IT Technical Operations Manager (Retail)

Job summary

NS&I is one of the largest savings organisations in the UK with more than 24 million customers and over £240 billion invested. We are both a government department and an Executive Agency of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Our origins can be traced back more than 150 years to 1861.

A small company with a big reach, we offer a range of benefits including flexible working, a 9-day fortnight scheme, a performance-related variable pay bonus, a generous pension scheme and great opportunities for development. We care for colleagues, respect one another, invest in our people and manage talent effectively.

We are currently working in a hybrid way with colleagues expected to work at their chosen office location for 40% of their working month.

The IT Technical Operations Manager is a key role in the IT Services (IT Operations) team, providing technical leadership and oversight for Retail IT services and live operations. The role acts as a subject matter expert for all matters relating to Retail IT operations, including technology change into live service, continuous improvement across the technology stack and business-as-usual IT operations activities.

Responsible for the oversight and technical operation of Retail services and platforms across multiple channels, the role ensures continuous improvement, service availability, safety, performance and process maturity, and that suppliers adhere to technical controls.

Job description

The role holder will be required to create a collaborative environment in which Retail, supplier and service management staff can work effectively and continually identify opportunities to improve the service.

The IT Technical Operations Manager will support the Head of IT Services in implementing effective technical oversight across the Retail NS&I estate, with an emphasis on managing technical risk and audit requirements for ongoing and new changes to Retail services.

The role holder will also be required to provide expert advice and support, acting as a link between NS&I Retail, suppliers and customers on technology best practice, oversight and guidance. In doing so, the role helps ensure the smooth running of Retail services and supports maximum performance and reliability for customers. The role holder will also provide technical oversight and support to the service desk, reviewing incidents, problems and changes from a technical perspective to ensure NS&I’s suppliers deliver a high-quality service within SLAs and contractual conditions, while continually improving the service.

The IT Services (Operations) department is an agile team and this role will also support colleagues in providing excellent service to staff and customers across the business in B2B and Corporate operations.

Person specification

See attached role profile for further details.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £49,400, National Savings and Investments contributes £14,311 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Some benefits of working at NS&I include:

• • Learning and development tailored to your role
  • An environment with flexible hybrid working options
  • 9-day fortnight scheme
  • A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
  • A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
  • Generous annual leave – starting at 25 days, increasing to 30 days
  • Performance-related variable pay bonus
  • Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

To apply, please click the link on this advert and follow the steps to complete the application form.

In your application you will be asked to provide the following

• An outline of your career history and qualifications with your key responsibilities and achievements.
• A 250 word personal statement on the key essential experience
  • Demonstrable experience supporting and overseeing live IT services in cloud-based and hybrid environments.
  • Experience providing technical oversight across incidents, problems, changes and service improvement activities in a live operational setting.
  • Clear written communication skills, with experience reviewing, drafting and adapting technical and operational content for different audiences.
  • Clear verbal communication, stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with the ability to provide constructive challenge and accessible technical advice.

• A 250 word statement for each selected behaviour at sift.
  • Please use examples from your experience and knowledge to demonstrate how you meet them addressing the essential criteria in the Person Specification. We would recommend using the STAR ‘situation, task, action, result’ method of giving examples.

We will assess applications on your personal statement, behaviour and technical skill statements

In the event we receive a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted first on the Personal Statement. Only those that meet the minimum acceptable score for this criteria will qualify for the full sift and be considered for interview.

If shortlisted, you will be invited to attend a 1 hour panel interview via video call.

Interviews will take place on 30th September to 1st October.

Right to Work

As part of our recruitment process NS&I will ask about your right to work status. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK and meet eligibility requirements to work within the UK Civil Service.

If applying for a role on a fixed-term contract, you must hold a valid visa that covers the full duration of the contract, or at a minimum, the majority of the term.

Please note we are currently unable to offer visa sponsorship, as a result candidates requiring sponsorship are not eligible to apply.

Security and Credit Checks

This role is subject to Baseline Personnel Security Standard and financial credit checks.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Working for NS&I

Any move to NS&I from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

For NS&I employees: If you are applying for a role at the same NS&I band as you are currently and the advertised salary of the role is higher, if you are successful, any salary increase will be at the discretion of NS&I and will be reviewed as part of the next annual pay review, in accordance with the NS&I employee handbook.

For Existing Civil Servants: If you are transferring from another government department at the same grade, your current salary will generally be matched within reasonable parameters and subject to NS&I pay ranges. If you are transferring on promotion, you will be offered the starting salary at the bottom of the pay scale. If you are transferring on promotion and your existing salary is within the advertised range, you will be offered a maximum of a 10% uplift on your existing salary (up to the advertised maximum).

For External Candidates: If you are not currently employed within the civil service, you will be offered the starting salary at the bottom of the advertised pay range.

Further information

Please visit our website http://nsandi-corporate.com/about-nsi for further details about NS&I.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : HR Team
• Email : jobs@nsandi.com

Recruitment team

• Email : jobs@nsandi.com

Further information

The law requires for selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis for fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service recruitment principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact jobs@nsandi.com in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission info@csc.gov.uk

Attachments

Role Profile - Technical Operations Manager (Retail) Opens in new window (pdf, 882kB)Benefits Leaflet - V2 updated 22-11-23 Opens in new window (pdf, 424kB)Pension candidate-pack V1 Opens in new window (pdf, 166kB)