Service Desk Analyst

Gchq; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A national intelligence agency in the UK is seeking a full-time IT Operations Service Desk member to ensure the smooth operation of critical systems. This role involves monitoring technical issues, incident management, and supporting service requests. The ideal candidate has a passion for IT and customer service, enjoys working both independently and in teams, and is comfortable with flexible shift patterns. A salary of £40,000 plus additional benefits includes generous leave and a strong pension scheme.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Pension scheme

Gym and restaurant facilities

Interest-free season ticket loan

Paid parental leave

Qualifications

• Experience in a service desk, helpdesk, or technical support.
• Interest in computing and IT security.
• Ability to explain technical concepts clearly.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and respond to technical issues across systems.
• Manage communications between departments during incidents.
• Support the IT Service Desk by logging and resolving tickets.

Skills

Customer service

Enthusiasm for IT

Problem analysis

Team collaboration

Job description

Job Overview

Flexible Working: Full-time, based on a 36-hour working week. This role operates a 24/7 shift pattern with 12-hour shifts from both 7am to 7pm and 7pm to 7am, including weekends. There are rest days between shifts and shift rotas are set months in advance, giving you time to plan ahead and maintain a work‑life balance. Please ensure you assess if shift work suits your lifestyle and living arrangements, before applying. As a member of our Operations Service Desk, you'll play a vital role in keeping our operations and mission‑critical systems running smoothly 24/7 across GCHQ and our intelligence partners.

Each day looks a little different. One moment, you'll be using state‑of‑the‑art monitoring systems to flag technical issues before they arise. The next, you'll be responding to an incident, assessing the risk and deciding the response. Alongside this, you'll make sure communication is flowing between departments across our unique systems and networks, relay urgent operational messages, prepare morning briefings for IT seniors and, with your team, manage any incidents following the right procedures and processes. Finally, you'll support the IT Service Desk for our operational teams, logging tickets, fixing technical issues, or directing them to the right teams. Your work will cover the full spectrum of our infrastructure: networks, operating systems, applications, databases, data transfer, identity management and project discovery. And when major incidents occur, you'll work alongside senior IT officers, supporting the delicate work of restoration.

Given the nature of what we do, our systems need constant care and protection. That's why this role operates a bit differently from traditional office hours. Working a 36-hour week across 12‑hour shifts isn't just a scheduling choice, it's a reflection of how vital this work is. Rest assured, you'll always be given your shift patterns well in advance, so you can maintain a healthy work‑life balance. And because all the information you work with stays securely on site, you'll never take your work home with you. If an incident arises near the end of your shift, you can hand it over to the next team and head home knowing it's in safe hands.

Candidate Profile

You bring enthusiasm, organization and pride in delivering excellent customer service. Your experience may have been gained through a service desk, helpdesk, corporate support team, busy contact centre, or a technical support background. Alongside this, you have a genuine interest in computing and IT, particularly in how computer systems are kept secure. Whether your knowledge comes from self‑directed learning, hands‑on experience, or previous technical roles, what matters most is your curiosity and eagerness to develop these skills further. You're confident adapting when priorities shift, staying focused under pressure, and explaining technical concepts clearly to different audiences. You enjoy analysing problems, thinking creatively, and collaborating with others, while also thriving when working independently. In this role, you'll manage a mix of individual requests and team‑oriented tasks, with the reassurance that support will always be there to help you grow.

Key Requirements

• Passion for IT, demonstrated through work experience or extra‑curricular learning
• Passion for delivering customer services
• Comfortable working independently as well as within a team

About GCHQ

GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting‑edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber‑attacks and espionage. At GCHQ you'll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary: £40,000 plus 33% shift disturbance allowance. Additional concessionary payment of £2,658 is also payable. You’ll receive a starting salary of £40,000 plus £2,658 concessionary payment, 33% shift disturbance allowance, plus other benefits.

• 25 days annual leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years of service, and an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
• Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
• Interest‑free season ticket loan
• Excellent pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on‑site coffee bars (at some locations)
• Paid parental and adoption leave