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Applications and Database Engineer

As the living, growing home of our national story, The National Archives is already a special place to work. We’re an institution nearly 200 years old with a collection spanning 1,000 years of history. But it’s where we go next that makes things really interesting .

In our strategic vision: Archives for Everyone, we set ourselves the challenge of becoming the 21st Century national archive - a different kind of cultural and heritage institution: Inclusive, Entrepreneurial, Disruptive. We won’t become this overnight. It will take time, focus, effort and daring.

That’s where you come in. Because we can’t do this without you.

Job Overview

Job Description

Job Purpose

The purposes of this role are to build, monitor, and maintain The National Archives’ database infrastructure, both cloud-based and on premise, delivering effective operation of IT services both through direct support, and by collaborating with third parties and with colleagues. You will also work closely with business teams to ensure that business services are up to-date and always available.

You will work collaboratively to ensure the incident, request, problem, change and release processes are managed and adhered to, dealing with and working with colleagues to resolve incidents and requests, escalating to the appropriate support teams and third-party suppliers, as necessary.

You will project manage and co-ordinate new technology solutions & upgrades and implement best practice ITIL service management and agile procedures, embedding them within our operational services .

Role and Responsibilities

Supporting IT Services

• Act as support and administration of database services, work to ensure services are always available to the public and internal customers.
• Coordinate the response to incidents, ensuring relevant prioritisation and detail to allow effective investigation. Work with third parties and colleagues to investigate, analyse, and resolve issues and service interruptions and to resume normal service as soon as possible following the approved incident management process.
• Lead on changes to current systems and databases ensuring they are made with the agreement of the appropriate authorities and system owners, and that they follow an approved change control process.
• Identifying and removing the root cause(s) of incidents over the longer term through testing and gathering evidence leading to effective action. Trouble shooting new or novel technologies may be required.
• Work with colleagues and suppliers to ensure that appropriate security is in place across all the systems and services.
• Create and maintain documentation and ensure technical and procedural documentation is in place and up to date.
• Identify and take forward improvement opportunities and contribute to an overall service improvement plan.
• Undertake any other duties consistent with the role as required and in agreement with the Business Systems Support Manager

Planning

• Participate in capacity planning and forecast database resource needs on an annual basis.
• Maintain a good working knowledge of the current application infrastructure and future trends and their implications for the organisation.
• Work with suppliers and colleagues to project manage and co-ordinate technical transformation projects and standard upgrades.
• Provide regular updates on progress, risk, and issues, escalating issues where appropriate to facilitate on time project delivery, within budget and to customer requirements.
• Plan to be available for scheduled releases at specific times as required.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Act as a source of support and expertise for database services related issues.
• Contribute to the creation, development and promotion of fit-for-purpose business systems.

Working Conditions

• Normal office environment
• Display Screen Equipment user

Person Specification

Essential:

Managing a Quality Service

• A period of relevant experience of the following in an operational context:
  • Database administration, particularly SQL server clustering and replication.
  • Microsoft SQL Server (2016 or later) and SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS).
  • Experience of working with MS SQL Server tools to develop, query, and manipulate large complex datasets using relational database and other technology concepts and structures. Demonstrable skillset including Transact-SQL (T-SQL), scripting, stored procedures, triggers, and execution plans.
• Programming and scripting experience with the following: PowerShell, Python, C#
• Understanding of common application architectures, administration of databases and some practical knowledge of scripting for automation
• Able to act decisively to restore and support TNA’s IT services, making decisions about the best method to resolve issues
• Be the lead expert, ensuring service delivery, for one or more of TNA’s key internal services, e.g. Finance, HR, Cataloguing or Collection management as delegated.
• Strong logical thinking and problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot and solve diverse or non-routine problems independently and effectively, often under time or business pressures in the short term.

Collaborating and Partnering

• Customer-focused with excellent verbal and written interpersonal skills, so that complex technical issues may be clearly explained to colleagues.
• Experience in working with external suppliers of support and services, effectively communicating, and negotiating incident resolution, influencing the delivery of project work, by building and maintaining strong working relationships.

Desirable:

• Working with the Microsoft Power Platform components and the willingness to learn additional skills.
• Knowledge of DevOps and SecDevOps practices including PaaS and IaaS services – both in Azure and AWS platforms, including Github and Terraform
• Knowledge of or experience in project management, particularly Agile methodologies
• Familiarity with network protocols - TCP/IP, HTTP, SSL, etc.
• Basic experience or a broad understanding of software design and development in programming languages and how they relate to databases.

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 and the Civil Service
D&I Strategy .

Benefits

Generous benefits package, including pension, sports and social club facilities, onsite gym, discounted rates at our on-site cafe and opportunities for training and development. Annual leave entitlement of 22 days per calendar year (rising to 25 after the first year, and incrementally to 30 days after six years) and 10½ days public and privilege holidays per annum.

Any move to The National Archives from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ ( opens in new window)

Reasonable adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact The National Archives via careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs

• Complete the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ section of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks (opens in new window)

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals

• nationals of the Republic of Ireland

• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK

• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)

• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020

• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in 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 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.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative . (opens in new window)

Contact point for applicants:

• Name: The National Archives Recruitment Team

• Email: careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact The National Archives via email: careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-complaints/ (opens in new window)

The National Archives need passionate, ambitious and innovative individuals to help us change the way people think about archives.

We employ more than 500 staff in a diverse range of roles, from records specialists and researchers to web developers and marketing assistants – and we want you to join us.