Ministry of Justice

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Directorate:   Digital Technology Services (DTS)

Pay Band:   Grade 7  

Job Title:    Service Support Architect          

Location:         London / National

Successful applicants will be expected to be office based 3 days per week in any HMCTS Office (subject to business availability). The frequency may increase in the future

Interview:       Video conference via Teams

Term:        Permanent

This opportunity is available on level transfer and Temporary Responsibility Allowance/Temporary Promotion.  The successful candidate will be expected to return to their substantive role at the conclusion of the secondment.

GDD:

Government Digital and Data (GDD)) Profession Capability Framework and Success Profiles Frameworks. Using GDD we will then determine if you will be paid an additional allowance, on top of your basic salary.  This role is within the IT Operations Family, is a Service Transition Manager role at Lead Service Transition Manager level, but carries the title Service Support Architect within DTS.

Reserve List:

HMCTS run a Reserve List, where candidates who are unsuccessful at interview by only a few points, can be offered other roles, at the same band, for up to 12 months. You will be able to view your status via the application screen. If you have been added to the Reserve List, your status will show either Merit or Reserve list.

Introduction:

These are exciting times at HM Court and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). As an agency of the MoJ, we support the judiciary across England and Wales to deliver justice by running courts and tribunals and processing outcomes, and we are looking for talented people to help us achieve our ambitions. It will be challenging, important and rewarding.

HMCTS Digital and Technology Services (DTS) is a specialist technology directorate which provides support to HMCTS in the use of IT and Digital.

DTS is creating a place in which it is great to do work and part of our offer is brilliant training opportunities and support from expert colleagues. As well as that you’ll find flexible working, an inclusive culture and a place where your opinion is valued.

Please follow the link below for further information about HMCTS. www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service

Job Description:

The post holder will be an integral part of the Service Design and Transition (SD&T) Team, working across all business programmes to deliver SD&T functions to Digital and Technology Services (DTS).

This role is positioned within Live Operations and reports directly to the Head of Live Services. The post holder will join a dynamic and expanding team composed of both contracted resources and civil servants. Their primary responsibilities include developing the function to align with the department's Target Operating Model and leading on transition planning and resource coordination. This ensures that services are seamlessly transitioned into live operations with a robust IT Service Management (ITSM) support structure that meets both business and operational requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• You will lead the implementation of the Service Design and Transition (SD&T) governance for Digital and Technology Services (DTS). This role involves collaborating with various programmes and departments, each with unique working agreements and service levels, to embed standards and controls across service design and transition. Your efforts will ensure that these standards are consistently maintained, thereby assuring high-quality service support.
• Responsible for the planning and coordination of resources alongside the Demand Management team to ensure services are transitioned into ITSM Service Operations
• Represent DTS and provide expert input and support to various governance boards which are attended by senior stakeholders including Directors, this includes the HMCTS Transition Authority and the Service Design Authority.
• You will be involved in a variety of service design activities across programmes and within the directorate to understand the varying levels of complexities in each area to deliver a fully supported service
• Ensure services being transitioned meet the agreed criteria’s before accepting services into live working with Heads of Service to ensure agreement for acceptance in to Live.
• Prioritise and deconflict transition activities for DTS using organisational priorities, acting as escalation point for Service Design management activities
• Identify gaps in support structure and creatively seek the best way to put formal structures in place with agreed SLAs
• Identify opportunities for improving service delivery and support processes. Implement best practices and innovative solutions to enhance service performance.
• Produce and maintain comprehensive, standardised templates and documentation for service designs, including service level agreements (SLAs), operational level agreements (OLAs), and service catalogues
• Build and maintain a good working relationship with project teams and other key stakeholders and ensure conformity to SD&T processes and procedures
• Provide direction on high impact, complex change requests, ensuring that design and transition policies, procedures and processes are applied as part of the transition work
• Responsible for ensuring identified risks & issues are escalated and managed
• Work with service and product stakeholders to ensure changing needs are reflected in service support structures and models

Person Specification:

• We’re looking for someone who has an extensive track record in service management and service operation with expertise in Service architecture or transition and is fully conversant in ITIL practices. You will be an individual who likes working in a delivery focused environment with multi-disciplinary teams and has worked at management level.
• You will participate and share ideas to enable advanced planning in building in strategies to standardise and automate, and to encourage shift left activities. You will challenge the status quo and provide ideas, thinking creatively whilst understanding industry standards and what it takes to deliver a high quality service.
• You will have strong communication and relationship building skills and a highly collaborative team player approach as well as the ability to interact with senior stakeholders and manage feedback from multiple stakeholder groups.
• You will be someone who takes pride in representing operations and enjoy the challenge of promoting work in the Service Design and Transition space.
• You will have great analytical skills and attention to detail, as well as the ability to work to demanding deadlines whilst ensuring quality.
• You will be motivated by the opportunity of working in a unique public service environment, and for a department that directly delivers services to the public in one of the largest transformation and reform programmes in government.

Essential Criteria:

• Have experience of leading others in Service Support Architecture or Transition to a high standard in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrate ability of working collaboratively across functions and building positive relationships
• Firm understanding of ITIL framework with relevant qualifications.
• Proficiency in service configuration and portfolios
• Ability to analyse complex business requirements and translate them into effective service solutions.
• Expert in Service Support Architecture Principles and working practices.
• Strong experience and understanding of the digital agenda within the public sector.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to think strategically and implement practical solutions.
• Experience in advising and integrating services comprising different tools, providers, processes and teams.

Desirable Criteria:

• Knowledge and understanding of Service support within cloud infrastructure and hosting, particularly in Azure
• Familiarity with GDS Design Principles and/or twelve-factor application design principles for cloud-native apps

Application process:

The following areas of Success Profile Framework will be used to assess and score your application during the sift, and interview.

Experience – As demonstrated in your Application Form.

GDD Assessment – During the interview, you will be assessed against the GDD skills  and framework below.

• GDD Skill 1 - Service Focus
• GDD Skill 2 - Ownership and Initiative
• GDD Skill 3 - GDD User Focus
• GDD Skill 4 - Community Collaboration

Behaviours – You will be required to provide evidence of the following key behaviours at G7 Level.

• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the bigger picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership