We’re 1st Central, a market-leading insurance company utilising smart data and technology at pace. Rapid growth has been based on giving our 1.4 million customers exactly what they want: great value insurance with an excellent service. And that’s the same for our colleagues too; we won Insurance Employer of the Year at the British Insurance Awards 2024 and our Glassdoor score is pretty mega too!
We’re on the hunt for a skilled Digital Workspace Engineer, to provide advanced technical support, and act as a key escalation point. This role is pivotal in driving a shift-left approach, ensuring tasks are automated or well-documented for faster more efficient resolution.
You’ll be responsible for optimising and managing digital workplace technologies, keeping endpoint devices remain secure, high-performing, and compliant with business policies. Collaboration is key, you’ll work closely with vendors, IT security teams, and product managers to align technology solutions with business objectives.
Beyond technical support, this role plays a vital part in service improvement and automation, reducing manual workload and boosting operational efficiency. By analysing incident trends and implementing Service Improvement Plans (SIPs), you’ll help drive long-term stability across IT systems.
Could you fit the bill? We're big on working flexibly - you'll spend most of your time working from home, with the occasional visit to the office, but of course, it’s your choice - if you prefer to be in the office more - that's good with us too. We've offices located in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, Salford Quays, Manchester, and Guernsey it’s your choice - or maybe you live further afield, we’ll accept applications for remote workers!
Core skills we’re looking for to succeed in the role:
- Analytical and problem-solving ability: Combine and organise information into meaningful patterns; identify underlying relationships, causes and effects; and draw conclusions from complex data.
- Pragmatic and detail oriented: Consistently take a thorough, accurate, and productive approach to tasks and decision making.
- Influential Communicator: Demonstrate the ability to gain agreement and support for ideas and initiatives across diverse stakeholders.
- Continuous learner: Maintain an unrelenting focus on personal development to elevate professional knowledge and skills. Applying the same mindset to driving DEX improvements.
- Community Builder: Maintain an outside-in perspective by actively building and nurturing peer networks to stay connected and informed.
- Strong interpersonal skills: Work effectively across business lines at senior levels to influence and effect change to achieve shared goals.
- Clear and Impactful Communication: Exhibit excellent oral and written communication skills tailored to audience and context.
What’s involved:
- You’ll implement, monitor and operate digital workplace technologies (endpoint hardware, software, services and SaaS tools).
- You’ll integrate digital workplace technologies with adjacent technologies (identity, security, vulnerability management, IT service and asset management, remote access, backup, directory services, etc.).
- You’ll ensure stability and security of digital workplace technology through effective endpoint management and timely patching.
- You’ll support security operations processes by monitoring and reporting anomalies related to devices and identities.
- You’ll work on various digital workplace technology projects.
- You’ll create, publish and communicate knowledge base articles.
- You’ll monitor technology trends and seek ways to enhance continuous improvement initiatives.
- You’ll assess criticality of services and applications and automate testing of those deemed critical before patching and upgrading.
- You’ll engage in 3rd line level BAU support, troubleshooting and delivery of modern technologies.
- You’ll provide a technical escalation point for First- and second-line colleagues.
- You’ll proactively engage with users where required to troubleshoot and resolve incidents and requests.
- You’ll act as the team point of contact for problem identification and resolution.
- You’ll manage the life cycle of service requests and incidents.
- You’ll log, analyse, triage, and prioritise all IT Incidents, service requests, Problems and Changes received via all communication channels into the 3rd line team.
- You’ll engage in the support and delivery of projects.
- You’ll ensure all hardware images are maintained and deployed to a secure, high performing ‘gold’ standard within a hybrid environment of SCCM and Intune/AutoPilot.
- Application packaging and deployment.
- You’ll proactively identify underlying problems, propose and implement resolutions.
- Application maintenance and packaging including 3rd party application updates.
- Application packaging and deployment via SCCM and/or Intune.
- You’ll ensure that the team documentation, processes, and procedures are kept up-to-date and followed.
