Applications Support Manager

What will you be doing?

In this role you’ll be at the helm of our Applications Support Technical Team, driving its success in ensuring the Council's and our partners' needs are met. Your typical day will include:

Team Management and Development: rally the team, boost motivation and foster growth by deploying the right skills and expertise. Handling performance management, discipline, conduct and recruitment.

Operational Management: take the lead in planning, coordinating and overseeing day to day operations and project activities. Setting clear objectives and targets for the team, monitoring performance and addressing issues.

Technical Expertise and Collaboration: keep up to date with technology to support your team and making decisions for the service. Collaborating with other teams, stakeholders and project managers for a seamless IT systems support, implementation and development.

Standards and Procedures: Collaborate on operating procedures within DTI and third parties, ensuring robust documentation, testing and quality assurance. Ensure adherence to technical standards and ITIL procedures for a smooth-running IT environment.

Resource & Budget Management: Forecast and plan resources that the business needs for its day-to-day tasks and project activities. Keep an eye on the budgets for the team's projects and work packages and this means being responsible for how our workload affects the finances.

Effective Communication and Reporting: Prepare reports, technical diagrams and recommendations to various stakeholders. Keep everyone in the loop, from project sponsors to steering groups, ensuring smooth communication according to project governance.

About you

Leadership will be second nature to you, along with a skilled understanding of IT systems, software, and infrastructure. You will have excellent communication and problem-solving skills and be an amazing team player.

You're not just knowledgeable; you're an expert in supporting large, complex and diverse business systems. You're well-acquainted with relational databases, reporting tools, and their operating systems. You know what's what in the world of technology.

You've got your fair share of experience working in IT development and support. You're in your element when it comes to service management tools and incident processes.

You've interacted with all kinds of customers across diverse IT setups. You know how to serve them well. You're not just up for change; you've been the driving force behind planning, implementing, and coordinating IT changes. You're skilled in navigating both the technical and interpersonal aspects.

So, if you're ready to lead your team and blend your tech know-how, customer care and change expertise, we're thrilled to have you be part of our digital transformation journey.

Our benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days annual leave per year, 29 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
• Cycle to Work scheme. 
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Car Lease scheme
• Professional subscriptions / registration - if your job description requires that you are registered with or are a member of a professional body, WNC will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
• Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
• Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

About us

We're a new council, following one of the largest shake-ups in local government reform in recent history. As a new authority, we're embarking on an exciting journey to deliver exceptional services for our residents, customers and communities.

Our vision at West Northamptonshire Council is 'to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive'. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.

Hear more from Anna Earnshaw, our Chief Executive, about working for West Northants Council: https://youtu.be/lV0EfeUF4aU

At West Northants Council, it's about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

When potential is unlocked, talent thrives.

Choose a career that offers you a true sense of achievement, fills you with pride and challenges you in a positive way, every day.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.