Senior Application Operation Engineer (ICT)

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting for an experienced Applications Operations role within the NHS North West London system. The post supports two main sites and a range of digital projects, focusing on incident, problem, change management and Registration Authority governance to ensure secure, compliant access for staff and service users.

You will work as part of the Applications team, maintaining systems, improving user experience and leading access reviews

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent level of experience.
• Experience of NHS Registration Authority processes, including CIS and Smartcards.
• Experience in access governance and RBAC.

Responsibilities

• Incident management: diagnose, prioritise and resolve complex incidents affecting applications, user access and authentication services.
• Problem management: identify patterns in incidents, initiate investigations and coordinate remedies.
• Change management: analyse impact, document changes and implement them securely.
• Registration Authority expertise: strong knowledge of NHS Registration Authority processes, including CIS and Smartcards.
• Access control and RBAC: apply and maintain robust access control models with least privilege.
• Information Governance: apply confidentiality, data protection and audit principles.

Skills

Incident management

Problem management

Change management

Registration Authority

Access control

RBAC

Information Governance

Education

Degree or equivalent level of experience

Registration Authority accreditation

Job description

We are an award winning organisation providing care at two main hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—and a number of community-based services across London, such as sexual health and HIV clinics.

With 6,700 members of staff, we are proud to care for a diverse population of one million people. We are committed to ensuring that our workforce is just as diverse with a strong mix of skills and abilities.

Our staff are at the very heart of our organisation and we recognise the valuable contribution that each and every person working at the Trust makes. One of our Trust priorities is to be an employer of choice—a place where people want to start their career and to grow with us through continued education, professional development and support .

NHS AfC: Band 6

Main area Admin Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Fixed term: 12 months (Secondment Cover) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 289-CR-178

Site Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals Town London Salary £47,951 - £56,863 per annum inc HCAS Salary period Yearly Closing 17/09/2026 23:59

Job overview

We are at a pivotal stage of our digital journey, having implemented an Electronic Patient Record (EPR) digital solution across both our hospital sites. We have an ambitious portfolio of digital technology initiatives ahead of us, all grounded around empowering patients and service users, improving the experience through the healthcare system and joining up systems and data across North West London to better meet the needs of citizens.

This role is part of the Applications team, who are responsible for:

• Maintaining our applications, keeping the lights on and ensuring they remain supported, fit-for-purpose and meeting the needs of our end users
• As application subject matter experts, contributing to the design and development of new products and services
• Improving user experience in our systems and processes
• Proactively maintaining our application portfolio and reducing technical debt
• Ensuring appropriate, secure and compliant access to Trust systems through effective Registration Authority processes and controls

Main duties of the job

• Incident management: You can diagnose, prioritise and resolve complex incidents affecting applications, user access and authentication services, investigating root causes and coordinating appropriate action.
• Problem management: You can identify patterns and trends in incidents and access issues, initiate investigations, implement remedies and preventative measures, and work with specialists where required.
• Change management: You can analyse and assess impact, develop and document change requests, and implement approved changes in a controlled way, ensuring risks to access, security and service continuity are understood and managed.
• Registration Authority expertise: You have strong practical knowledge of NHS Registration Authority processes, including Smartcard management, Care Identity Service (CIS), identity verification, user registration, role assignment and access governance.
• Access control and RBAC: You can apply and maintain robust role-based access control models, ensuring access is appropriate to role, complies with least privilege principles, and is regularly reviewed and updated.
• Information Governance and data security: You understand the principles of Information Governance, confidentiality, data protection and audit, and can apply them to access management and system administration processes.

Working for our organisation

Our Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—along with award-winning clinics across North West London.

Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5m, providing full clinical services including maternity, A&E and children’s services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health care. The CQC rates us Good in safety, effectiveness, care and responsiveness, and Outstanding in leadership and resource use.

We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Mid.

