National Portrait Gallery

IT Technical Officer (IT Service Desk)

Purpose

The National Portrait Gallery houses a unique collection of all forms of portraiture of the people who have made or who are currently contributing to British history and culture. With more than 2 million visitors each year, the Gallery is one of the country’s most important and popular galleries.

The IT Technical Officer works as part of a team of five IT professionals who provide IT support for the Gallery IT systems, excluding Digital Programmes. The IT Technical Officer works on the IT Service Desk providing first and second line support to Gallery users. The post holder manages IT calls using the ‘TrackIT’ IT service desk database and responds to users IT requests in a timely and professional manner while remaining proactive, friendly and helpful. He or she will work closely with the Head of Information Technology.

Main Duties

  • To act as first / second line support for the IT needs of around 200office,retail and ticketing staff. The current IT systems include Active Directory, Windows 7, Microsoft Office 2007 and any future upgrades.
  • To log and respond to, and take ownership of IT service desk calls as allocated, including prioritising calls in accordance with Gallery business requirements.
  • To support a number of SQL based business systems including: Microsoft Retail Management System, PS Financials, PS2000 payroll and the Raisers Edge membership database system.
  • To develop and maintain user-friendly and focussed documentation for all applications software and developing ideas for sharing and communicating good IT practice and solutions with staff.
  • To useTrackIT Service Desk application to log and manage calls, including allocating to other IT team members,and to ensure these calls are seen through to resolution, maintaining internal SLAs.
  • To provide some basic training in Gallery IT systems to new employees or when new systems are introduced.
  • To assist with maintaining the IT asset register.
  • To maintain and support Gallery PCs and desktop applications including keeping appropriate documentation up to date.
  • To be responsible for the purchasing of IT consumables and equipment, ensuring that stocks of consumables are adequately maintained and best value obtained, following the Gallery’s Procurement Policy.
  • To monitor IT user’s mailbox sizes and to assist users in managing and controlling their mailbox sizes,providing training and advice where required.
  • To assist in the appropriate disposal of IT equipment.
  • To assist in the management of IT contractors.

Occasionally IT work has to be carried out in unsocial hours. Thepost holder may be required to assist and to adjust their working hours accordingly.

This is a small team and it is expected that team members will help each other out in occasional busy periods

This is not, however, an exhaustive list of duties and the Gallery’s management may, at any time, allocate other tasks which are of a similar nature or level.

National Portrait Gallery

IT Technical Officer (IT Service Desk)

Person Specification

Qualifications & Experience

  • Minimum of 12 months experience within an IT help desk environment.
  • Good technical knowledge of the Windows XP or Windows 7 and theMicrosoft Office 2007 product suite.
  • Knowledge of TCP/IP networking, Cat 5e cabling systems and Active Directory.
  • Knowledge of the Windows environment including Windows server 2003 or 2008.
  • Experience of using an IT Service Desk tool such as TrackIT, Heat, Remedy, Supportworks or similar.
  • Some exposure to working with SQL databases.
  • Previous experience of working as part of a small team (desirable).
  • Educated to degree level or equivalent, preferably in a technical discipline such as IT, Sciences, Mathematics etc.(desirable).
  • Some related qualification in IT such as certification from the Microsoft MCP certification track(desirable).

Skills & Attributes

  • Customer focused and service orientated approach, personable and approachable with an awareness of an organisation’s business processes.
  • Good organisational skills, excellent attention to detail, the ability to use own initiative and to prioritise appropriately.
  • The ability to learn quickly and follow written instructions and a methodical approach to problem solving and completing tasks.
  • A confident communicator, in both the written and oral form.
  • An enthusiasm for and willingness to share knowledge, information and application of computer systems.
  • Patient with a friendly approach and a keenness to help others.
  • Some experience of giving basic IT training would be desirable.

Other

  • The requirement to move computer equipment around the Gallery means that candidates will need to be physically fit.
  • Some flexibility with regards to working unsociable hours is necessary.
  • Willingness to improve on IT skills by proactive self study.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

IT Technical Officer (IT Service Desk)

Details of the post are given below and in the job description. You should take care to show in your application how you can fulfil the requirements of the job.

Period of Appointment

This appointment is fixed for a period of 1 year.

Hours

Your contracted hours of work are 40 gross (5 days) per week, from Monday to Friday including a lunch break of one hour per day.

Pay

The salary for this post will be between £20,637 - £21,745 per annum, depending on skills and experience.

Annual Leave

Your annual leave allowance is 25 days per annum.

Place of Work

Most of the work is based in the National Portrait Gallery at St Martin’s Place, but all staff are required to work at other locations if necessary.

Equality

The Gallery believes in the employment and advancement of people solely on their ability to do the job required. When recruiting people, we will therefore disregard their gender, marital status, race, age, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, religion and sexual orientation. There will be no unfair discrimination on the basis of disability. If you would like to submit your application in a different format we are happy to allow this. Please contact us (telephone: 020 7306 0055 email: ) so that we may discuss suitable alternatives.

Pension

Pension benefits are provided under the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS).

Probation and Trial Period

All appointments are subject to satisfactory employment and character references, security clearance and eligibility to work in the UK. There is a probationary period of 1 year for all permanent posts. For fixed term appointments the probationary period may be less than 1 year. The probationary period for this post is 6 months.

Data Protection Act

Information provided by you as part of your application will be used in the recruitment process. Any data about you will be held securely with access restricted to those involved in dealing with your application in the recruitment process. Once this process is completed the data relating to unsuccessful applicants will be stored for a maximum of 6 months and then destroyed. If you are the successful candidate, your application form will be retained and form the basis of your personnel record. Information provided by you on the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form will be used to monitor National Portrait Gallery’s equal opportunities policy and practices. By signing and submitting your completed application form you are giving your consent to your data being stored and processed (if you submit your application by e-mail and the application form is un-signed we will assume that consent by you is given) for the purpose of the recruitment process, equal opportunities monitoring and your personnel record if you are the successful candidate.

Season Tickets

Interest free loans are available for the purchase of a season ticket for travel to work.

Please return your completed application form to:

Personnel at:

Or by post:

Caroline Wynter

Head of Personnel

National Portrait Gallery

2 St Martin’s Place

London

WC2H 0HE

by first post (9.00 am) on Tuesday 21 August, 2012.

We are expecting to hold interviews w/c 03 September2012. Please indicate on the form if you will not be available on any of these days.

If you are delivering your application by hand, please take it to the reception desk at 39–45 Orange Street.

Due to our funding position we are unable to respond to every application, therefore if you have not had a response to your application by 17 September, 2012 please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Thank you for your time and effort in completing and returning your application.