Network Engineer

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

The role of network engineer has responsibility for the administration, maintenance, support, development, performance, and security of the network Infrastructure, supporting over 4000 GP staff and ensuring it meets current and future needs of the organisation. A driving license and daily use of a vehicle insured for business use is necessary.

The post holder will provide a range of 2nd & 3rd line technical support services for the organisations network infrastructure, including hardware and software support, development & implementation for systems, servers, storage, security and virtualisation and will also have experience of supporting network infrastructure and wireless connectivity in a large corporate setting.

Working with the wider Infrastructure team the post holder will ensure IT services and solutions are appropriately and cost effectively designed and implemented to sufficiently support the organisations clinical and operational capability.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• To deal with any incoming mail (including electronic mail) opening, prioritising, responding, circulating appropriately with the remit of own authority.
• To attend meetings and events, providing feedback to relevant staff, external groups and individuals as appropriate.
• Process messages and deal with enquiries via the telephone, face to face or electronically as appropriate and take the necessary action.

Communication

• Can communicate technical information which may be complicated to staff, colleagues and other audiences as required.
• Possess the ability to develop and maintain relationships with staff in other parts of the organisation and other associated organisations.
• Understand detailed technical documentation and offer training and advice in relation to this.
• Liaise in a professional manner with other partnership organisations and suppliers.
• Provide input to meetings and workshops, sharing knowledge, working together and providing training where necessary to ensure the best service possible is provided.
• To provide project teams and operational teams with advice and assessments on the specialist service areas
• Provide a point of escalation for complex IT support issues relating to applications, servers and network infrastructure as required.
• Prioritise and assign the workload in conjunction with the IT Server and Network Lead Engineer.
• Participate when requested in the IT Infrastructure and procurement group, IM&T Committee and support business case development providing technical expertise on complex systems.
• Report any security breaches or incidents in accordance with the organisations incident reporting policies.
• Act as an ambassador for IT Service by developing and maintaining excellent working relationships with users across the organisation to deliver a high quality, standard IT culture to achieve local requirements and national targets.
• To produce a regular report including updates on progress, to follow-up with relevant departments and facilitate timely resolution, escalating any issues that require management input. Analytical Tasks
• Analyse systems and information to identify and resolve a wide range of problems in relation to server and network issues and errors. Identify and analyse the source of errors and produce reports to support the resolution and assist the IT Manager in reporting these to the board.
• Ensure related hardware and software faults that have been logged on the IT Service Desk and responded to in the agreed timescales.
• Proactively monitor outstanding IT Service Desk issues using our IT suppliers systems ensuring resolution within agreed service level agreements.

• Manage and monitor the systems as directed by the IT Manager and IT Server and Network Lead Engineer to ensure capacity and availability, taking corrective action where necessary including submitting proposals for consideration.
• To place orders with suppliers and track progress
• Support the delivery of a high performance, high availability infrastructure
• To configure and monitor server backup hardware and software including virtualised server configurations
• To maintain server environment and infrastructure - hardware and operating system including the active directory schema.

• To be aware of current Disaster Recovery Plans and procedures and to support their implementation when needed under the direction of a senior manager.
• Install, configure, and provide support on the organisations Wired and wireless network infrastructure.
• Participate in the business impact analysis exercises highlighting critical business processes within the IT service function.
• Be familiar with the organisations Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and personal responsibilities within where applicable.

Planning and Organisational Skills

• Support the Infrastructure team in maintaining the security and confidentiality of the organisations servers, PCs and data, through the implementation and use of hardware and / or software to ensure protection in line with legislation, national and local policies and procedures.
• Plan tasks and activities that may require adjustments to priorities due to a varying workload and interruptions.
• Ensure daily administration tasks (including backups) are undertaken in a timely and appropriate manner to maintain data integrity and reduce risk to the organisation.
• Support the implementation of technical projects.
• To plan and prioritise workload with the wider Infrastructure team
• To establish and maintain accurate and up-to-date filing systems ensuring records are available as and when required.

Physical Skills

• The post requires developed physical skills to fulfil duties where there is a specific requirement for speed or accuracy. The post holder will possess keyboard skills and manipulation of objects with narrow margins for error and will produce correspondence, reports, minutes and presentations using a variety of software. The post will also require the use of fine tools when working with server and network equipment.

Policy and Service Development Implementation

• Participate in IT service continuity planning and development for the organisations business critical systems.
• Make proposals on IT systems, reports and policies for the use of different hardware and software which have an impact on IT and non-IT areas.

• Pro-actively participate in ensuring that IT services are delivered within the Health and Social Care Information centre (HSCIC) requirements and guidelines, including IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Data Protection Act (1998), Information Standards and Information Security.
• Participate in Information Governance and security as required and ensure appropriate governance and security in own area.
• Participate in quality management system, undertaking audits designed to improve IT systems and services.
• Ensure change management processes are in place and applied in own areas, following these implemented policies and procedures to provide an effective service.
• Ensure all documentation relating to IT services are complete and fit for purpose and all releases relating to hardware and software are version controlled.

Responsibility for Financial/Physical Resources

• Be responsible for the safe use of IT hardware and software, including installation, repair and maintenance.
• Liaise with external agencies, suppliers and contractors ensuring delivery of service is in line with agreed contracts.
• Support the evaluation and procurement of suitable IT hardware and software.
• Provide training for staff from own or other disciplines on own subject area, when required.
• On occasion the post holder may be required to work unsociable hours to support and/or enable the delivery of key programmes or projects.
• Participate in an on-call or out-of-hours service, when required. Responsibility for Information Resources
• Production of regular reports.
• To design and maintain server and network hardware and software including the creation and submission of change control documentation to support the process.
• To be responsible for data entry, text processing and storage of data using paper and or computer-based systems.
• Responsible for maintaining all electronic and manual filing systems ensuring ease of access for retrieval, filing of data, records, and documents on a daily basis.
• Provide regular performance reports on progress, status, and achievements for own area to be used by management and users.

Responsibility for Research and development

• Responsible for the testing and adaption of IT systems and applications to enable service delivery.

Knowledge, Training and Experience

• Undertake training and development to enhance existing skills, as and when required by line manager.
• Be able to communicate complex information at all levels of the organisation including understanding speech and languages difficulties either on the telephone or face to face.
• Ability to communicate with employees and external organisations complex analytical information. This may include fault reports, diagnoses, and relevant event logs etc.

Qualifications

Essential

• Relevant IT degree or equivalent qualifications, training or experience

Desirable

• Vendor qualification (e.g. VCP, MCP, WatchGuard, Aruba, CCNA)
• Evidence of continued professional development

Experience

Essential

• At least 2 years exposure to large corporate computing environments including networking

Desirable

• At least 2 years experience of large Data center management
• At least 3 years experience of providing field or desk based support to IT users, in an environment of mixed Windows Operating Systems
• At least 3 years exposure to large corporate networks
• At least 3 years experience in directly working with Servers

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to work under own initiative and prioritise own work load, Commitment to continuing professional development , Effective communication and interpersonal skills, Effective organisational skills, Effective customer service skills

Knowledge

Essential

• VLAN implementation/management
• Large scale multi-site wireless deployment
• Firewall management
• Ability to analyse complex issues
• Advanced keyboard skills

Desirable

• Knowledge of NHS policies and procedures
• SQL Server and Database Management
• IIS and IAS
• NHSmail
• ISO27001
• VOIP telephony system management
• Patch Management
• Backup Configuration
• Desktop Imaging and deployment
• Detailed knowledge of hardware and software in a corporate IT environment
• VMWare administration in a large corporate environment