We are delivering sustainable healthcare through our Green Plan. In line with Greener NHS ambitions, we aim for net zero carbon emissions by 2045. Achieving this requires collective effort. We encourage staff to reduce their impact on carbon, waste and pollution wherever possible. Every action counts to create a healthier, more sustainable future.

We are committed to equal opportunities and believe diversity drives innovation and excellence. We welcome applications from the global majority, veterans and underrepresented communities, valuing the perspectives they bring.

If you haven’t heard from us within 3 weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probation. Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Participate in the on‑call service
• Deputise for the Principal Application Operations Engineer as required
• Act as the senior Registration Authority escalation point for complex operational issues where appropriate
• Lead or support access‑related activity for major projects, programmes, system upgrades and go‑lives
• Support the design and implementation of access models for new or changed services, ensuring compliance with national and local standards
• Lead or contribute to regular access reviews, internal audits, external audits and assurance exercises
• Develop, review and maintain Registration Authority and access management procedures, guidance notes and supporting documentation
• Provide specialist advice to managers, system owners and project teams on secure access, compliance, Smartcards, CIS and RBAC
• Produce reports, metrics and analysis on workloads, performance, compliance, incidents, risks and service improvement activity
• Support business continuity and disaster recovery planning, testing and documentation for application access and Registration Authority services
• Represent the team in meetings, working groups and governance forums as required
• Participate in training, knowledge transfer and service improvement initiatives across the team
• Occasional work may be required outside of core business hours to support major projects / programmes
• All other reasonable requests

This job description may be subject to change according to the varying needs of the service. Such changes will be made after discussion between the post holder and their manager.

All duties must be carried out under supervision or within Trust policy and procedure. You must never undertake any duties that are outside your area of skill or knowledge level. If you are unsure, you must seek clarification from a more senior member of staff.

Please note: Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.

Person specification

• Seeing the bigger picture, understanding how your work and the work of your team supports wider objectives and meets the diverse needs of stakeholders
• Attention to detail and commitment to safe, secure working practices
• Positive approach to change and continuous improvement

Education and Experience

• Degree, or equivalent level of experience
• Experience of being part of user / customer‑centric teams and delivering on continuous service improvement initiatives
• Experience of solving complex problems for users through the use of technology, with a focus on service outcomes and user needs
• Deal with more complex issues on the end‑to‑end service provision, covering Service Management practices (incident, problem, change, service request, etc)
• Experience of leading or supporting audit, assurance or compliance reviews relating to system access, Information Governance or security
• Experience of supporting the transition of products from Delivery into Live Service
• Experience of supervision, coaching and mentoring other team members
• Information Governance / Data Security training or equivalent experience
• Registration Authority accreditation, or equivalent experience in NHS identity and access management

Important

• There may be some occasions when we have to close a vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date, this will be due to a high volume of applications. You are therefore advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
• Please check your emails regularly (and your junk folder) as this is how we will communicate with you throughout the recruitment process.
• In submitting an application, you authorise the Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process, should you be appointed to the post.
• During the recruitment process your identity documentation (ie passport, driving licence, visa etc) will be scanned using a device which recognises UV, infrared and machine‑readable zone security features of the documents provided.
• Employment at the Trust is offered subject to successful completion of a six month probationary period.
• We operate a joint recruitment hub across the North West London Acute Provider Collaborative Group. As part of this, your application and personal data may be shared with partner trusts within the group for recruitment and workforce purposes, in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Right to work

If you need sponsorship to work in the UK, please visit the Home Office website for information on sponsorship and visa status before you fill in your application form. Due to recent changes in the UK immigration rules which affect Skilled Worker Visas, Global Business Mobility, Higher Skill Level and Increased Salary Thresholds, please ensure that you are able to meet the requirements to live and work in the UK before applying. Further information about eligibility is available on UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

• Looking for flexible work? Why not join our StaffBank .

The recruitment team are available to provide support from 9am–5pm, Mon–Fri. To contact the team please call the Trust switchboard and ask for ‘Recruitment team, Human Resources Department’.