Service Desk Technical Higher Officer
Service Desk Technical Higher Officer
- Gillingham
- Closing on: May 21 2025
- £36,320 - £39,234
This role sits within the CODE Technology team and is integral to the wider CDII team and plays an integral role in His Majesty's Government's fight against serious and organised crime, supporting investigations totalling hundreds of millions of pounds each year. This requires specialist network and technology, which the Service Desk team is responsible for supporting.
Are you passionate about providing great customer service?
Driving customer service excellence across the team, you will excite the team about putting our users first, responding at our best in every situation and infect the team with your enthusiasm. You will handle incidents, complaints & escalations in your stride setting an example to the rest of the team.
Do you have experience working in IT?
The team provides technical support across a wide range of bespoke ICT systems and services. Whilst you are supporting the team in troubleshooting, recording, escalating and communicating issues, you will develop a wide variety of skills beneficial for developing further in IT. At times you will work alongside more senior colleagues to investigate issues, as well as having the opportunity to take on additional work to develop your skills.
Do you want to develop Management skills?
This is a great opportunity to develop your career and get experience in managing a team. Working with the Service Desk Manager you will ensure all aspects of running the team are covered including rotas, leave, sickness, communicating with users, leading meetings and being a technical point of escalation for the team.
Person specification
This is an office-based role underpinning the activity of the wider CODE Tech teams. The successful candidate will be part of a small highly specialised team who provide varied and challenging 1st and 2nd line IT support to a wide range of customers across the national FIS estate.
For this role you must be
• Supporting the team in being the first point of contact for all enquiries relating to CODE Tech. Using ITIL aligned processes to ensure enquiries are dealt with in the appropriate manner giving customers the best possible service.
• Ensuring the team has the knowledge and resources to make use of all available tools to undertake level 1 & level 2 fault diagnostics, within Service Level Agreements. This will involve conducting or co-ordinating training for new and existing staff.
• Taking ownership of escalations, complaints, Problem Management and High Priority Incidents, you will co-ordinate an effective response and ensure all avenues are explored.
• Keeping an awareness of our services, you will maintain and enhance relationships with both customers and suppliers, to ensure the team delivers a respected professional service.
• Responsible for ensuring the documenting and reviewing of knowledge and processes. Looking for ways to continually improve the team's processes & procedures.
• The Service Desk is open from 08:00 to 17:30 and at times you will be required to work flexibly and provide cover.
• Development of the service offering to customers through omnichannel support and encouraging the use of self-service first.
• Covering for the Service Desk Manager in aspects of HR and overall management of the team, with the expectation to line manage a small service desk team.
• This role aligns with Senior Service Desk Analyst in the Government Digital and Data framework.
Essential Criteria
• Experience of working in an IT customer facing role
• Experience speaking to & developing staff to speak confidently to people over the phone and face to face, as well as strong written communication skills.
• Experience developing new and existing staff in 1st and 2nd line support.
• Experience tackling challenging problems and situations with staff, IT and users through to conclusion.
• Proficient in using IT Service Management Tools and providing 1st and 2nd line support.
• Attention to detail, ensuring all aspects of your own and the team's work is undertaken diligently and taking corrective action where needed.
Desirable Criteria
• ITIL V3/V4 Foundation certified.
• SDI Service Desk Analyst qualified or equivalent.
• Experience managing a team.
• Experience as a pro-active service focused team leader.
• Continuous Improvement advocate
Training Requirements
As part of Government Digital and Data profession you will have access to up-to-date learning, including industry recognised qualifications and supported career pathways.
Successful candidates will have the opportunity to complete the following courses within the first 12 months and further technical ongoing development will be available:
• ITIL 4 Foundation or Practice Manager modules dependant on existing qualifications held.
• The Service Desk Institute - Service Desk Manager Course.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £36,320, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £10,521 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.
We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Strengths and Experience.
How to Apply
After submission of the first stage of your application, you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Management Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended) and submit your application form prior to the campaign closing date of 21/05/2025 at 23:55.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:
• Your CV should set out your career history (max 500 words) and for each role include:
• A brief description of your duties
• Skills and experience
• Key achievements
• Any words over the 500-word limit will not be considered.
Personal Statement
• The Personal Statement should evidence in no more than 500 words how your skills and experience meet the role requirements in the essential criteria. Your evidence needs to show us you have the experience, approach, and skills we're looking for.
• Please fully utilise the allowable 500-word count when completing your personal statement.
• Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.
• Please refer to candidate guidance attached.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
We acknowledge that AI can assist you in your application. Find our guidelines here.
Sift
In the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held on your CV.
At full sift your CV and your Personal Statement will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.
We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.
Interview
During the panel interview, you will be assessed against Experience and Strengths.
Experience will be tested at interview by way of questions and an in-tray exercise based on the essential criteria detailed in the advert.
The Strength-based questions look at a combination of what you are good at and what you enjoy doing. They focus on specific areas which motivate, naturally enthuse and excite candidates.
This is an example of a strengths-based question:
"It is often said that the customer's needs should come first. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?"
There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.
Interviews will take place face-to-face in HMRC's Stratford Regional Centre, 14 Westfield Avenue, London E20 1HZ
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Eligibility
Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days(Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, please contact us via:
unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk - Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example - 'Please re-open my application - [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]'.
To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application .
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles - if this applies to you, we'll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.
Merit List
After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.
Criminal Record Check
Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.
Reasonable Adjustments
We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Additional Security Information
Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Developed Vetting (DV) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for DV is 10 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.
Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers
Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.
Additional Information
We are looking into ways to enhance the applicant experience.
As part of our legitimate interests, we are testing the use of new technologies such as automation and/or Artificial Intelligence in the assessment for CV, personal statement and behaviour statement.
Please note that for this specific vacancy, this testing may run in parallel with our standard assessment process and will not influence or determine the outcome of your application in any way. You can read the Civil Service Jobs and HMRC Privacy Notices for more information about our lawful basis for processing your personal data and HMRC's use of AI.
If you don't want your data to be used as part of the trial, please send your Application ID and the Vacancy Reference to talentacquisitionaiteam@hmrc.gov.uk
Terms and Conditions
Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.
HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations .
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.
Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.
Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.
Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.
Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.
If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window) .
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window) .
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
Open to UK nationals only.
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 the Civil 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.
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 :
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles.
In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via ubsrecruitmentcomplaints@hmrc.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their website.
Attachments
UPDATED - Combined TC and OGD Pay English - July 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 132kB) Application guidance for candidates Opens in new window (docx, 34kB)
Are you passionate about providing great customer service?
Driving customer service excellence across the team, you will excite the team about putting our users first, responding at our best in every situation and infect the team with your enthusiasm. You will handle incidents, complaints & escalations in your stride setting an example to the rest of the team.
Do you have experience working in IT?
The team provides technical support across a wide range of bespoke ICT systems and services. Whilst you are supporting the team in troubleshooting, recording, escalating and communicating issues, you will develop a wide variety of skills beneficial for developing further in IT. At times you will work alongside more senior colleagues to investigate issues, as well as having the opportunity to take on additional work to develop your skills.
Do you want to develop Management skills?
This is a great opportunity to develop your career and get experience in managing a team. Working with the Service Desk Manager you will ensure all aspects of running the team are covered including rotas, leave, sickness, communicating with users, leading meetings and being a technical point of escalation for the team.
Person specification
This is an office-based role underpinning the activity of the wider CODE Tech teams. The successful candidate will be part of a small highly specialised team who provide varied and challenging 1st and 2nd line IT support to a wide range of customers across the national FIS estate.
For this role you must be
- A UK national
- Hold Developed Vetting (DV) clearance level or be willing to be DV cleared to take up duty.
• Supporting the team in being the first point of contact for all enquiries relating to CODE Tech. Using ITIL aligned processes to ensure enquiries are dealt with in the appropriate manner giving customers the best possible service.
• Ensuring the team has the knowledge and resources to make use of all available tools to undertake level 1 & level 2 fault diagnostics, within Service Level Agreements. This will involve conducting or co-ordinating training for new and existing staff.
• Taking ownership of escalations, complaints, Problem Management and High Priority Incidents, you will co-ordinate an effective response and ensure all avenues are explored.
• Keeping an awareness of our services, you will maintain and enhance relationships with both customers and suppliers, to ensure the team delivers a respected professional service.
• Responsible for ensuring the documenting and reviewing of knowledge and processes. Looking for ways to continually improve the team's processes & procedures.
• The Service Desk is open from 08:00 to 17:30 and at times you will be required to work flexibly and provide cover.
• Development of the service offering to customers through omnichannel support and encouraging the use of self-service first.
• Covering for the Service Desk Manager in aspects of HR and overall management of the team, with the expectation to line manage a small service desk team.
