Deskside Support Analyst (12-month FTC) in England

We are recruiting a Deskside Support Analyst to join our IT department on a 12-month fixed‑term contract.

Department overview

The firm's IT function is transitioning from a traditional reactive model providing white‑glove service to its user base to a more forward‑looking function that embraces newer technologies to support the firm’s strategic goals and ambitions whilst retaining a service‑focused culture. The job holder's role will likely develop over time in conjunction with these changes. The firm has an IT department of approximately 53 staff and is responsible for the delivery of all aspects of the firm's information technology systems and services, including all phases of design, build implementation and operations. The team is split into 4 core technology teams: Service Delivery (including service desk and deskside support), End User Computing, Infrastructure and Applications & Development. We also have a Project Management Office which sits across the IT Department.

Working within an ITIL framework and reporting to the Service Desk Manager, Deskside Support Analysts are responsible for the processing and coordination of appropriate and timely responses to incident reports and other support requests, including channelling requests for help to appropriate functions for resolution, monitoring resolution activity, and keeping clients appraised of progress towards service restoration. The service desk operates 24x7 and the service is provided by third party. The Deskside Support team work closely with the Service Desk provider and the internal IT teams to ensure a seamless support experience for our user base.

The role

Key responsibilities will include:

• Managing escalated IT incidents, problems and change requests on behalf of internal clients;
• Deliver a high quality, responsive support service with guidance at users’ desks;
• Manage and update incidents, problems and changes in the service desk system (ServiceNow);
• Research, diagnose and troubleshoot a wide range of hardware and software issues;
• Imaging and setup of new PCs hardware and installation of authorised desktop applications as part of the new joiner process, regular desk moves or BAU (Business as Usual) support;
• Assist the reception team with audio visual and Zoom room support in the client meeting space;
• Acting as a single point of contact, following up incidents on behalf of users and keeping them appraised of progress;
• Liaise with service desk, technical escalation teams and users, managing issues through to resolution;
• Prioritise and manage several open issues at one time;
• Willingness to work flexibly in response to changing requirements.

The job holder will also work with other relevant internal and external resources available to them, to:

• Promote IT and provide a channel of communication between the IT department and the rest of the firm;
• Help develop and implement procedures for event management (new software, presentations etc), incident management (serious issues and outages), request fulfilment (laptops, chargers etc), and access management (joiners, leavers etc);
• Maintain Active Directory;
• Maintain remote access system;
• Help deliver and continuously improve an ITIL-aligned support capability;
• Setting up new joiners. Liaising with the IT Training team in terms of induction process and ensuring equipment is in place. This will also include preparing equipment, building Surface Pros and iPhones;
• Ensuring equipment for leavers has been retrieved from HR;
• Alerting the Service Delivery Manager and IT teams to any regular calls (by person or config item).

This job description encompasses the main duties of the role and is by no means exhaustive. It is anticipated that duties may vary from time to time according to the needs of the practice area.

The candidate

Strong technical knowledge of the following key products is preferred, including:

• Windows 11;
• ServiceNow experience would be advantageous;
• Microsoft Office 365 onwards - Word (templates, styles and formatting), Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook;
• Practice management and time recording – Aderant, & Intapp Time;
• Document management – iManage Cloud;
• Remote access – Citrix and Global Protect VPN;
• Mobile phones and Mobile Device Management – iPhone and Intune;
• CRM – Interaction;
• Mimecast.

Ability to develop an understanding of the firm’s infrastructure, including:

• Device management, including Surface Laptops;
• Mailbox management (permissions and size) including Exchange Management Console;
• Releasing emails and recovering deleted emails within Mimecast;
• Troubleshooting email flow from internal users to external clients and vice versa;
• Basic understanding of Active Directory and Group Policy;
• Outlook/Windows profiles; troubleshooting, maintaining and installing;
• Remote access maintenance via Citrix Management Console;
• Outline understanding of firewalls and antivirus (particularly for home use);
• A good understanding of Wi‑Fi connections/internet access and remote access for home use.

Soft skills and Core Competencies

• Team focus showing reliability, commitment and flexibility;
• Customer service and communication focus, with strong listening skills;
• Investigative and problem solving skills, including the ability to carry out own research into new problems to avoid unnecessary escalation;
• Ability to build strong relationships with colleagues and the user base;
• Ability to take ownership of issues;
• Inspire trust and confidence of clients, colleagues and managers;
• Self‑motivated;
• Ability to remain calm and focused under pressure;
• Prepared to become fully engaged in projects;
• Awareness of and strong interest in developing technologies;
• Ability to assist smooth handover from development into production.

Application screening

Any offer of employment with us is subject to our pre‑employment checks which are conducted by a third‑party screening provider. These may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, any criminal records and employment references. These checks will be initiated with your consent and your offer will be subject to the successful completion of these checks.

About Macfarlanes

We are an independent London‑based law firm with a high‑profile client base from around the world. We are known for the quality of our work, both in terms of our ability to handle the full range of corporate and commercial matters, and the fact that we can advise our clients on their private affairs. We handle work of the highest quality and complexity on a wide range of matters.

Our size and partner‑led approach enable us to give our clients a more personal service underpinned by the highest standards of commitment and care. As well as that, our independence allows us to choose precisely the right lawyer or firm for our clients' needs in any jurisdiction in the world.

Our commitment to inclusion

Inclusion is one of our key priorities and it is a goal we are actively working towards. We believe that an inclusive, forward‑thinking culture is intrinsically important and enables us to provide innovative solutions to our clients. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, bringing different perspectives and experiences, making Macfarlanes an exciting and stimulating place to work. We seek to recruit the best candidates, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, social or economic background, religion, disability, sexual orientation or any other characteristic.

As part of this commitment, we will ask you certain diversity data questions. We would really appreciate you and/or your recruiter completing these questions when submitting an application to Macfarlanes as this data enables us to measure our progress and identify any actions needed to continue to support an inclusive culture. This data is anonymised to maintain the privacy of applicants. If you have any questions relating to how this data is used, please contact a member of the recruitment team.

Should you require any adjustments during the application and/or interview process, please do not hesitate to inform your recruiter or a member of the recruitment team. Please note, the job description is available in other accessible formats (for example, large print).

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who best meet the essential criteria for the role. If you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme, please email the recruitment team.