Application Support Analyst

Department for Education; London; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department for Education seeks two Application Support Analysts in London to oversee the Monitor Your School Attendance service. Ideal candidates will have strong SQL skills, a knack for problem-solving, and experience in IT service management, enabling them to enhance user experiences through effective solutions and support in a dynamic, agile environment.

Benefits

25 days leave, increasing by 1 day per year

Civil Service pension scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Proven ability to solve incidents using an IT Service Management toolset.
• Experience in querying databases with SQL for reporting.
• Excellent communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily school attendance data collection service.
• Investigate user-reported issues and provide solutions.
• Collaborate with teams to ensure effective support.

Skills

Problem solving

SQL

Communication

Agile methods

Education

Experience of working within a data discipline

Job description

Coventry (CV1 2WT), Darlington (DL1 5QE), London (SW1P 3BT), Manchester (M1 2WD), Nottingham (NG2 1AW), Sheffield (S1 2FJ), Leeds (LS1 4AP)

Please note –Leeds and Nottingham currently have site controls in place. Therefore, this location option is only available to existing DfE employees already assigned to this office location

Job Summary

We are looking for two Application Support Analysts to help manage the smooth running of the award-winning world-class Monitor Your School Attendance live service. You can read more about this data collection here.

In 2025, we will continue to build services for all our users spanning all citizens in England.

Our diverse and inclusive culture reflects the society we live in. This helps us to achieve better outcomes for all our users. We work in multi-disciplinary teams using Agile methods to innovate and radically improve services that:

• Level up education standards so that children and young people in every part of the country are prepared with the knowledge, skills, and qualifications they need.
• Support the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people through high-quality local services so that no one is left behind.
• Provide the best start in life through high-quality early education and childcare to raise standards and help parents to work.
  
  

You can read more about our strategy on theDfE digital and technology blog, by visiting ourLinkedInpage, or by following us onTwitter @DfE_DigitalTech.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities:

• Manage the running support of the daily school attendance data collection live service, monitoring and investigating issues to provide customer solutions.
• Be an experienced problem solver in the use of SQL to investigate issues reported by users working as part of an agile delivery team.
• Work with subject matter experts to identify and implement solutions to address common user issues, engaging directly with internal and external users.
• Manage and run manual and automated processes that are required for the service to operate as expected, identifying improvements for these processes to improve efficiency.
• Be user-focused, understanding user journeys and promoting continuous improvement within the service to meet user needs.
• Collaborate with other support teams to ensure the quickest possible resolutions for our end users, sharing service knowledge with other tiers of support.
• Demonstrate experience of working within a live service applying ITSM practices adhering to the ITIL framework.
• Use ServiceNow analytics to conduct service level reporting to the Senior Leadership Team.
  
  

Job Responsibilities

• Manage the running support of the daily school attendance data collection live service, monitoring and investigating issues to provide customer solutions.
• Be an experienced problem solver in the use of SQL to investigate issues reported by users working as part of an agile delivery team.
• Work with subject matter experts to identify and implement solutions to address common user issues, engaging directly with internal and external users.
• Manage and run manual and automated processes that are required for the service to operate as expected, identifying improvements for these processes to improve efficiency.
• Be user-focused, understanding user journeys and promoting continuous improvement within the service to meet user needs.
• Collaborate with other support teams to ensure the quickest possible resolutions for our end users, sharing service knowledge with other tiers of support.
• Demonstrate experience of working within a live service applying ITSM practices adhering to the ITIL framework.
• Use ServiceNow analytics to conduct service level reporting to the Senior Leadership Team.
  
  

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Proven ability to solve incidents and problems at pace and develop and improve processes in a fast-paced environment using an IT Service Management toolset.
• Experience of SQL and how to query a database so that ad-hoc reports and investigations can be performed on the application data.
• Experience of working within a data discipline or working with data, involving the querying of data using query languages.
• Excellent communication skills – ability to be clear and concise to both technical and non-technical audience.
  
  

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of Agile and ITIL framework.
• Experience of working in the education sector.
• Understand the importance of data protection legislation e.g. GDPR.
  
  

The desirable criteria will only be used in the event of a tie break situation at interview stage and to make an informed decision.

Alongside your salary of £41,458, Department for Education contributes £12,010 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Selection process details

Application

Please provide a CV setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role.

You will then be required to provide a personal statement (maximum 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the job advert.

The CV and statement will be assessed against the essential criteria detailed in the advert.

If there is a high volume of applicants, candidates may be sifted on thefirst two essential criterialisted in the job advert.

If you are successful at application sift stage, your application will be progressed onto interview part of the Selection process.

Interview

If you’re successful at the sift stage, you will be invited to an in-person interview to be in either Coventry or London from week commencing 7th July. Please note these dates are subject to change.

You will be asked questions to asses your experience in line with the essential criteria listed above.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Other Information

In your application, please don’t include personal information that identifies you.

This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - it's called name blind recruitment (opens in a new window).

Please ensure that you remove from your application, all references to your:

• name/title
• educational institutions
• age
• gender
• email address
• postal address
• phone number
• nationality/immigration status
  
  

We understand that you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, and original and doesn’t include ideas or work that isn’t your own. This is so that your application is authentically and credibly your own.

We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.

The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing [e-mail] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

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.

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.

Reasonable adjustment

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 Department of Education via [e-mail] soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page 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.

Please refer to the attached ‘Reasonable Adjustments Guide 05_2025 – accessible version’ at the bottom of the advert, for further information.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming 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/

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

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

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

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

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 the European 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 a new window)

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.

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).

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 : Niall Geraghty
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Further information

The Department for Education’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via [e-mail]. 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 web pages