a strong practical understanding of how the core ITIL functions (CM/IM/PM/RM and Configuration Management) interface and interact to support IT and the Business.
• Strong understanding of Prince2 (or equivalent project management methodology) and how projects should be transitioned into production and the rules and standards that govern this transition.
• Recent experience of service report writing and other required reports (business case); supported by transparent and factual data analysis; with the aim of demonstrating trending and or continuous improvement.
• Experience of IT Service Operations, and how an IT installation works across 24/7.
• Good knowledge of the relevant legislative framework and professional standards both within the ICT industry and in particular to a local authority.
• Willingness to work flexibly including out of hours and bank holidays as required to meet customer demand, service requirements and potential incidents up to a Major Incident.