Who are we?

First Rail Holdings is part of FirstGroup, the largest rail operator in the UK and second largest bus operator in the UK outside London.  FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier.  FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.

 About the team

First Group's IT Support team is simplifying how First Group employees work, engage and collaborate. Using a broad range of technology and transformation activities we are introducing new platforms and services. This role is supporting the vision to be become a truly digital workplace by leveraging services we support in ways which meet colleagues needs.

 About the job

You will lead a team of Support Analyst to ensure that our colleagues receive a high level of professional IT support and customer service. Primarily, you will be supporting a wide range of colleagues and might be required to support off-site events eg AGMs. There will be some travel to other offices in the UK (1-2 times per month). The role is a key interface between the technology team and our internal customers/colleagues. As such, this role has an immediate impact on the image of the IT organisation, providing efficient and effective issue resolution, while managing the associated communications.

Your main responsibilities will be:

• Support, coach and mentor the team to ensure they can deliver in their roles
• Ensure routine tasks are completed per the process, and ensure effective prioritisation of workload for the team
• Identify opportunities to reduce tickets, automate processes or improve customer experience
• Maintaining up-to-date documentation of processes and performing audits to ensure their effectiveness
• Regularly report against agreed SLA or targets, identify shortfalls and opportunities for improvement
• Monitor the ticket queue to ensure effective triage and prioritisation of tickets
• Ensure that tickets are efficiently routed to the correct internal IT support teams (e.g. Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Architecture etc)
• Responsible for accurate completion of IT Security compliance reports as required (Eg NIS reporting for Hull Trains/Lumo, Device Compliance reporting)
• Responsible for providing effective IT Exec Support for the FirstGroup Exec team
• Complete any routine system health checks to improve availability and services.
• Deliver effective fault finding and fixing for services in scope eg desktops/laptops, mobile devices, printers and Microsoft 365 products.
• Resolve security issues where required.
• Escalate all problems and risks to the leadership team.
• Support the IT teams in the testing and implementation of enhancements or new services.
• Ensure high levels of customer service support, always ensuring clear communication.
• Support colleagues on their adoption of the services we provide.
• Other tasks as directed by line management.

Experience & Skills

• 3/4 years' experience in a similar environment with VIP support experience
• Ability to translate technical language to a non-technical audience.
• Analytical, methodical approach to information gathering and fault diagnosis. 
• Great prioritisation skills and the ability to meet targets.
• A self-starter who is results-driven with high levels of self-motivation and initiative
• Ability to work effectively on their own initiative and prioritise their workload.
• Highly professional ‘CAN DO' attitude that engenders confidence, respect and support.
• Appreciation and understanding of the ITIL framework and NIST Security Framework
• Excellent understanding of M365, Windows 10/11, Active Directory and Intune.
• Experience supporting audio/visual equipment, mobile/tablet operating systems

Knowledge

• Knowledge of ITIL and other initiatives that promote quality and process improvement
• Industry recognised certification such as CompTIA, Microsoft Certification.
• A background in regulated environments would be beneficial
• A background in large, complex Enterprises would be beneficial

We all belong at First Rail. FirstGroup's vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, across its group of businesses, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.

We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below.  We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/

https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/