Lead Application Operations Engineer

Scottish Government; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A public sector organization in Glasgow seeks a Lead Application Operations Engineer to lead a team and ensure optimal performance of critical business applications. The role involves liaising with IT operations, resolving complex incidents, and maintaining application reliability. Ideal candidates are experienced IT leaders with exceptional problem-solving and communication skills. A commitment to fostering a positive work culture is essential. This position suits those ready to lead in a dynamic environment.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Inclusive organizational culture

Focus on employee wellbeing

Qualifications

• Experience in leading IT teams and managing applications.
• Ability to liaise effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven track record of maintaining application availability.

Responsibilities

• Liaise with IT operations leads regarding application performance.
• Manage and maintain certain aspects of applications as needed.

Skills

Technical expertise in application performance

Strong problem-solving skills

Effective communication with stakeholders

Experience in IT operations

Education

Relevant IT degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Monitoring tools

Cloud infrastructure tools

Job description

We are currently seeking a talented Lead Application Operations Engineer to join our Applications & Platforms branch, part of the Chief Digital Office, where we are responsible for delivering, supporting, and managing our essential business applications and platforms. You will lead a team of senior engineers, providing support for our critical systems and ensuring optimal performance.

In this key role, you will work closely with internal and external stakeholders, applying your technical expertise and strong problem‑solving skills to resolve complex, high‑priority incidents. You will play a vital part in maintaining application availability and reliability through effective monitoring, maintenance, and configuration oversight.

We are seeking experienced IT leaders with a broad technical background in supporting infrastructure, cloud, and enterprise systems. The ideal candidate will be adept at navigating complex digital environments and communicating effectively with stakeholders at all levels, both technical and non‑technical. Please note, this position is not within a DevOps capacity. If you’re ready to lead in a fast‑paced, evolving environment, we want to hear from you.

Social Security Scotland, an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government, delivers 17 major benefits, reaching around 2 million people across Scotland. With an annual benefit budget of £6.7 billion for 2025–26, Social Security Scotland plays a central role in supporting low‑income and disabled individuals, carers, and families, while contributing to the Scottish Government’s statutory child poverty targets. Our Charter affirms the agency’s values and commitments, ensuring that clients are treated with dignity, fairness and respect, and that their feedback informs service enhancements.

Social Security Scotland embeds a positive and inclusive organisational culture. This focuses on employee wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, professional development, and performance improvement. The agency recognises that its workforce is key to delivering high‑quality public services and is committed to creating an environment where staff are empowered to grow and contribute meaningfully.

A lead application operations engineer defines the application strategy and the strategy for security administration.

Responsibilities

• liaise with leads within IT operations on how applications are performing and changes that need to be put in place
• potentially manage and maintain certain aspects of an application (depending on the complexity and size of a project, and the likely impact it will have on the business)