Business Support assistant

Role Profile :

To provide technical infrastructure architecture leadership and design assurance for the Tech Fundamentals workstream, ensuring Safe & Legal Day-1 requirements are met and that staff can securely access core systems, applications and data during transition to the new authorities. The role leads the assessment of legacy infrastructure across the 12 councils and develops safe, resilient transition and convergence options across networks, identity, Microsoft 365, telephony and cyber-security controls.

Key outputs:
* Current-state baseline of core infrastructure, dependencies and risks across all councils
* Assured transition and convergence options for key technical domains, including network interconnect, identity, Microsoft 365, telephony and security controls
* Technical design standards and decision records to support consistent implementation
* Clear management of technical risks, dependencies and service continuity requirements.

Work Context:

This role supports Surrey's Local Government Reorganisation within the IT & Data theme, working in the Technical Fundamentals workstream to help deliver Safe & Legal requirements. Working with SMEs across the 12 councils and delivery partners, the postholder reviews current tools, enterprise platforms, configurations and infrastructure constraints to ensure transition designs are practical, assured and deliverable.

Key areas of focus include networking and connectivity, Microsoft 365 tenant and domain dependencies, telephony and contact centre transition, identity and access management, and cyber-security controls.

Line Management responsibility:

No formal line management responsibility. The postholder coordinates multi‑disciplinary delivery teams across concurrent projects, including third‑party/supplier resources, and provides task direction, prioritisation and escalation to maintain delivery. May provide coaching and delivery support to project managers within the workstream

Budget Responsibilities:

None

Qualifications responsibilities:

1. Extensive knowledge of principles, practices, and procedures relating to business planning and financial and organisational management.
2. Proven written and oral communication and interpersonal skills with established negotiation and influencing skills and the ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners/professionals.
3. Ability to understand, meet and exceed customer expectations.
4. Proven problem solving skills with the capacity to devise and implement innovative solutions.
5. Proven ability to manage a wide range of complex projects or programmes
6. Significant work experience at management level in one
   or more relevant specialist areas.
7. Demonstrable experience in successful recruiting, managing, coaching and developing of staff.

Essential Knowledge:

* Expert knowledge of technical architecture, infrastructure, networking, identity and core services.
* Deep understanding of modern technology practices, including hosting, platforms and open-source technologies.
* Applied knowledge of agile and DevOps practices, including continuous deployment, testing and risk management.

Essential skills and abilities:
* Ability to translate business needs into robust technical designs and explain technical issues in a clear, outcome-focused way.
* Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively at all levels.
* Ability to design and assure technical architectures that meet complex integration, service continuity and operational resilience requirements.
* Ability to coordinate technical work across multiple councils, suppliers and cross-functional teams.
* Commercial awareness in technology decision-making and supplier engagement.

Essential experience:
* Significant experience as a technical architect in large-scale, multi-organisation environments, ideally within the public sector.
* Proven experience of designing and implementing network, infrastructure and identity integration solutions, including legacy estate rationalisation.
* Experience of risk assessment, business continuity and operational assurance during major IT transition or transformation activity.
* Experience of working with APIs, microservices and interdependent delivery teams in complex technical environments.

Desirable:
* Knowledge of cross-government procurement frameworks and platforms.
* Commitment to reducing the environmental impact of technology.
* Experience of working with diverse user groups and senior stakeholders.

Role Summary:

Length of contract - 3 months - with scope to be extended

Hybrid or remote - Hybrid - ( twice a week from the office)

Essential experience - at least 3 years of administrative experience

Roles at this level typically have significant management responsibility either for a large team or coordinating sub functions within a service, and/or will provide professional, specialist or high level technical advice, direction and input across a wide range of activities. They require a conceptual understanding of a technical, professional or specialised field, and job holders require the knowledge and experience to handle and resolve complex issues, anticipate problems and recommend solutions.

Connect2Surrey is a trading style of Surrey & Kent Commercial Services LLP - A joint venture between Surrey County Council & Commercial Services Kent Ltd. Connect2Surrey is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.