Application Support Analyst in Milton Keynes

Grade/Salary: B2 £35,000 to £45,000 (depending on experience)

Location: Hybrid – approximately 3 days a week on-site in Milton Keynes

Contract type: Permanent

Travel: The role holder will be required to work on-site with our client approximately three days a week. Travel costs from home to Milton Keynes site will be reimbursed.

Hours: 37 hours per week

Reporting to: IT Service Manager

The Role

Owing to our continued growth and trusted reputation, we are seeking a skilled and proactive Application Support Analyst to join our Digital Sensitivity Review (DSR) Service Support team. This position is ideal for someone with a solid understanding of software applications and databases, able to diagnose and resolve complex issues efficiently, but also demonstrate exceptional communication skills to patiently guide users and explain technical concepts clearly. In this role, you will be responsible for the day-to-day application support of the software supporting the Digital Sensitivity Review service. You will be the primary point of contact for users of our digital sensitivity review applications, ensuring their smooth operation and optimal performance. You will be responsible for diagnosing, troubleshooting, and resolving technical issues, providing expert guidance, and contributing to the overall stability and reliability of our services. Your work will directly impact the efficiency and effectiveness of sensitive information handling for our clients. You will work closely with internal users who act as a first line of support with the application users. You will also lead the User Acceptance Testing (UAT), user training and subsequent deployment activities for new software releases.

Digital Sensitivity Review

The Digital Sensitivity Review service is an AI innovation led data toolset and service, developed by SVGC Ltd and being run in partnership with FCDO Services, for identifying sensitive information in digital files for redaction and archiving to The National Archive to meet the needs of the Public Records Act. Already delivered to FCDO, HM Treasury and Home Office with Department of Business and Trade and Ministry of Justice in feasibility phase, all major and minor government departments will become DSR-enabled, with other departments in the immediate pipeline. The DSR is a unique and leading-edge technology and has been heralded across government as “…the only game in town” when it comes to the needs of effective digital data sensitivity identification and redaction.

Responsibilities

• Provide Level 2/3 application support for Digital Sensitivity Review platform.
• Troubleshoot incidents, identify root causes, and resolve technical issues.
• Liaise with partners and internal development teams to escalate and resolve complex problems.
• Monitor application performance and availability.
• Suggest and implement system and process improvements.
• Perform regular application maintenance, updates, and patching.
• Manage and maintain configuration settings and access control.
• Assist in user onboarding, training, and documentation.
• Support deployments, system integrations, and testing activities.
• Maintain accurate logs, knowledge base articles, and technical documentation.
• Design, develop, and execute test plans, test cases, and test scripts based on functional and non-functional requirements.
• Perform various types of testing, including functional, regression, integration, user acceptance, and performance.
• Identify, document, and track software defects using a bug tracking system.
• Collaborate closely with development teams to ensure timely resolution of defects.
• Participate in on-call support rotations as required.
• Provide cover for the IT Service Manager when they are unavailable.

THE PERSON

• Must currently hold Security Checked (SC) with willingness to be DV cleared. Note that this role is a ‘Restricted’ role which means the role holder must hold SC clearance.
• BSc in Computer Science, Information Technology, OR related field OR vocational experience.
• Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills.
• Fundamental understanding of networking, APIs, and integration concepts.
• Knowledge of ITSM tools (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira Service Desk).
• Approximately 5+ years’ experience in a technical support or application support role.
• Experience with databases (PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, or similar) including ability to write and debug SQL queries.
• Application support within a Linux environment, including Linux system administration experience.
• Command Line Experience of using Application Logs to troubleshoot issues.
• Working within a Windows (and ideally) Windows Server environment.
• Experience of Virtualised environments.
• Experience of Containerised environments – Docker.
• Ability to be on-site in Milton Keynes for approximately three days per week.

Experience with scripting languages (e.g. Python).

Cloud support experience (e.g. AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud).

Windows system administration, including patching and Active Directory.

Located within a one hour commute of Milton Keynes.

CULTURAL FIT CRITERIA

Seeing the Big Picture

• Be alert to emerging issues and trends which might impact or benefit own and team’s work.
• Develop an understanding of own area’s strategy and how this contributes to Company priorities.
• Ensure own area/team activities are aligned to Company priorities.
• Actively seek out and share experience to develop understanding and knowledge of own work and of team’s business area.
• Seek to understand how the services, activities and strategies in the area work together to create value for the customer/end user.

