IT Application Support Team Leader

Lead the applications that help keep our Society moving

Our technology supports colleagues and services right across Lincolnshire Co-op, and we’re looking for an IT Application Team Leader to help make sure the applications behind our business remain reliable, secure and fit for the future.

Working closely with our Applications Manager, you’ll lead our Application Support team while taking responsibility for a portfolio of business-critical applications. You’ll combine hands-on technical knowledge with people leadership, helping your team solve problems, improve performance and deliver a great service to colleagues across the Society.

Based at our Support Centre in Lincoln, you’ll be joining the operational heart of Lincolnshire Co-op and working with colleagues, stakeholders and suppliers from across our diverse family of businesses. What you’ll be doing

This is a varied role where you’ll balance the day-to-day management of our applications with continuous improvement, change and team development.

You’ll:

• Lead, coach and develop our Application Analysts, creating a supportive team where people can grow and perform at their best.
• Manage the lifecycle of a portfolio of applications, from introduction and ongoing maintenance through to eventual decommissioning.
• Monitor application performance, availability and reliability, identifying issues before they become problems.
• Take an active role in incident management, helping the team investigate root causes and put preventative actions in place.
• Plan and support upgrades, patching, performance tuning and other maintenance activity.
• Support projects and business change by providing application expertise, testing changes and helping implement them with minimal disruption.
• Make sure applications continue to meet our operational, security and organisational standards.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Society to understand what they need from our technology.
• Build effective relationships with suppliers, resolving technical issues, implementing enhancements and helping monitor service performance.
• Use performance, usage and service data to identify opportunities to improve our applications.
• Keep application documentation, processes and support guides accurate and up to date.
• Share knowledge and best practice across the wider IT team.

You’ll already have experience working as an Applications Analyst or in a similar application support role, and you’ll be ready to take greater responsibility for both people and services.

We’re looking for someone who brings:

• Experience of ITIL, Service Management or a similar framework.
• A strong understanding of application lifecycle management and maintenance.
• Experience supporting application-related incidents and technology change.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to communicate technical information clearly and build positive relationships with colleagues, stakeholders and suppliers.
• Experience working collaboratively as part of an IT team.
• Knowledge of technologies relevant to a varied application environment. This could include Microsoft technologies, SQL, iOS, Android, antivirus technologies, SaaS platforms and POS solutions.

Just as importantly, you’ll be someone who enjoys helping other people succeed. You’ll encourage your team to suggest improvements, take ownership and solve problems, while recognising their contribution and creating opportunities for them to develop.

Our Support Centre is home to the specialist teams working behind the scenes to support our front-line colleagues and the services we provide across Lincolnshire and the surrounding counties.

For this role, that means making sure the technology our colleagues rely on works effectively today, while helping us continually improve how it supports the Society tomorrow.

If you’re an experienced applications professional who enjoys solving problems, developing people and making technology work better for the people who use it, we’d love to hear from you.

In addition to working for a successful co-operative business, we offer our colleagues fantastic benefits, including:

• 30 days annual leave (including bank holidays) (pro-rata)
• Pension scheme (with up to 12% employer contributions)
• Generous colleague discount rates across our family of businesses
• Annual discretionary colleague bonuses to reward you for your hard work

We are an “Investors in People - Platinum” employer, meaning that we have been recognised as one of the country’s top employers, offering progression opportunities to all our colleagues. As your confidence grows, you’ll have the opportunity to build the skills necessary to further progress your career and help to open up future opportunities. Whether you’re thinking of a future with us or looking to develop your skills with a community-focused business, we’ll work together with you to shape your career for the better.

From a single store in 1861 we have grown to be one of the most successful co-operatives in the UK. We’re proud to be able to offer a wide range of services from across our family of businesses. From Food Stores and Pharmacies to Post Offices and Support Services, we’re a growing society made up of over 220 outlets and nearly 3,000 colleagues.

We’re owned by our members, the people of Lincolnshire and surrounding counties, and have been for more than 160 years! Communities are at the heart of everything we do and motivates us to deliver more than great customer service. We support them by sharing dividend with our members, investing in new and improved services, raising money for charity through our Community Champion scheme, supporting local schools and so much more! Find out more about us, our purpose and wonderful colleagues here.