Network Technician

Job description

Job responsibilities

Systems and equipment

• Responsible for the installation, maintenance, repair, and safe use of expensive and complex network infrastructure assets on a day-to-day basis on behalf of customers across the Local Health Economy (LHE) and other NHS organisations/national applications.
• Must have an ability to use fine tools when dealing with internals on hardware and other technical equipment.
• Undertake testing of specific network configurations, including the hardware and software involved in those configurations.
• Provide feedback to the Network Specialist on any areas in process or technology that they feel may require improvements.

Decisions and judgements

• Making decisions in the field or raising queries with colleagues if in doubt.
• Demonstrate initiative and judgement when dealing with certain IM&T issues.
• Adapt practice to meet individual customer requirements, independently analysing situations and taking into consideration facts and interpreting these appropriately when problem solving.
• Undertake any surveys or audits of own work area.

Communication and relationships

• Liaise with colleagues and service users sensitively using good communication skills.
• Employ excellent communication skills both verbal and written particularly when communicating complex IM&T related information to own peer groups, non-technical staff, customers and suppliers.
• Responsible for the accurate recording of specific activity summaries and time on the S&SHIS SMT tool.
• Use tact, persuasion and diplomacy when explaining IT related problems to customers that may be inconvenienced. The post holder will need to be able to comprehend technical IT issues as described by customers, peer group and external suppliers in verbal and written form.
• Demonstrate network engineering knowledge or techniques to colleagues as and when required.

Physical demands of the job

• Must have a highly developed skill in the use of computer keyboards to ensure data entry is both accurate and timely.
• Continuous VDU use for long period of time and sitting in a restricted position. Must have an ability to use fine tools when dealing with internals on hardware and other technical equipment.
• May be required to occasionally carry or move equipment without aids, g. network equipment such as switches.
• May occasionally be required to work in a dusty, dirty or cramped environments when dealing with PC equipment, networking equipment or cabling runs. Frequent requirement to use road transportation.

Most challenging/difficult parts of the job

• Frequent requirement for prolonged periods of concentration, e.g. when analysing faults and failures or when checking information.
• Maintaining specialist knowledge of a range of ever-changing IT software, hardware and infrastructure.
• May be required to handle interruptions during times of concentration so as to be able to deal with queries.
• Making decisions in the field with available backup and support that can affect the availability of clinical systems used in the provision of patient care.
• Required to act independently within the departmental guidelines and decide when it is necessary to escalate issues and problems to a supervisor or a more senior technical person.
• Rare exposure to emotionally challenging circumstances.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Minimum Level 3 qualification in an IT related subject or equivalent knowledge and experience.
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist course in a networks related discipline, ideally around CISCO infrastructure. These may be in house or externally managed courses.

Desirable

• Foundation Degree/HND or extensive and relevant work experience
• Foundation Certificate in ITIL Service Management or equivalent level of knowledge and experience.
• Networking Qualifications (e.g. CCNA, Network+)
• Security Qualifications

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in an IT Support role.
• Experience with current Cisco networking technologies.

Desirable

• Experience in Healthcare IT
• Knowledge of working with cloud technologies such as MS Azure and Office 365.
• Knowledge of ITIL methodologies, including Change Management, Problem Management, Incident Management and CSI.

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of TCP/IP Networking across a WAN/LAN environment.
• Understanding of modern network fundamentals, such as routers, switches, Wi-Fi, endpoints and servers.
• Knowledge of firewall and intrusion protection systems.
• Knowledge of Routing and Remote Access technologies
• Able to investigate, analyse, and solve problems.
• Able to record data accurately
• Good, clear, written and verbal communication skills.
• Good organisation skills

Desirable

• Able to accept and carry out challenging assignments outside the range of normal duties with a positive attitude.
• Knowledge of Service Management such as ITIL Lifecycle Stream.
• Understanding of network monitoring platforms.
• Understanding of security technologies and concepts such as ACL, AAA, VPN, password policy elements, user awareness, training, and physical access control.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Capable of working as a self- contained, self-motivated employee yet also able to work as a team and support colleagues when necessary.
• Be confident and self-reliant with good customer service and industrial relations skills including tact.
• Capable of sustained effort over long periods
• Able to liaise with staff at all levels of the organisation and partner organisations when necessary.
• Able to be travel across Staffordshire & Shropshire

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Lawton House

Bellringer Road, Trentham

Stoke-on-Trent

ST4 8HH

Employer's website

https://www.mpft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)