Changing and Improving

• Find ways to improve systems and structures to deliver with more streamlined resources.
• Regularly review procedures or systems with teams to identify improvements and simplify processes and decision making.
• Be prepared to take managed risks, ensuring these are planned and their impact assessed.
• Actively encourage ideas from a wide range of sources and stakeholders and use these to inform own thinking.
• Be willing to meet the challenges of difficult or complex changes, encouraging and supporting others to do the same.
• Prepare for and respond appropriately to the range of possible effects that change may have on own role/team.

Making Effective Decisions

• Make decisions when they are needed, even if they prove difficult or unpopular.
• Identify a broad range of relevant and credible information sources and recognise the need to collect new data when necessary from internal and external sources.
• Recognise patterns and trends in a wide range of evidence/ data and draw key conclusions, outlining costs, benefits, risks and potential responses.
• Ensure all government and public data and information is treated with care in accordance with security procedures and protocols.
• Recognise scope of own authority for decision making and empower team members to make decisions.
• Invite challenge and where appropriate involve others in decision making to help build engagement and present robust recommendations.

Leading and Communicating

• Continually communicate with staff, helping to clarify goals and activities and the links between these and Company strategy.
• Recognise, respect and reward the contribution and achievements of others, valuing difference.
• Communicate in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner with all stakeholders and stand ground when needed.
• Communicate using appropriate styles, methods and timing, including digital channels to maximise understanding and impact.
• Promote the work of the Company and play an active part in supporting the SVGC Team values and culture.
• Role model enthusiasm and energy about their work and encourage others to do the same.

Collaborating and Partnering

• Establish relationships with a range of stakeholders to support delivery of business outcomes.
• Act as a team player, investing time to generate a common focus and genuine team spirit.
• Actively seek input from a diverse range of people.
• Readily share resources to support higher priority work, showing pragmatism and support for the shared goals of the organisation.
• Deal with conflict in a prompt, calm and constructive manner.
• Encourage collaborative team working within own team and across the Company.

Building Capability for All

• Identify and address team or individual capability requirements and gaps to deliver current and future work.
• Identify and develop all talented team members to support succession planning, devoting time to coach, mentor and develop others.
• Value and respond to different personal needs in the team using these to develop others and promote inclusiveness.
• Proactively manage own career and identify own learning needs with line manager, plan and carry out work‑place learning opportunities.
• Continually seek and act on feedback to evaluate and improve their own and team’s performance.

Achieving Commercial Outcomes

• Consider, in consultation with commercial experts, alternative ways of working with partners and contractors to identify more efficient outcomes, balancing cost, quality and turn around times.
• Work with commercial experts in engaging effectively and intelligently with delivery partners in order to define and/or improve service delivery.
• Gather and use evidence to assess the costs, benefits and risks of a wide range of delivery options when making commercial decisions.
• Identify and understand relevant legal and commercial terms, concepts, policies and processes (including project approvals and assurance procedures) to deliver agreed outcomes.
• Recommend actions to achieve value for money and efficiency.
• Cultivate and encourage an awareness of cost, using clear simple examples of benefits and how to measure outcomes.
• Work confidently with performance management and financial data to prepare forecasts and manage and monitor budget against agreed plans.
• Follow appropriate financial procedures to monitor contracts to ensure deliverables are achieved.
• Monitor the use of resources in line with organisational procedures and plans and hold team to account.

Managing a Quality Service

• Make effective use of project management skills and techniques to deliver outcomes, including identifying risks and mitigating actions.
• Develop, implement, maintain and review systems and service standards to ensure professional excellence and expertise and value for money.
• Work with team to set priorities, goals, objectives and timescales.
• Establish mechanisms to seek out and respond to feedback from customers about service provided.
• Promote a culture that tackles fraud and deception and ensures security of information.
• Develop proposals to improve the quality of service with involvement from a diverse range of staff, stakeholders or delivery partners.

Delivering at Pace

• Successfully manage, support and stretch self and team to deliver agreed goals and objectives.
• Show a positive approach in keeping their own and the team’s efforts focused on the goals that really matter.
• Take responsibility for delivering expected outcomes on time and to standard yet allowing the teams space and authority to deliver objectives.
• Plan ahead but reassess workloads and priorities if situations change or people are facing conflicting demands.
• Regularly monitor own and team’s work against milestones or targets and act promptly to keep work on track and maintain performance.
• Coach and support others to set and achieve challenging goals for themselves.

INTERESTED? Send your cv with a covering email outlining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria listed above to Judith Armatage – Recruitment Business Partner – j.armatage@svgc.co.uk