Technical Operations Shift Leader

Ref: AH/ 2000219

Location: Somerset

Salary: to £45K + 5% bonus + 20% shift allowance

Role Summary

As part of the Service Assurance Team, the Technical Operations Shift Leader is responsible for managing a team of engineers comprising Technical Operations Shift Engineers and Incident Management Shift Engineers and providing 2nd line diagnostics, fault management and service restoration for the company’s global clients.

The technical environment includes Cisco CPE (routers and switches), OneAccess and Zhone CPE, Ipanema APM devices, Cisco and Ericsson Redback PEs, Lucent Stinger and Actelis DSLAMs.

The department operates a rotating shift pattern to ensure 24 x 7 cover of the operations team. The shift hours are 08.00 – 20.30 and 20.00 to 08.30 (equates to 40.25 hour working week with 1 hour for lunch)

You will be responsible for service restoration and fault resolution of customer solutions including MPLS VPN, IP Access and associated overlay services, such as Application Performance Management (APM), and IPSec VPN, delivered over xDSL, EFM (copper and fibre), Leased Line, 3G and ISDN access technologies. You will also be responsible for 2nd line technical support, diagnostics, fault management, and service restoration for escalated cases.

Key Responsibilities:

  • support team to accurately identify & resolve customer issues at the first point of contact where possible, in line with SLAs and performance targets, ensure targets and timescales are met, liaising with external suppliers, 3rd parties and other in-house teams and clients as necessary.
  • ensure team respond to and act on operational network issues and faults; fix the problems identified and carry out appropriate action, whilst retaining overall ownership of the issue.
  • produce post-fault analysis and reports, review documentation and new services, follow change control processes and ensure all automatic monitoring systems are up to date and in sync with all network changes, as appropriate.
  • build and maintain a trust relationship with clients, setting realistic, achievable expectations, ensuring clients are proactively updated and maintaining accuracy of client information.
  • To ensure processes and procedures are carried out as prescribed by line manager.
  • To be pro-active in identifying and highlighting potential improvements to internal or external processes.
  • Conduct performance reviews for the shift team members
  • Ensure the team and personal KPAs are met, as well as fulfilling daily tasks.
  • Create a clear plan for stand-in cover and succession
  • Responsible for developing team members in their chosen career path, supported by their personal development plans
  • Run regular team meetings / briefs

Technical Skills:

The individual would be expected to have good working experience and knowledge of the areas below and be able to give examples of how they have used these in practice.

  • MPLS VPN Solutions, Internet Access & IPSEC, Telepresence (Video & Voice)
  • ADSL, SHDSL; SDH, Dark Fibre, Ethernet, Ethernet over Copper, ISDN, 3G
  • MPLS Networking in a backbone network environment
  • BGP, TCP/IP, EIGRP, OSPF and other protocols
  • ISP platforms: radius, TACACs, DNS, mail platforms
  • Awareness of Internet security and abuse issues
  • in-depth knowledge Cisco ISR/16xx through 76xx to GSR and CRS-1
  • working knowledge Cisco Catalyst Ethernet switches & load balancers
  • working knowledge Firewall 1, Checkpoint, Cisco, Juniper Netscreen
  • working knowledge Console management switches and power switches
  • working knowledge of physical media (fibre, Cat 5, etc)
  • in-depth knowledge Cisco IOS
  • L2TP, Pseudowires and other tunnelling technologies
  • Basic understanding and use of Unix based systems
  • essential knowedge OSPF, ISIS, BGP, HSRP, VRRP, MPLS, MPLS VPN, QoS configuration and testing
  • Basic understanding of VoIP/IP Telephony/IPC
  • Basic understanding of SDH/DWDM
  • ITIL: Incident, Problem and Change Management process and procedures
  • Any scripting or programming knowledge a bonus
  • Sound knowledge of Microsoft Office packages

Cisco Qualifications:

Cisco Qualifications desired, in order of preference:

  • Cisco Certified Internetwork Professional (CCIP)
  • Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
  • Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP)
  • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

ITIL Qualifications

ITIL Qualifications desired, in order of preference:

  • ITIL V3 Intermediate Level
    • Service Capability - Lifecycle Stream
    • Operational Support & Analysis - Service Operation
    • Release Control and Validation – Service Transition
    • Service Design
    • Planning Protection & Optimisation – Continual Service Improvement
    • Service Offerings & Agreements – Service Strategy
  • ITIL V2 Practitioner Level : Problem Management
  • ITIL V3 Foundation Level

Competencies

  • Strong technical skills
  • Strong business understanding of client/company relationships
  • Ongoing understanding of new products and services
  • logical and organised approach to problem solving.
  • knowledge of both Cisco and ITIL process and procedures
  • experience in managing a technical team of engineers.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Self-motivated with a positive ‘can do’ attitude.

Questor is acting as an employment agency in relation to this advert. Due to the effectiveness of online advertising and the response levels that it can generate, it is often impossible for us to respond to every applicant. As a professional company we gladly welcome applications from persons of any age and background and do not intend to discriminate with advert text and terminology.

alan@questor-cp.co.uk

01767 683583

To email us about this vacancy, please click here