• This role aligns with Senior Service Desk Analyst in the Government Digital and Data framework.
Essential Criteria
• Experience of working in an IT customer facing role
• Experience speaking to & developing staff to speak confidently to people over the phone and face to face, as well as strong written communication skills.
• Experience developing new and existing staff in 1st and 2nd line support.
• Experience tackling challenging problems and situations with staff, IT and users through to conclusion.
• Proficient in using IT Service Management Tools and providing 1st and 2nd line support.
• Attention to detail, ensuring all aspects of your own and the team's work is undertaken diligently and taking corrective action where needed.
Desirable Criteria
• ITIL V3/V4 Foundation certified.
• SDI Service Desk Analyst qualified or equivalent.
• Experience managing a team.
• Experience as a pro-active service focused team leader.
• Continuous Improvement advocate
Training Requirements
As part of Government Digital and Data profession you will have access to up-to-date learning, including industry recognised qualifications and supported career pathways.
Successful candidates will have the opportunity to complete the following courses within the first 12 months and further technical ongoing development will be available:
• ITIL 4 Foundation or Practice Manager modules dependant on existing qualifications held.
• The Service Desk Institute - Service Desk Manager Course.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £36,320, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £10,521 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.
We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.
- Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues' Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
- Family friendly policies.
- Personal support.
- Coaching and development.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Strengths and Experience.
How to Apply
After submission of the first stage of your application, you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Management Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended) and submit your application form prior to the campaign closing date of 21/05/2025 at 23:55.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:
- A name-blind CV.
- A 500-word Personal Statement.
- Please complete a separate statement (Max 250 words) for the Desirable Criteria where applicable. This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the vacancy-holder where candidates have the same scores at sift or interview.
• Your CV should set out your career history (max 500 words) and for each role include:
• A brief description of your duties
• Skills and experience
• Key achievements
• Any words over the 500-word limit will not be considered.
Personal Statement
• The Personal Statement should evidence in no more than 500 words how your skills and experience meet the role requirements in the essential criteria. Your evidence needs to show us you have the experience, approach, and skills we're looking for.
• Please fully utilise the allowable 500-word count when completing your personal statement.
• Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.
• Please refer to candidate guidance attached.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
We acknowledge that AI can assist you in your application. Find our guidelines here.
Sift
In the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held on your CV.
At full sift your CV and your Personal Statement will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.
We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.
Interview
During the panel interview, you will be assessed against Experience and Strengths.
Experience will be tested at interview by way of questions and an in-tray exercise based on the essential criteria detailed in the advert.
The Strength-based questions look at a combination of what you are good at and what you enjoy doing. They focus on specific areas which motivate, naturally enthuse and excite candidates.
This is an example of a strengths-based question:
"It is often said that the customer's needs should come first. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?"
There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.
Interviews will take place face-to-face in HMRC's Stratford Regional Centre, 14 Westfield Avenue, London E20 1HZ
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Eligibility
Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days(Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, please contact us via:
unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk - Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example - 'Please re-open my application - [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]'.
To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application .
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles - if this applies to you, we'll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.
Merit List
After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.
Criminal Record Check
Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.
Reasonable Adjustments
We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact the UBS Recruitment team via unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Additional Security Information
Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Developed Vetting (DV) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for DV is 10 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.
Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers
Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.
Additional Information
We are looking into ways to enhance the applicant experience.
As part of our legitimate interests, we are testing the use of new technologies such as automation and/or Artificial Intelligence in the assessment for CV, personal statement and behaviour statement.
Please note that for this specific vacancy, this testing may run in parallel with our standard assessment process and will not influence or determine the outcome of your application in any way. You can read the Civil Service Jobs and HMRC Privacy Notices for more information about our lawful basis for processing your personal data and HMRC's use of AI.
If you don't want your data to be used as part of the trial, please send your Application ID and the Vacancy Reference to talentacquisitionaiteam@hmrc.gov.uk
Terms and Conditions
Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.
HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations .
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.
Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.
Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.
Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.
Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.
If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window) .
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window) .
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
Open to UK nationals only.
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 the Civil 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.
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 : Alan Ridd
- Email : alan.ridd@hmrc.gov.uk
- Telephone : 03000 535 931
- Email : unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles.
In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via ubsrecruitmentcomplaints@hmrc.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their website.
Attachments
UPDATED - Combined TC and OGD Pay English - July 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 132kB) Application guidance for candidates Opens in new window (docx, 34kB)
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