IT Operations Engineer in London

Department: Information Technology

Reporting to: Service Delivery Manager

Grade: 7

Salary: £47,001 per annum (plus 10% operational on-call allowance, 5% overtime allowance and broadband allowance)

Working pattern: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week. Participation in the out‑of‑hours on‑call rota is required.

Base: London River House, Gravesend (with occasional travel to other PLA sites)

Closing date: 27th February 2026

Interview date: First stage interviews (via Teams) to be held on 3rd and 4th March. Second stage interviews (F2F) to be held on 12th and 13th March.

Who We Are

We are the UK's biggest port, central to the country's economy and ambitions for growth. We connect the UK to the world, but we are much more than a conventional port. We are driven by our purpose to protect and improve the 95 mile stretch of the River Thames which is tidal – from Teddington Lock on the border of Surrey, through the heart of London, Kent, Essex and out to the North Sea.

The Role

The IT Operations Engineer provides second‑line technical support across endpoints, applications, patching and core operational infrastructure. Acting as the escalation point between 1st line and 3rd line, the role is responsible for resolving issues such as Microsoft 365 incidents, endpoint build and configuration problems, compliance failures, patching exceptions, network/Wi-Fi challenges and security‑related events. You will play a key part in ensuring the PLA's systems are stable, compliant, secure and operating to agreed standards, contributing directly to the delivery of high‑quality IT services across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide 2nd line support for endpoints, Microsoft 365, applications and core infrastructure, reducing the need for 3rd line escalation.
• Build, configure and deploy endpoint devices in line with approved standards.
• Deliver monthly patching cycles, including pilot testing, rollout, rollback planning and compliance remediation.
• Perform routine operational checks such as log reviews, monitoring, compliance validation and reporting.
• Troubleshoot issues relating to DNS, DHCP, VPN and Wi‑Fi.
• Support M365 administration including Teams, SharePoint, Exchange Online and OneDrive.
• Respond to and escalate security incidents in accordance with PLA security policies.
• Own and resolve incidents and service requests within agreed SLAs, ensuring high-quality documentation.
• Support project delivery through technical tasks, operational readiness and knowledge-based updates.
• Collaborate with Senior Engineers, external suppliers and internal teams to transition services into BAU support.
• Maintain accurate records of assets, builds, configurations and knowledge articles.

What We Are Looking For

• 3-4 years' experience in IT Operations or L2 technical support
• Strong troubleshooting skills across Windows 11, Microsoft 365 and endpoint hardware
• Experience with device builds, imaging, drivers and deployment tools (Intune/SCCM desirable)
• Knowledge of patching, compliance and routine operational checks
• Basic networking understanding (DNS, DHCP, VPN)
• Awareness of information security and data protection
• Excellent communication skills and a strong customer‑service approach
• Good documentation and ticket‑quality standards
• A proactive, methodical approach to problem‑solving
• Relevant IT qualifications (Microsoft/CompTIA) or equivalent experience

Behavioural Qualities

• Positive, approachable and supportive team player
• Takes ownership and delivers high‑quality work
• Keen to learn, develop and improve
• Works with integrity and follows PLA policies and standards

In Return, We Offer a Competitive Benefits Package

• 28 days annual leave (plus Bank Holidays)
• Medical Cash Plan (Westfield Health)
• Generous pension
• Onsite parking with electric charging
• Access to Occupational Health, Mindfulness, Counselling and Physiotherapy
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Car-leasing scheme (Tusker Cars)
• Access to MyGym
• Discounts

For further information or if you would like to have an informal discussion about the position, please contact Odina Ifeoma, IT Service Delivery Manager at The PLA are not registered with the UK Home Office and do not sponsor candidates who require a visa or work permit to work in the UK, therefore an offer of employment cannot be made unless you currently hold the rights to live and work in the UK.

A thriving tidal Thames and home to the UK's number one port. We are driven by our purpose to protect and improve the 95 mile stretch of the River Thames which is tidal – from Teddington Lock on the border of Surrey, through the heart of London, Kent, Essex and out to the North Sea.