Application Support Analyst in Bradford

Are you a confident 2nd/3rd Line IT Support professional with experience in a Manufacturing/Logistics/FMCG environment? This role is part of a team supporting UK/Group projects and initiatives, with opportunities to travel to global sites and partner with key stakeholders. The position is 70% project‑based and 30% IT Support based, offering a rare chance to contribute to transformation projects such as the implementation of new lines or key initiatives that influence our product creation. Due to the nature of this role, a full UK driving licence is essential as you may be required to travel to other sites for projects.

Working hours: 2 days a week in the Bradford site and 3 days a week from home. There is an out‑of‑hours rota, typically 1 in 3 weeks, covering 3rd line or business‑critical escalations from the Service Desk (excluding major Bank Holidays).

Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• 25 Days Annual Leave plus Birthday off + major Bank Holidays
• 14.5% Pension – 5% employee opt‑in / 9.5% employer
• Flexible Holiday Option – buy 5 additional days
• Enhanced Family Friendly & Carers Policies
• Critical Illness Cover
• Learning & Development Opportunities

Position

The Manufacturing Systems Team works closely with Group Manufacturing, Group Engineering, Group IT and Site Project Teams to deliver and support the manufacturing vision outlined in the Princes Manufacturing Systems Strategy through the delivery and support of appropriate manufacturing systems, equipment, and technology. The Manufacturing System 3rd Line Support Analyst provides 3rd line support for the Princes Manufacturing System Solutions across all Princes Food and Drinks manufacturing sites. The primary function is to receive, investigate, document, and resolve manufacturing systems issues in line with agreed Service Level Agreements, liaising with other team members, IT Service Desk, 3rd‑party suppliers and the customer to analyse incidents, conduct Root Cause Analysis, resolve issues, and identify areas for improvement.

Dimensions

• Provide 3rd line support for manufacturing systems across sites operating across various shift patterns 24/7
• Liaise with Princes Internal IT and 3rd‑party organisations for support, maintenance and development
• Form a team of 3 Manufacturing Systems 3rd Line Support Analysts
• Provide 24/7 out‑of‑hours support on a rota basis
• Provide in‑hours support between 7:45 and 18:00 on a rota basis
• Role may require travel and periods away from home
• Provide 3rd line support to business users via tickets received through the Group IT Service Desk (Service Requests, Incidents, Application Change requests) managed according to agreed service levels
• Scope, cost and assess impact/risk on Change Requests for presentation to the Group IT Change Board for effective prioritisation/investment decisions and approval
• Ensure changes are implemented following appropriate change management processes and stakeholders are kept informed
• Ensure solutions and fixes are carried out in line with agreed standards and application records are completed accordingly
• Perform remote troubleshooting through diagnostic techniques and pertinent questions
• Escalate and manage unresolved issues to Solution Developers/Architects or Systems Integration support partners
• Ensure incidents, service requests and escalations are accurately documented, managed and brought to timely closure while keeping the customer informed throughout the process
• Document and communicate issue resolutions to the wider Princes Service Desk team
• Follow up with customers and ensure full resolution of issues
• Participate in an on‑call out‑of‑hours schedule – 24/7 support with occasional need for overtime, evenings or weekends
• Analyse data and draft reports including metrics/KPIs and SLAs
• Identify and suggest potential improvements on procedures and processes
• Communicate feedback or suggestions from customers to appropriate internal teams
• Work with Solution Developers and Solution Architects to ensure quality documentation and knowledge transfer from project teams to Manufacturing Systems 3rd Line Support Analysts and Group IT Service Desk
• Work on projects delivering Manufacturing System Solutions, maintenance and monitoring in addition to BAU support

Key Behavioural Indicators

• Communication – effective communication at all levels, good listening, clear and accessible documentation, and proactive updates to line management.
• Team Building – advocates team working and contributes to team objectives without dominating colleagues.
• Commitment to Self‑Development – eager to learn new techniques, propose personal development plans aligned with business needs.
• Organised – meticulous attention to detail, prioritisation, and meeting deadlines.
• Drive and Self‑Motivation – disciplined, takes ownership, works unsupervised while meeting targets and ensuring task completion.
• Customer Focused – positive attitude, delivers solutions aligned with real business needs, willing to support other application areas if required.
• Performance Focus – uses resources efficiently, seeks help when needed, does not conceal issues, and is willing to exceed obligations to meet targets.
• Creative Problem Solver – analyses problems, explores opportunities, and determines appropriate actions to resolve issues.
• Decision‑Making – contributes to decision processes, recommends sound judgments, and collaborates with line management when available.

Role Requirements

• BSc/BA in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, IT or relevant degree.
• Knowledge or experience implementing or supporting Manufacturing Execution Systems and/or SAP (MM/PP/PM/QM/WM).
• Understanding of manufacturing data and processes (e.g., Bills of Materials, Routings, production orders).
• Knowledge of manufacturing system/database architecture and integration automation (e.g., PLCs) and other applications.
• Experience in IT support/help desk services, preferably with application maintenance support.
• Proficiency with ITSM and ITIL frameworks, familiarity with incident, problem, change and knowledge management.
• Experience with software programming languages (SQL, HTML, XML, C, C#, C+, VB).
• Experience in software installations and implementation.
• Experience in database maintenance and monitoring.

Location: Bradford, United Kingdom – Hybrid workplace (2 days onsite, 3 days remote)