Applications and Interface Engineer

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder supports the provision of the Application and Interface Service for the Trust, as well as liaising with those staff who make use of those services, whether they are internal or external to the Trust.

The post holder plays a key role in the following ITIL service management processes: -

• Incident management
• Problem management
• Change management
• Release and deployment management
• Validation and testing
• Knowledge management
• Transition planning and support

Communications and Relationships

• Provides assistance and technical support on a daily basis to end users, in the field, as required. Pick up job tickets from the queue allocated to the Application and Interface Team, taking responsibility for bringing those calls through to a satisfactory resolution, in addition to undertaking planned work as either approved or directed by the Application and Interface Manager.
• Confirms the fault diagnosis provided by End User Service Engineers or diagnoses faults if the first point of contact and updates the call on the service desk system with any actions taken to resolve the fault. Gathers more information from other parties as appropriate to determine the correct course of action. This may require further research using appropriate local and online resources. It may also require the issue to be passed to a more appropriate team in the Application and Interface Team or the wider IT Department as necessary.
• Provides clear instructions to staff in the resolution of their specific logged issue, guiding them through often complex and technical steps either over the phone, using remote control or in person. In most cases, staff will be non-technical and will vary in seniority.
• Works with other IT Department teams, Trust departments (including but not limited to corporate Project Management Office, Communications and CBUs), NHS organisations and third parties to provide solutions to incidents, problems and service requests.
• Monitors outstanding support requests against the Trusts service level agreements, prioritises calls effectively, keeps users up to date with progress and initiates escalation procedures where required.

Knowledge Training & Experience

• Maintains and updates knowledge of the Trusts operational interfaces and Trust developed services, in addition to the software development standards used, the techniques for determining specific requirements, and documents required for each application and interface. Knowledge and training are obtained and maintained by a mix of proprietary supplier-led courses (e.g. Microsoft accredited courses for individual applications) and more generic learning in a relevant subject.
• Has a good understanding of supporting processes and NHS specific requirements, including, but not limited to, business process redesign, technical standards, incident management, problem management, access controls, information governance standards, confidentiality requirements and service management. Has a detailed understanding of supporting processes and NHS specific requirements, including, but not limited to, business process redesign, technical standards, incident management, problem management, access controls, information governance standards, confidentiality requirements and service management.
• Is familiar with and applies the concepts of the standards for the development of IT services mandated by the NHS and uses them to design and manage applications and interfaces in the Trust.
• Continuously updates their knowledge of industry standards, the latest developments in Application and Interface Services in addition to the development plans for each of the Trusts other IT services.

Analysis and Judgement

• Provides a logical, structured approach to the development and maintenance of interfaces, using the existing IT knowledge base, supplier information and on-line technical resources as required to select an appropriate course of action.
• Gathers information to clarify service requirements of designated application and interfaces as directed by the Application and Interfaces Manager, uses the existing knowledge based and standard operating procedures to determine the correct course of action in relation to those elements.
• Uses their expert judgement to contribute to the creation and maintenance of the best fit suite of Trust developed applications and interfaces recommended to the Trust.
• Takes part in the assessment of new equipment, services, practices or techniques that may be applied to improve the effectiveness and/or efficiency of Application and Interface Services and takes the lead for some assessment as directed by the Application and Interfaces Manager. Contributes to the production of business cases, to justify their adoption by the Trust as appropriate.

Planning and Organisation

• Suggests improvements to service level agreements with third parties to deliver either the full range of support services or parts thereof, required for the effective delivery of the Trusts Application and Interface Services. Takes the lead in negotiating those improvements for designated areas as directed by the Application and Interfaces Manager.
• Monitors and maintains service performance levels for the Application and Interface Services in consultation with clinical business unit and departmental leads, according to the agreed set of measures across the Application and Interface Services portfolio.
• Assists in the preparation of annual plans for the delivery of the Application and Interface Services, leading in specific areas as directed by the Application and Interfaces Manager.
• Manages on work schedule so that the Trust receives a seamless Application and Interface Service, within agreed performance levels and that conforms to the Trusts IT strategy and service development plans for the IT Department.
• Schedules individual user or groups of users to acquire functional requirements or to perform application installations or to arrange application/interface testing.
• Leads discrete areas of responsibility in the development and management of the Trusts IT strategy, business plans, service plans and cost improvement plans in each financial year, engaging with Clinical Business Units, Departments, the Trusts governance arrangements and external agencies as appropriate

Patient and Public Involvement

• This role has incidental patient contact.
• The post holder has regular contact with senior business unit and clinical staff.
• Whilst working in the patient environment as part of their regular duties, the post holder acts in a professional manner, with particular reference to the principles of patient confidentiality, dignity and respect.

Policy and Service Development

• Implements departmental policies and procedures within own work area. Recommend improvements to policies and procedures as part of the roles ongoing contribution to the continuous improvement of the Applications and Interface Team, for example suggesting new software for specific business processes or changes in the way interface messages are enacted.

Financial and Physical Resources

• The post holder is responsible for the use of software and equipment in their own area and provides advice and guidance to other staff using Trust developed applications and interfaces.
• The post holder provides routine maintenance and updates for the Trusts interfaces and locally developed applications.

Human Resources

• Provides coaching and training to users and End User Services colleagues regarding the use of locally developed applications and interfaces.
• Offers advice, support and guidance to staff on IT matters related to applications and interfaces, signposting the right processes and procedures for new service requests, as well as for system changes and the management of projects.
• Contributes to the support, maintenance and training provided for the Trusts Application and Interfaces team. Prepares plans to deal with the impact of specific applications or interfaces on the Trusts staff, in conjunction with CBU, departmental and corporate managers as appropriate.
• Supports colleagues with the resolution of faults and shares knowledge to improve future fixes.

Information Resources

• Produces reports that reflect the performance and quality of the services managed by the role for the Trusts corporate governance arrangements, senior clinicians, senior managers, users of the Trusts locally developed applications and interfaces and external agencies as required.
• Ensures that the knowledge base on systems and the services provided by the Application and Interfaces team is kept up to date. Reviews the knowledge articles for the roles area if responsibility for consistency, standard of information and accuracy.
• Contributes to the development of the portfolio of Application and Interface Services so that they match changes in the Trusts services, practice and goals, through the continuous review of these IT services and their development priorities.
• Contributes to the development of training packages associated with developed applications in conjunction with the Training Department and external suppliers as appropriate to ensure that these applications are used to their maximum effect.

Research and Development

• Frequently undertakes audits to improve the delivery of the Application and Interface services, as well as part of internal or external audit programmes as required or as directed by the Application and Interfaces Manager.
• Ensures that all application and interface developments within the roles area of responsibility are tested and formally accepted before deployment into the live environment

Working Conditions

• The post requires the use of display screen equipment throughout each working day.
• Duties will occasionally require visits to all areas of Trust sites including controlled environments e.g. Pathology Departments.
• The role is part of the Trusts on call arrangements and is included on the rota or second line.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent experience in an IT software support field
• PRINCE 2 Foundation
• ITIL foundation

• Development management qualification (e.g. scrum master)

Knowledge & Experience

• Worked in a service desk environment in an organisation of 50 staff or more
• Knowledge of Microsoft operating systems and applications
• Worked directly fixing IT faults for users both remotely and in person
• Good working knowledge of Java and Javascript, applied to application development in a recently held role

• Worked in an NHS acute Trust setting
• Good working knowledge of NextGen Connect interface engine, applied to interface development in a recently held role

Skills

• Good telephone manner
• Able to resolve technical and complex faults
• Logical approach to problem solving
• Can work effectively under pressure

Other

• Able to travel between Trust sites during a shift as required.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Jubilee Court

St Helens

WA9 1TT

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.merseywestlancs.nhs.uk/