Application Support Engineer

Overview 

The App Support Engineer is required to provide 2nd line support internally, third/fourth-line support to higher value/more technically involved external clients, provide an escalation point for the analysts within their team, and work closely with the Tech lead and senior Service Management team. 

The day-to-day responsibility includes a mix of responding to calls or emails from clients, logging queries, following them through to resolution under the contracted Service Level Agreements, building customer relationships via regular service review calls.  

The successful candidate will require an aptitude for working with applications/systems to analyse, diagnose and resolve client problems, ranging from straightforward questions to more complicated technical problems, and a strong drive for delivering outstanding customer service. This role requires the individual to prioritise work in real-time to ensure that tickets and tasks progress within expectations. 

The role will include working as part of an internal CPS team or a mix of client and CPS professionals on engagements that require strong interpersonal skills to complement your technical and delivery experience. 

At CPS we believe that diversity drives innovation and excellence. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of their background, identity, or experiences. We welcome applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, ages, abilities, sexual orientations, and religious beliefs. Our goal is to build a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve and to foster a culture where everyone can thrive and contribute to our collective success.

Location: Reading Area  

Role Type: Hybrid (3 days per week in the office)

Key Responsibilities 

Customer Support: 

• Understands business requirements, designs solutions and the ability to articulate the designed solution to the CPS client's around support tickets 

• Conduct and schedule regular service review meetings with customers to aid in identifying potential opportunities or issues (remotely and face to face) 

• Understanding and managing intricate clients and difficult situations with the support of the Service Management team 

• Contribute to the ongoing development of the App Support function by sharing knowledge, experience and expertise with other team members 

• Assist in the creation and growth of service propositions 

• Identify further opportunities for the business through additional project work or expansion of services delivered 

• Liaise with customers regarding post-sales requirements and delivery, and will have input into ongoing service reviews 

• Recognise opportunities for improvements to procedures by pro-actively offering ideas and solutions 

• Provide an escalation level for problem support, resolution and communication as appropriate 

• Work with the Managed Services and App Support teams to ensure all aspects of the department's "business as usual" operations can be maintained to meet customers' requirements 

Internal Roles: 

• Ownership of selected support deliverables within their team 

• SLAs are within tolerance levels 

• Initial response SLAs 

• Rolling Response SLAs 

• Cross-skilling is maintained through the team 

• Support Service Management in the creation of professional development plans for analysts within their team 

• Support process and standards development 

• Support Process/SOP Documentation creation/maintenance 

• Supporting internal handovers for new customers 

• Mentoring of new support staff and skills sharing 

• Escalating long-standing unresolved calls to Service Management 

• Attending and leading the following meetings both on and offsite supporting service management:  

• External Service Reviews 

• Internal Account Reviews 

• Pre-Sales Support 

• Liaising with Service Management 

• Technical and process escalation point for Service Desk analysts 

• Carrying our trend analysis and providing solutions to service management.  

• Technical and process escalation point for Service Desk analysts 

Desirable Personal Attributes 

• Personable, and a quick builder of relationships 

• Good interpersonal & customer care skills 

• Good writing & oral communication skills 

• Imaginative problem solver 

• Ability to work as part of a team of specialists 

• Appreciation of a quality approach 

• Sensitive to commercial opportunity 

• Confidence in personal abilities 

• Fast assimilator of information 

• Resilient, appropriately persistent 

• Strong drive for excellent customer service 

Technical Experience 

• Considered a Subject Matter Expert in Microsoft Power Platform.  

• Good understanding and demonstration of technical expertise in: 

• Microsoft Dynamics 365 

• Customer Engagement 

• Marketing  

• Project Operations 

• Power Platform 

• Power Apps 

• Power Automate 

• Power BI 

• Power Virtual Agents 

• SharePoint Online 

• Azure DevOps 

• Microsoft Customer Voice 

• Microsoft SQL Scripting 

• Basic/ Fundamental understanding of supporting technologies in: 

• Azure IaaS 

• Windows Active Directory  

• Azure Active Directory 

• Microsoft SQL Infrastructure (Server and Azure Hosted) 

Desirable Certifications 

• MB-230 - Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Customer Service Functional Consultant Associate 

• MB-600 - Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 + Power Platform Solution Architect Expert 

• PL-900 - Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Fundamentals 

• PL-600 - Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Solution Architect Expert 

• PL-400 - Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Developer Associate 

• PL-300 - Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate  

• PL-100 - Microsoft Certified: Power Platform App Maker Associate 

• ITIL® 4 Foundation - IT Service Management Certification 

• ITIL® 3 Foundation - IT Service Management Certification 

CPS Benefits (Current at the time of writing)

• Hybrid working (work from where you choose to, whether home, the Green Park, Reading office, a regional Landmark location, or a coffee shop!)
• Initial onboarding will take place in the office, and you should be prepared to travel to the office/agreed location for team meetings approximately once per month.
• 9 Day Fortnight
• PMI with Vitality Health
• Medical Cash Plan with Medicash
• Income Protection with YuLife
• Death in Service with YuLife
• Employee Assistance Programme
• 25 days holiday – increasing to 26 days after 1 year, to 27 days after 2 years and to 28 days after 5 years
• Your birthday day off
• Access to Costco Membership
• Salary Sacrifice Scheme, applicable to:
• Workplace Pension https://www.nestpensions.org.uk/schemeweb/nest/about-pensions/why-save-with-a-workplace-pension.html
• Employer contribution is currently 5.5% of qualifying salary (above legislated minimum and will increase if we achieve certain business targets)
• Employee contribution is 4% of qualifying salary (legislated minimum but you can elect to increase)
• EV Car Scheme
• Discounted Gym Membership
• Cycle Scheme
• Holiday Exchange Scheme: buy up to 10 additional day per year and sell up to 5.

 In addition, these are just some of our cultural benefits

• Quarterly and annual star performer awards – voted for by your peers and colleagues
• Spot Awards of £25 and up, to instantly recognise excellence in you and your colleagues
• Annual professional and personal training budget to support your PDP
• Career Development Framework
• Reward schemes that are designed to thank you for your hard work and make life a little more affordable.
• Monthly employee experience/engagement survey
• Quarterly company meetings
• At least one, usually the kick-off in March/April, will be in-person.
• Duration is generally 2 or 3 days and location changes every year.
• Social/team building events, organised by our incredible Employee Forum
• Regular, meaningful 1 to 1s
• No arduous annual appraisal process – your line manager will hold a progress meeting with you quarterly, as a minimum, to review and realign your objectives and your PDP as appropriate
• Long service recognition at 5, 10, 15, 20 years and onwards
• Award winning culture Great Place to Work™ Nov 23 to Nov 24; Best Workplaces for Development™ 2024,Best Workplaces for Wellbeing™ 2024, Best Workplaces for Women™ 2024, Best Workplaces in Consulting and Professional Service™ 2024