- You’ll manage a mixed workload of projects and continuous improvement initiatives.
- You’ll maintain knowledge of information governance standards for Cyber Security, legal and regulatory compliance, and an understanding of its application in practice.
- You’ll troubleshoot and fix a variety of hardware issues.
- You’ll assist in the delivery of Projects/Change e.g. documentation, training, test scenarios, technical analysis.
- You’ll manage and support out of hours software upgrades/implementations and testing in conjunction with Business Change, Technology, and other stakeholders.
- You’ll always ensure compliance with company and other relevant standards/ regulations (including Consumer Duty).
- You’ll implement automation for repetitive tasks using PowerShell scripting, Power Automate or similar tools.
- You’ll perform regular security, maintenance, and hardware checks.
- You’ll support and engage in the design, installation and upgrade of desktop infrastructure.
- You’ll proactively identify and track risk and issues using the documented processes.
- You’ll be responsible for ensuring procedures and documentation are created and updated when necessary.
- You’ll provide on call support - In addition to normal working hours Monday-Friday, staff performing this role are expected to work out of hours for specific project tasks and support other teams within supporting teams.
- You’ll provide 3rd line investigation and diagnosis of all incidents and service requests.
- You’ll verify resolution with users and resolve incidents with our ITSM tool withing agreed SLA.
- You’ll escalate incidents at risk of breaching SLA to the Technology Support Lead.
- You’ll proactively support in the upskilling of team members.
Experience & knowledge
- Experience with standard IT operations frameworks (e.g., ITIL).
- Experience with scripting tools and languages (e.g., PowerShell, Bash, Python).
- Digital workplace tool management expertise: tools, techniques, monitoring and integration.
- Experience with configuration management, identity and access management, active directory, desktop virtualization, collaboration platforms and other cloud-based services.
- Experience implementing modern management of endpoint devices.
- Experience with continuous engineering or other agile methods to keep pace with frequent changes and to reduce complexity.
- Working knowledge of:
- ITSM platforms
- Digital experience and network performance monitoring tools
- Desktop and application virtualisation
- Endpoint management and security tools
- Identity and access management tools
- Microsoft Windows
- Apple macOS
- Generative AI
Skills
- Pragmatic and detail oriented. Consistently take a thorough, accurate, organised and productive approach.
- Influence. Ability to gain agreement and support for ideas and initiatives.
- Continuous learner. Maintain an unrelenting focus on personal development to elevate professional knowledge and skill. Take the same approach to DEX improvements.
- Community. Maintain an outside-in perspective by building and maintaining peer networks.
- Tech-savvy. Ability to quickly learn, implement and utilise new technologies.
- Analytical and problem-solving ability. Combine and organise information into meaningful patterns; identify underlying relationships, causes and effects; and combine pieces of information to form conclusions or general rules.
- Strong interpersonal skills. Ability to work across business lines at senior levels to influence and effect change to achieve common goals.
- Communications. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Qualifications
Maintain certifications and expertise in Azure technologies (Desirable), including but not limited to:
- MS-102: Microsoft 365 Administrator
- MD-102: Endpoint Administrator.
- AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
- SC-900: Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals
- MS-500: Microsoft 365 Security Administration.
- AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator.
- PL-300: Power BI Data Analyst
- ITIL v4 Foundation
- SC-300: Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator
Behaviours
- Self-motivated and enthusiastic
- An organised and proactive approach
- Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team.
- A flexible approach and positive attitude
- Strives to drive business improvements to contribute to the success of the business.
- Stay up to date with emerging technologies and trends in cloud architecture, automation, and platform management.
Start your journey today. The possibilities are endless.
What can we do for you?
People first. Always. We’re passionate about our colleagues and know the best people deserve an extraordinary working environment. We owe it to them so that’s what we offer. Our workplaces are energetic, inspirational, supportive. To get a taste of the advantages you’ll enjoy, take a look at all our perks in full here.
Intrigued? Our Talent team can tell you everything you need to know about what we want and what we’re offering, so feel free to get in touch.
